If you haven’t stored your ammo properly, your stock be nothing more than a heap of brass.

Like water and food, ammunition is something that needs to be stored properly as corrosion, moisture and heat can ruin an ammo supply. Cartridges may break, bullets may corrode and primers may lose their zing which might lead to safety hazards. These potential risks can be avoided if you know the best way to store your ammo. So, we’ll share with you some essential tips to store your ammo in the best manner.

Use Proper Containers

The United States military has made standard ammo cans designed for different calibers. Military personal have been using these containers for long now and they can work well for your ammo storage. You can get one from your local military store, but inspect these cans to ensure that they don’t have any fault. The rubber seal underneath the top lid should be in good condition to keep the container air tight.

If you’re looking for a cheap alternative, consider plastic ammo cans as they are inexpensive and excellent for storing ammo.

Minimize Humidity

Humidity is an ammo killer. It can spoil the gun powder, damage the primer and rust the ammo case. To preserve the ammo for a long time, humidity must be prevented. While hiding ammo in different locations can be a good tactic, it is best to store the ammo in the room where the humidity is lowest.

Humidity can be easily monitored through test strips which can reveal relative humidity levels. If humidity remains high in your area, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. It will solve the humidity issue and also keep the air clean.

Avoid Extreme Heat

The best way to store your ammo is to keep it safe from extreme heat. Modern, factory-manufactured ammo are designed in such a way that they can reliably function in extreme conditions whether it is the freezing cold of the arctic or the scorching heat of the Death Valley. However, these ammunitions cannot withstand extreme conditions with their storage as high humidity, temperature fluctuations and extreme heat can completely ruin the ammo.

You should avoid storing your ammo in places where temperature can fluctuate or reach high extremes like the back trunk of your vehicle. At high temperatures, the ammo components can rapidly degrade. The bullets and case are not directly affected by high temperature; however, the gun powder can be badly affected and may lead to potential explosion.

High heat ruins ammo and that should be your primary concern about temperature. Rapid fluctuations can also be damaging, so if you’re among those who store their ammo in garage, you really need to reconsider.

Use Silica Gel Packs

Silica gel packs absorb moisture and you can drop these packs into your ammo containers. These packs can be purchased from an online store and provide a reliable and inexpensive way to keep your ammo dry and safe. Another advantage you get from silica gel packs is that they change color when too much moisture is absorbed and you’ll know when these packets need to replaced.

Use Vacuum Sealed Bags

Another way to keep your ammo safe from moisture is by using vacuum sealed bags. It is the best way to ensure that no air or moisture is able to reach your precious ammo. This is especially useful when you have to store thousands of rounds in a single bag.

Be Sure to Label

One of the best ways to store your ammo for a long time is by labeling them. Labeling is very important for safe storage of ammo. Label your ammo cases with their purchase date and first use the old rounds then switch to new ones.

Ammunition Checks are a Must

So, you think that if you pack up your ammo in air tight containers free from moisture and place it in a cool place where they cannot be damaged, your job is done? You’re mistaken if you think that is the case. Ammunition checks are essential to ensure that your rounds are not corroding or getting exposed to any kind of damage. Sometimes damage can come from where we least expect and to avoid such damage, regular ammunition checks are necessary.

Now that you know the best ways to store your ammo, you’ll be able to preserve your ammo for a long time and use them in case of a potential crisis.