How do you store your ammo?

Primses

New member
I store mine in two ammo cans that are hidden in the back of my closet. I am not to worried about it being stolen. The robber would have to know where it is and would have to have a lot of time to take it. I would be more concern about my guns and power tools than my small pile of ammo. Also I keep my ammo divided up in multiple places to prevent losing it all.
 

Stevie-Ray

New member
Why would anyone store ammo in the safe?

Is this to protect the ammo against theft or nefarious use by children?
It seems like one of those locking sheet-metal gun cabinets might work for such needs at a -FAR- lower price point.

I keep my ammo in an antique piece of furniture -- I don't know what you'd call it. But it's go a door on it, two shelves and a big drawer and the dang thing must be a hundred years old or more. It's perfect for ammo... but if I didn't have it, I'd just pile the stuff up anywhere that's orderly and has a door over it so you can't see it through the window. Let's say a closet with a solid bunch of shelves. That's where I'd likely end up.

A gun safe is prime real estate and I definitely don't waste that precious space on a consumable commodity.
Meh, at the time, I had the room, as I don't really have a metric ton of firearms. But it is now a bit crowded in there, with some added stuff, and I've been looking at the smaller safes and storage boxes, such as Sentry and Homak-just for ammo.
 

bbqbob51

New member
Several hundred rounds of various calibers in my gun safes, most of the rest is in steel 30cal and 50cal ammo cans as well as some in an old brief case. I have it scattered around the house in different locations in case of a break in. My house has been broken into before (twice) and I want to make it as hard a possible for the scumbags to locate my stash.
 

RodTheWrench

New member
Ammo cans. Some steel, some plastic. I've been looking for a decent lockable storage solution however as the value of my ammo easily exceeds that of several guns, as well as being hard to replace these days. I do keep a quantity on one half-shelf of my gun safe, but that will probably change as I acquire more guns. :)
 

22-rimfire

New member
I store the majority of my ammunition on the shelf in a closet and in a steel cabinet such as you can purchase at Office Supply stores. It really depends on how much you have and what you anticipate in the future. Some is on the floor in closets in ammo cans and original case packaging and some is in the garage (somewhere?). I misplace ammo a lot.

If I want for example golden bullets (Remington 22LR), I would probably have to dig a bit. But I know I have probably 10K rounds lying around somewhere in GI ammo boxes. A lot of this is 15-20 years old.

Steel contractors box from Home Depot or Lowes would be my choice if I actually cared about storing it under lock and key.
 

natman

New member
I went with the tool box for HD
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-37-...9261/203668066

It was big enough, it had wheels to make it easier to move if need be, and it even had a weather strip seal on the top to keep moister out. And it was under $60.

I suspect that if you fill that big boy with ammo you won't be able to move it even with wheels. A 1.5 cubic foot moving box, the size that's pretty heavy when filled with record albums (for those that remember LPs), is almost too heavy to lift when filled with ammo. I'm going to guess you could fit 4 of them in that box, which would be a lot more than those wheels can take.
 
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Romeo 33 Delta

New member
If the ammo is for calibers for which I reload, I store it in Midway 50 round plastic boxes (#509/#510/#511 etc). If it's military or commercial loaded ammo, I keep it in the original containers. All the ammo is stored on heavy-duty, steel storage racks in my "basement" (actually just the lowest level in my house ... heated, air-conditioned, humidity controlled ... MY PLAY ROOM)
 

gyvel

New member
In steel ammo cans. They are waterproof and generally airtight as long as the seal is good. In addition, they are space-efficient and stackable.
 

leadcounsel

Moderator
Any large cabinet could be transformed.

Broken used refrigerator or freezer.
Pickup truck style tool box.
Old kitchen cabinets.

You could always build and frame a home-made fire proofing around it, using green drywall, or sandbags stacked vertically, etc.

I have no room in my safes. I keep my ammo in metal and plastic ammo cans, stacked on shelves, and also in some steel pickup truck style diamond tool boxes, found cheap used.
 

Darto

New member
I used common 50 cal steel ammo cans.

To lock them I used one 1" long 1/4" eyebolt and one fender washer inside (i.e. a 1-1/4" wide washer with 1/4" hole), two stacked narrow washers (outside for the front where a ridge prevents using fender style), a lockwasher (inside), and two nuts (inside).

Needed a drill and sabre saw with a blade for thin metal (17 to 24 tooth) to make the cutout on the front of the box. This cutout was a horizontal slot about 1-1/4" wide and 1/2" tall. Youtube had videos of guys making similar, probably about identical to what I did.

For padlocks I used Philadelphia Security online to buy padlocks all of which are keyed alike, I know of no cheaper place to get Master brand locks.

I used these eyebolts and cut them shorter with a Stanley bolt cutter, they were 2", I cut them to 1".

http://www.amazon.com/Lehigh-7131-4...94694447&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=1/4"+eyebolt
 

natman

New member
For padlocks I used Philadelphia Security online to buy padlocks all of which are keyed alike, I know of no cheaper place to get Master brand locks.

Thanks for the tip. Their prices are good and they can match key codes. I've been looking for a place that could sell me some more locks that use the same key as the ones I have. Great find!
 

45Gunner

New member
I went to Home Depot and bought some big plastic storage bins. I have several thousand rounds of ammo, mostly .45ACP, 5.56, and .357magnum. I keep them in the original boxes and put the boxes into the plastic bins and they are either in my closet on the floor or under my bed.

I live in Florida and my house is maintained at a constant temperature and humidity all year round.

My safe is for guns and important papers. I have about 100 magazines stored in there as well and every magazine is fully loaded.
 

skoro

New member
I use an old filing cabinet. One drawer each for rimfire, handgun, and long gun ammo. Make sure it's a sturdy cabinet, though. Ammo's heavy and will cause an el-cheapo to buckle.

Don't ask how I know this... ;)
 
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