Ammo storage and cache-ing

[grayfox]

Blackblade
Great post!!
Thanks.

[MUSIBIKE]

The ammo deal on RGUNS.com looks pretty good. NICE IMI ammo all sharp and shiny. So, I broke down and ordered up a couple of more cases.

[BIG 54R]

I have a few ammo can's but not nearly enuff, but shipping is what keeps me from mail ordering them.

sometimes at the local shows they have a nice supply but the price varies show to show and some seem way over priced!

I like the .30's better than the .50's I think, I only have about 2 of each and a cpl .223 cans.

[Black Blade]

I'm visiting my baby brother and his family for the holidays in SE Idaho. Just down the road is the Army Surplus Center, so I may be grabbing a few ammo cans and whatever supplies I find useful at a decent price.

- Black Blade

[MUSIBIKE]

If you are thinking about stocking up on anything, January is getting here really fast. I would not worry about shipping. Just stock it up. I am seeing stuff like WOLF 9mm & 7.62X38 not available any more some places on the net. If you can grab it, do it.

I have a couple of 9mm cases, some .22Cal Magnum and some .32cal inbound now I hope? Next month, it won't be available either.

Mags are all gone now if not at double in price.

AR parts are a thing of the past unless you buy from a gouger at double price now.

AK parts are GONE!

UZI parts are GONE!

If you can get what you need and can find it, get it NOW! It WILL NOT be available next month.

[smittygj]

The US military seems to worry about storing ammo at high temps also:

Operation Desert Storm: Solar Radiation Shielding Materials for Ammunition Storage

"Abstract : Absorption of heat through high ambient temperatures and solar radiation has proven to have an adverse detrimental effect on ammunition in open storage. "


How much heat are they worried about? Seems about 161 degrees F is what ammo in Saudi Arabia can get up to. And this is ammo for relatively immediate use (months) not long term stockpiles:

Saudi Arabia (SA) Ammunition Temperatures in Open Storage, 1991

I'll second that. I just looked it up in the publications for ammo storage ashore for Navy and Marine Corps and it states that most ammo is designed to withstand temps between 130 and 160 for short periods of time. I further researched smokeless powder, and found that if it has been exposed to temps above 105 for more than 500 cumulative hours, it should be suspect until lot testing can be done to see if there is any degradation of the ammo.

[g2busmc]

is there any problems if the ammo is around or below freezing temps?

[sjohnson]

Freezing won't hurt it, though performance can drop off the colder the ammo is when used.

Moisture MIGHT hurt ammo, keep any frozen ammo sealed until it reached ambient temperatures to avoid condensation issues.

[smittygj]

is there any problems if the ammo is around or below freezing temps?

-20 to -40 seems to be the lowest number that the pubs show for smokeless powder or small arms ammo, though they do not have a maximum time that it can be stored below that like they do for the heat index.

[upgrayedd]

I know that even modern weapons will fail and seize in sub freezing temps. There are numerous accounts of weapons failures and breaches freezing shut and the soldiers urinating on the rifles to free them up(doesnt seem like a good idea to me either) during the battle of the bulge. SO IF the weapon is being operated in the same temps as the ammo is being stored(freezing or below) the user may be screwed either way?