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With respect to storing ammunition, how big a problem is it to store ammunition in an unheated garage as opposed to inside a basement?

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[Caveman Jim]

IMHO. Basement temps will not fluctuate as wildly as a garage does during the wet cold winter and 80-90 degree summer. If you do store ammo in any of those places, make sure that you put them in metal ammo cans with good seals and add packs to each one.

 

[1911Fanatic]

I don't think it would be a problem with the cold so much as the humidity. I store my ammo in plastic ammo cans that have a rubber seal between the lid and the storage area. Throw a couple of desiccant packs in each and you should be fine IMO.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Ain't the temperatures ya gotta worry about. Is the humidity that's the problem. Well sealed, and with desiccant packs, good to go. Insulated packaging also good (like straw in wood crates for example)

 

[1911Fanatic]

Any ammo that I keep in boxes, I store in my bedroom in an ammo safe. I have a renewable desiccant can in my ammo safe and my gun safe. The ones that I use will work in a space up to 30 cubic feet.

When the crystals turn pink, it's time to dry them out. I dump the pellets in a roasting pan and spread them thinly, and bake at 250 degrees for half an hour. Then I open the oven door to where it's only open a few inches and let them sit for an hour in the oven with the heat off.

Then Intake them out, and if there are any pink ones left, I repeat the heat cycle.

The pellets start out as white and turn pink when they absorb moisture. When the pink ones that have absorbed moisture are dried, they turn blue. The ones that stay white never had enough moisture in them to begin with to turn color. I dry them 2 or three times a year. Cabela/s/Bass Pro has them for 25 dollars for the 30 cu ft can.

I've had my current can in my gun safe since August and I just dried the pellets a couple weeks ago. Many people complain that doing this stinks up the house when you open the oven. If it stinks then you cooked them too long or on too high of temperature.

 

[Richo877]

Vacuum seal that ish and store it wherever you want.

 

[1911Fanatic]

Ain't the temperatures ya gotta worry about. Is the humidity that's the problem. Well sealed, and with desiccant packs, good to go. Insulated packaging also good (like straw in wood crates for example)

I use a food sealer on my range ammo. It sucks out all the air and sealed them air and water tight. Usually 100 rounds to a pack. Then I take them to the range in a metal ammo can. The loose rounds go into a plastic ammo can with a desiccant and are good for many years.

 

[SafariA4]

As others said, just make sure it doesn't get moist.

 

[OrPackrat]

In a sealed ammo can.call it good.

 

[dangerranger60]

One time I was talking to an ammo Tech guy at Winchester and got the chance to ask about storage.
He said powder starts breaking down at 150 degrees and gets faster with any heat above that. The interior of my garage never gets over that temp. but the interior of my truck parked in direct sun easily gets over 165 degrees.
The tech said even at 165 the ammo will still work for a couple years of that exposure.
I started keeping the ammo in my truck in a foam insulated ice chest to stop some of the heat soak. And rotating it out before the year is up.
Dry cold also won't hurt ammo.
So if i keep my powder and ammo dry and in stable temps it will last longer than I will. DR

 

[ilikegunspdx]

With respect to storing ammunition, how big a problem is it to store ammunition in an unheated garage as opposed to inside a basement?

Humidity in cold areas it terrible in my area. Left a shotgun in inheated garage and became totally rusted. Left the magazine on right in garage for 2 days and that's the rust that formed (see pic below). We have room with lots of glass unheated and humidifier has to run 24/7 all winter to prevent serious mold. Avoid storing in unheated garage at all costs is my advice. Heated basement totally fine.

This hygrometer totally accurate and reliable. Will tell you exactly how much humidity in basement/room/safe/whatever. Probably can find cheaper in other places ($13 is lowest I've seen). Don't buy any other cheap hygrometer is my suggestion. I woudl guess I've had 10-12 other brands (including expensive ones) and they were all inaccurate or unreliable. This is the only one I will vouch for. I have four of them and one failed after about 5 years but others still work great.

Amazon.com

 

[Nwcid]

I dont have anything to add other than to support what has been said.

Moisture is the key, find a way to keep things dry. Take things out of packaging that will hold or collect moisture.

 

[Xmark1]

Vacuum seal that ish and store it wherever you want.
View attachment 2036350

Cases of ammo will not fit in my vacuum sealer bags.

 

[MymuttBear]

Any ammo that I keep in boxes, I store in my bedroom in an ammo safe. I have a renewable desiccant can in my ammo safe and my gun safe. The ones that I use will work in a space up to 30 cubic feet.

When the crystals turn pink, it's time to dry them out. I dump the pellets in a roasting pan and spread them thinly, and bake at 250 degrees for half an hour. Then I open the oven door to where it's only open a few inches and let them sit for an hour in the oven with the heat off.

Then Intake them out, and if there are any pink ones left, I repeat the heat cycle.

The pellets start out as white and turn pink when they absorb moisture. When the pink ones that have absorbed moisture are dried, they turn blue. The ones that stay white never had enough moisture in them to begin with to turn color. I dry them 2 or three times a year. Cabela/s/Bass Pro has them for 25 dollars for the 30 cu ft can.

I've had my current can in my gun safe since August and I just dried the pellets a couple weeks ago. Many people complain that doing this stinks up the house when you open the oven. If it stinks then you cooked them too long or on too high of temperature.

We used to store aircraft jet engines in zippered bags with bags of desiccant. There was small disc open to the inside of the bag and sealed to the outside so you could see when the humidity level was getting to the stage that the bags needed attention.

 

[Koda]

Does it really get that humid here?
I store ammo in my garage and no issues.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Does it really get that humid here?
I store ammo in my garage and no issues.

Depends on the part of Oregon I guess. Valley, the foothills of either side, the mountains, and especially the coast and where there's large waterways (coughs Portland coughs).

 

[Provincial]

In western Oregon there is a situation that causes most of the moisture damage and rust. During the winter, a period of below-freezing temperatures "cold soaks" everything in an unheated space. Then, one of the warm, moist systems floods the area with moist air. This air contacts the cold objects, and the moisture is condensed. Especially on metal, the water beads up and causes corrosion. Steel is especially prone to this, and in my experience this is the most damaging effect of unheated spaces.

The coastal area has it's own special problems, with the moist, salt air being especially bad.

 

[CamoDeafie]

In western Oregon there is a situation that causes most of the moisture

Then, one of the warm, moist

moist,

 

[Koda]

Depends on the part of Oregon I guess. Valley, the foothills of either side, the mountains, and especially the coast and where there's large waterways (coughs Portland coughs).

yup, western Oregon. Portland area....

In western Oregon there is a situation that causes most of the moisture damage and rust. During the winter, a period of below-freezing temperatures "cold soaks" everything in an unheated space. Then, one of the warm, moist systems floods the area with moist air. This air contacts the cold objects, and the moisture is condensed. Especially on metal, the water beads up and causes corrosion. Steel is especially prone to this, and in my experience this is the most damaging effect of unheated spaces.

The coastal area has it's own special problems, with the moist, salt air being especially bad.

like our current snowy cold snap. My garage is unusually very cold right now but the ammo looks fine, including some miscellaneous ammo Ive had for a few years. Seems like every winter we get at least one good cold snap like this, but I haven't had any issues. I'm not certain what to look for maybe?

 

[Member 94692]

View attachment 2036637

Thanks a lot. I was beginning to get hungry for dinner.