What’s worse than the ammo crisis we’ve all faced for the past 5 years and counting?
Getting a great deal on some 9mm bulk ammo, putting it away, and then bringing it to the range, only to drop the hammer on a dud.
And another, and another - only to realize that the whole box, or worse, the whole can - has been damaged by prolonged exposure to humidity, high temperatures, or other inadequate storage conditions.
If you’re going to shell out good money on 9mm bulk ammo, at least protect your investment by making sure you know how to store it.
Here are some best practices.
Skip the Garage
It may be tempting to store your ammo cans in the garage, but this is something you should avoid if you can.
This is because garage spaces are, by and large, not climate controlled, which means that the ammo therein will be exposed to temperature swings and perhaps high humidity, too, both of which are terrible for ammunition.
The one possible exclusion to this rule is if your garage is annexed to your home and gets heating, cooling, and moisture control.
Also, if the garage doesn’t experience massive temperature swings, you can theoretically store ammo there in airtight and watertight cans to protect against moisture intrusion.
All in all, though, it’s better to store it inside.
Skip the Basement
The basement, like the garage, is one other place that you don’t want to store your bulk ammo - or any ammo.
The reason for this is slightly different from the reasoning for the garage. Basements tend to be more temperature stable and if anything trend toward the cooler side throughout the year. Cool conditions are actually good news for ammo storage.
It is the humidity factor that is the problem here. Throughout the vast majority of the country (with the exception of the southwest) basements tend to be fairly humid, and that moisture exposure will both cause and exacerbate corrosion that will compromise ammo.
Again, you could theoretically store ammo in the basement provided the temperatures were acceptable, if it were stored in an airtight and watertight can. You’ll also want to invest in a dehumidifier if you do as much. All in all, though, it’s better to store it somewhere else inside.
Skip the Attic
The attic, like the basement, is another location within your home that is generally unfit for ammo storage. But whereas basements tend to be cool, attics tend to be hot, and this is unequivocally bad news for ammo.
Even in cooler states, attics can be blazing hot, even in the winter. It doesn’t take too much heat to damage primers, and that damage is irreversible once done.
So, unfortunately, dry ammo can or not, the attic is one place that you should store your ammo, period.
Don’t Store It in the Trunk
The trunk of your car is another bad place to store your ammo because there’s no climate control no matter how you look at it.
The trunk of your car can go from freezing cold to blazing hot within days, and it’s well known that a trunk can get north of 100℉ easily when the car’s left in the sun in the summer.
Plus, if you live in a humid area, that just makes it all that much worse. There’s no good way to keep ammo in the trunk, so don’t.
Keep Away from the Crawl Space
Basements are bad, crawl spaces are worse. Whereas the basement might in theory be finished, dry, and climate-controlled, such is almost never the case with a crawl space.
Which means your ammo will be subjected to the weather, and worse, crawl spaces often have no viable vapor barrier, resulting in chronically humid conditions.
Do not store your ammo there.
Special Notes If These Spaces Are Unavoidable
If you have to store ammo, say, in the basement, consider getting a dehumidifier and making sure the basement never gets too hot or too cold. Also, storing your ammo in airtight and watertight cans can help prevent corrosive damage.
Avoid the trunk, crawl space, and attic no matter what.
Other Storage Considerations
All in all, ammo must be kept cool and dry. Two things that damage ammo are high temperatures and high humidity.
High temperatures damage propellant and primer; anything above 150℉ is going to cause permanent damage.
As for high humidity, chronic moisture can interact with the copper in the bullet’s jacket or brass casing, changing the density, dimensions, and weakening the alloy.
No matter where you store your ammo, make sure it’s a cool, dry location. That’s what matters.
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