You’ve just bought a few boxes of 9mm ammo from Cheaper Than Dirt! Now that you have it, what do you do with it while you are waiting for your next range day? Knowing how to store your ammo properly can help keep it in working condition, even if your range day isn’t for another year. Cheaper Than Dirt has some items that can help you store your ammo. If properly stored, ammo from WWI can still be used, and you, too, can store your ammo and have it outlast you.
Ammo Boxes and Cases
Cheaper Than Dirt offers plenty of ammo boxes and cases to store your ammo. Whether you want to store your 7.62 ammo still in the box but in a metal surplus case or dump loose rounds in a plastic box is up to you. Taking them out of the box means you have to handle the rounds, exposing them to the elements. But, as long as you have a well-ventilated area and can control the humidity, the choice is up to you. You can keep the cases in a closet or your gun safe.
Keep It Cool, Dry, and Dark
There are three main rules for storing ammo: keep it cool, dry, and in a dark place. You don’t want to keep it where there are wild temperature swings or where it gets too hot or cold. Humidity is the enemy when storing your ammo. There are plenty of ways humidity can ruin your ammo, so keep it in a dry place. Finally, you don’t want to store your ammo where sunlight regularly hits it, so find somewhere dark. Generally, keeping your ammo in the cases mentioned above can help with many of these problems. Cheaper Than Dirt also offers humidity control options that are perfect for keeping your ammo “fresh” in a gun safe.
Dealing with Humidity
If you keep your 9mm handguns somewhere with high humidity, expect to find them rusty. Instead of rusting your ammo, though, humidity will corrode the brass and can also damage the primer and propellant. When humidity affects a round, it can make it hard to judge whether the ammo is even still worth trying to shoot. The best-case scenario is the round is damaged enough that it doesn’t do anything, failing to fire. The worst-case scenario is the bullet either no longer has enough power to exit the barrel or you have a delayed round, firing well after you pull the trigger. You don’t want to encounter either situation, so make sure your ammo is safe from humidity.
Know Where You Shouldn’t Store Ammo
Don’t store ammo where you can’t control the climate. Most garages, barns, or other outbuildings are not suitable, as you can’t control temperature, humidity, or both. Cars and basements are also poor choices. Basements can suffer from high humidity, while cars can experience temperature swings and are easy to break into. Instead, use a safe or vault, a rechargeable dehumidifier, and cases, all easy to find from Cheaper Than Dirt.
Find everything you need to store ammo properly at https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/