Gear
Ammo Storage
Factory ammunition kept cool, dry and in its original packaging lasts a very long time: decades, routinely. What shortens that is humidity and repeated temperature cycling, which is why storage is a question about seals and location rather than about anything exotic. A sealed can with a working gasket, a desiccant pack inside it and a label on the outside solves the problem completely, and it also solves the more mundane one of knowing what you actually have.
Before you buy
What to know about ammo storage
The gasket is the whole product
A steel ammunition can works because of the rubber seal in the lid. Surplus cans are excellent value and the seal is the thing to inspect: cracked, flattened or missing rubber means the can is a box, not a sealed container. Replacement gaskets are cheap. New commercial cans and polymer cases arrive with fresh seals and usually a proper latch.
Keep the original boxes and the lot numbers
Dumping loose ammunition into a can loses the lot number, and the lot number is what you want if a recall is issued or if one batch shoots noticeably better than another. It also prevents the very real hazard of mixing similar-looking cartridges. Keep factory boxes inside the can.
Weight is the constraint you will hit first
Ammunition is dense. A .30 calibre can filled with centerfire rifle ammunition is heavier than most people expect and a full .50 calibre can is a two-hand lift. Smaller cans, more of them, stored low and on something that will take the load, is the arrangement that does not end in a broken shelf.
Cool, dry and stable beats cold or clever
An interior closet is better than a garage, a garage is better than a shed, and anywhere that swings thirty degrees between day and night is the worst option available. Desiccant packs inside a sealed can handle whatever humidity was sealed in with it. Nothing else is required.
Questions
Common questions
How long does ammunition actually last?
Factory ammunition stored cool, dry and sealed remains serviceable for decades: people routinely shoot ammunition older than they are. Time is not the enemy; moisture and repeated heat cycling are. A sealed can with intact gasket and a desiccant pack, kept indoors, is all the protection modern ammunition needs.
Are surplus military ammunition cans worth buying?
Generally yes. They are inexpensive, stack well and were built for exactly this. Inspect the lid gasket before trusting one: if the rubber is cracked, flattened or missing, the can will not seal, and a replacement gasket costs very little. Check the latch and hinge too, since a can that will not close tightly is just a metal box.
Should I use desiccant?
Yes, and it costs almost nothing. A sealed can traps whatever humidity was in the room when you closed it; a desiccant pack absorbs that and then does nothing else until you open the can again. Rechargeable indicating packs that change colour when saturated are the convenient version: you can dry them in an oven and reuse them for years.