The Rohrbaugh Forum
Miscellaneous => The Water Cooler -- General Discussions => Topic started by: DDGator on March 16, 2011, 10:15:51 PM
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I just bought a couple thousand rounds of 9mm and .45 ACP reloads for my gaming habits...
I decided to to a little inventory of my ammo stash and was kind of shocked at the accumulation. I now have over 9,000 rounds of assorted pistol, rifle and shotgun ammo.
Holy crap!
I am guessing, however, that might be a small number to some of you... So -- how much do you like to have on hand?
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In the neighborhood of 12K + ;D
I have a friend who told me he had over 30K :o
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3,500 9MM
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I quit counting the 9MM Silvertips! :) I won't ever have to buy anymore. :)
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How long and how should ammo be stored?
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So long as it is kept within normal household storage temps and humidity, it will last a very long time. ;)
I am sure someone else can give a more technical answer.
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I've always heard "dry and cool".
I think Gator nailed it - "household" which should be about 45-55% relative humidity, and 68-74 degrees.
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I have shot ammo i had that was 10 years old. I always kept it in a cool dry area(my basement). I had no malfunctions at all. As far as life of ammo, i could not say. If you have old ammo that you stored properly, test it out.
I always stay away from used ammo. Or ammo anyone else had that i dont know. You never know what you will get!
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Yep! I've got .45 ACP that's 10+ years old and fire a box every so often with no problems.
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I always stay away from used ammo.
I thought used ammo don't work!
As in empty shell cases!
;D ;D
just messin' with ya
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Sorry, PREOWNED. ;)
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I know, I was just hackin' on ya. ;D
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Thanks. I need a little humor.
LOOOOOOOOOOONG day at the office. I dont think it will ever end. ???
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Hey it's always 5:00 somewhere.
Shut it down.
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Thanks. I need a little humor.
LOOOOOOOOOOONG day at the office. I dont think it will ever end. ???
Don't we all! ;D
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Is it Beer30 yet?
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Quit counting! ;)
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Time to go home! ;D
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I was wondering if you were going to work overtime!
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Its nice to chat on the forum when i am on the phone @ work.
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Sounds like you are into your work.
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I have to call tech support alot when designing some of our systems.
As you know in the world of tech support (please hold for the next operator - you call is very important to us).
This allows me to do other things.
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Ah, multitasking.
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I try.
If i misspell somthing, you will know why!
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I think that is forgiven here.
I swear, the older I get, the more I forget how to spell.
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I have to call tech support alot when designing some of our systems.
As you know in the world of tech support (please hold for the next operator - you call is very important to us).
This allows me to do other things.
When do you have time to work? ;D Oh! you answered that! :D
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Ah, multitasking.
Multitasking! Hmmmmm! ;)
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Yes multitasking, watching TV, while eating Dinner on a TV table with the laptop on the arm of the recliner. ;D ;D
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Now, that's my kind of multitasking! :D
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Now John, I am impressed with your multitasking skills. ;D
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Me too. I'm starting to do that today! :D
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practice makes perfect! ;)
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I am going to see if I can get it down to a science. :D
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Enjoy trying! ;D
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Oh! I'm not going to try, I'm going to per fect it! ;D
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Getting in on the conversation a bit late I’m afraid….I believe in 1,000 rounds minimum for every gun in the house….I have a bunch of guns….just started building an Ammo bunker.
Now for the bad news….Ammo should only be kept for a maximum of 1-2 years. After that it becomes extremely unstable and should be shipped immediately to some dude who calls himself AMMOTOAD for disposition and demilitarization. I’ve been an AMMO troop for most of my adult life and still work in Weapons Test and Evaluation so I’m somewhat of an expert on this……send me a note on the side and I’ll send you my shipping address.
Seriously though, DDGator got it right. Cool and dry, household temps will do. Use surplus ammo cans with the rubber seal and toss in a bag of desiccant if you aren’t sure. But bottom line, the ammo will outlast danged near all of us, and then some. I have some WWII era 30.06 black tip armor piercing ammo in cans. Now these cans are hermetically sealed so a bit more capable of exceeding most storage limitations, but I open a can and it looks like new. As for care, once loaded, ammo brass should not be polished or lubed. Certain lubes will penetrate the primer. I could write a page on what all bad things that can do, but just trust me on that one. Discolored brass, unless obvious corrosion, is not cause to reject the round. I’ll see if I can look up the chart and post it soon for some examples. Small dents are acceptable, but if questionable, don’t use it. The dents can cause overpressure when fired. If storing on a concrete floor, use some dunnage, like some 2x4 lumber between ammo container and floor. Keeps moisture away. Hope this helps a bit. If you need more detailed information, let me know and I’ll scan some current military tech data on small arms storage and inspection. When all else fails, see paragraph two above. ;)
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You're never too late, Toad, and always appreciated.
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And a note on the lumber between the concrete and the steel ammo box, if using pressure treated lumber put plastic over the wood to create a barrier between it and the steel box.
Pressure treated wood has chemicals that will attack steel, thats why they use special coated deck screws or stainless for treated wood.
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Okay. You guys guilt tripped me into actually taking an ammo inventory and organizing the inventory so I can actually find stuff .
I have 6,500 rounds in various calibers, and gages. But compared to some of the other forum members, my stash is modest. I'd buy more if I had room.
There are also enough components for me to reload about 3,000 rounds of 9mm, .40 S&W, and .357 / .38 Spl.
I even found 16 rounds of .40 S&W BLACK TALON. Thought I shot up all that I had when Winchester switched to the "less-menacing" design.....
Re: Shelf life of commercial ammo. I still have a few hundred rounds of milsurp .30 Carbine FMJ ammo I bought after the 1967 Detroit riots. Irv's Gun Shop in Inkster, MI sold me the carbine brand new for about $100, and WW II vintage ammo in the original military boxes for 5 cents per round. They still fire reliably in my .30 Carbine. The primers & projectiles have sealer on them, and I'm told that the .30 Carbine round was the first U.S. military round to use non-corrosive primers. I took the ammo out of the boxes and stored it in sealed steel ammo military-style cases. Should have saved those cardboard boxes....
Steve
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I just bought a couple thousand rounds of 9mm and .45 ACP reloads for my gaming habits...
I decided to to a little inventory of my ammo stash and was kind of shocked at the accumulation. I now have over 9,000 rounds of assorted pistol, rifle and shotgun ammo.
Holy crap!
I am guessing, however, that might be a small number to some of you... So -- how much do you like to have on hand?
Duane:
Since my wife checks the Forum now and then to see what I have been up to, I have decided that discretion is advised with regard to my ammo reserves. ;)
Suffice it to say that my ammunition supplies are dispersed among what might be described as "undisclosed secure locations," and that I store my ammunition as carefully with regard to security and environmental controls as I do my weapons.
Your own "stash" seems to be about right for the times.
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I just bought a couple thousand rounds of 9mm and .45 ACP reloads for my gaming habits...
I decided to to a little inventory of my ammo stash and was kind of shocked at the accumulation. I now have over 9,000 rounds of assorted pistol, rifle and shotgun ammo.
Holy crap!
I am guessing, however, that might be a small number to some of you... So -- how much do you like to have on hand?
I get a little quimish if mine goes under 10,000 rds and I'm not at the quimish point yet, however, did get tired of counting the last time I tried to count. Just know I'm OK.
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;D