The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old September 10, 2011, 10:47 AM   #1
Fall2fast
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 11, 2011
Posts: 8
reload ammo storage, when to load question

I searched high and low for an answer to this question, but was not able to find the answer, so a new thread is created.

My question is:
Should I reload my ammo, then place the reloaded rounds into plastic storage boxes, or should I load the rounds as needed?

I'm not sure what's better for storage? having the powder in its container, and the primers sitting in their boxes, or have the rounds loaded?

ammo in question is: 500mag, 460 mag, 44 mag, 357 mag, 40 S&W, 45 ACP. Ammo boxes, MTM plastic storage cases.

Thanks all!
Fall2fast is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 10:57 AM   #2
mo84
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 27, 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 257
If it were me I would load it and store it in the plastic boxes. bullets will store for a very long time like that and plus you will be able to just pack up and go if you get the sudden urge to go shooting. I have shot rounds that were multiple years old without any problems.

Have you loaded any of these rounds before or are you just getting into it?
mo84 is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 11:07 AM   #3
Fall2fast
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 11, 2011
Posts: 8
I have loaded the revolver rounds for years, just got into the semi auto this year with complete success so far. In the past I would just load them up, then go shooting. Reason being, I would purchase bullets in low quantities, so they would not sit on the shelf very long.

Bought the Hornady Lock-n-load this year to replace my Lee loadmaster, for more reliability, and the bullet rebate.
Fall2fast is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 11:18 AM   #4
Sport45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 25, 1999
Location: Too close to Houston
Posts: 4,196
I stay a few hundred load ahead of my shooting. The "problem" with loading too many is that I may find a powder that I like better then I'm stuck with a lot of reloads that may set on the shelf neglected for years...
__________________
Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.
Sport45 is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 11:20 AM   #5
Shootest
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 9, 2011
Location: Just outside Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 722
I recently fired 100 rds 45ACP I loaded in Aug 1987 and 250 or so 357mag loaded in Apr 1992 without any problems what so ever. I store all my ammunition in military ammo cans in my basement. I have always believed that if the S ever hit the fan I would not have time for a long reloading session. Not that I think that will ever happen but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared just in case.
__________________
The private ownership of firearms is an American Heritage. Anyone who disputes that is Anti-American and unpatriotic.
NRA Life Member
Shootest is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 01:55 PM   #6
dickttx
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 29, 2011
Location: Fort Worth
Posts: 500
To me it depends on the caliber and how much you shoot it.
I usually load .45ACP until I get 500 rounds. Then try to maintain at least 100 rounds.
.45 Colt--200 rounds will last awhile, plus, trying to work on some different loads, so I am not overstocking.
Don't shoot much .38/.357 so 50 rounds are enough.
.41 Mag I kind of reload as I need them.
Just kind on starting to find a good 9mm load, so I am loading in small quantities.
.22LR I try to keep about 5000/6000 rounds on hand.
About a year ago I started with guns and reloading again. I went through my loaded ammo to note the loading data and shot everything up that had been loaded about 40 years ago. No problem with 45ACP and 45 Colt, but the .357's loaded in nickel cases split down the sides-19 of 25.
__________________
Education teaches you the rules, experience teaches you the exceptions (Plagiarized from Claude Clay)
dickttx is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 02:29 PM   #7
mo84
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 27, 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 257
I have the hornady lock and load also, it seems to be really reliable and is a nice setup for different calibers. I load the 500 mag and the 44 mag on it. I wish I had the money to stock pile some of these rounds. the only time I had an issue shooting old rounds was with an old cardboard cased shot gun shell that split when it was fired. I have 22 rounds that are so old they are corroding and they still fire lol.
mo84 is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 03:23 PM   #8
Sevens
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 28, 2007
Location: Ohio
Posts: 11,753
There's a few things at work here and many folks mentioned them, but here's my summary.

I tinker a LOT so loading up a zillion of anything really isn't my style. If I find that I can't get a particular bullet again, or if the price shoots up and I have an alternative, I have to work up a new load to get it just the way I like it.

Also, I keep a sharp eye on my primer supply and I don't want to use up too many in one caliber and accidentally short myself in another caliber, so that's another reason I won't make too much ammo and instead, keep components in my stock.

Perhaps the BIGGEST reason that I don't produce TOO much of any one ammo is the fact that I'm a simple creature and I tend to burn through a bunch of ammo if I happen to have it. A few hundred of any one thing is just right for me. More than a thousand probably means that I'm going to burn through some of it recklessly.

As for "how long will it last" in either loaded or component form? 50 years is a safe guess, under decent storage conditions.

In my cave, I could never possibly have too much component stock. But yeah, I could have too much loaded ammo.
__________________
Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.
Sevens is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 03:37 PM   #9
mikld
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 7, 2009
Location: Southern Oregon!
Posts: 2,891
I have some .44 Mag. ammo from '96 in my ammo cabinet. I just didn't get around to shooting it. I'll shoot it mebbe when I get a hankerin' for some T-Rex killer type loads. I'll get an idea of a load, load some up, but sometimes it's quite a while before I shoot 'em. Mebbe I'll get off my magnums and shoot rimfires for a while, or go with low velocity plinking, just whatever suits me at the time. But to answer your question; Yes, I reload and store. Unless ammo is stored in extreme conditions, it'll last many, many years..
__________________
My Anchor is holding fast!
I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...
mikld is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 03:41 PM   #10
doug66
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 1, 2008
Location: Kansas
Posts: 116
I try to limit my empties to less than a miracle whip jar. Find a load you like for that particular caliber and go.
I like to reload, but I love full ammo cans!!!!!
doug66 is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 03:43 PM   #11
NWPilgrim
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 29, 2008
Location: Oregon
Posts: 2,337
Same as several others mentioned: I like to have plenty loaded for spur of the moment range trips. I typically have about 300-500 rounds loaded for each of most used calibers like 9mm, .40, and .45ACP. Cartridges I shoot less of I have 100-200 rds loaded.

I try to balance having enough on hand for a couple of half day fun trips to the range with family, and not having too much so if I decide to change bullet supply or powder I don't have everything preloaded with the old stuff. I also keep some factory ammo on hand for using in other peoples guns. I shoot my reloads in my guns but factory ammo in anyone else's gun, unless we discuss use of my reloads beforehand.

I also will size and prime a few hundred cases when I have slack time. Then I can load them up with any bullet and powder and it reduces the number of primers in boxes.

For my most used cartridges I will have perhaps 500 - 1,500 clean empty cases, 200-500 primed cases, and 500 loaded rounds, with components to load another thousand or two. Then another 500 or so factory FMJ for other persons' guns.
__________________
"The ultimate authority ... resides in the people alone. ... The advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation ... forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition."
- James Madison
NWPilgrim is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 06:40 PM   #12
Viper225
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 20, 2009
Location: SC Missouri
Posts: 663
How long will it last? A very long time if stored correctly. I read an article a few years ago where they fired some British Military ammo from the 1800's. The 100+ year old ammo as best I remember had something like 1 in 10 that did not fire. I suspect that modern components are even more reliable.

How much ammo I have on hand depends. I may have under 50 for a deer rifle or my Contenders. I will have a considerable amount for my match handguns where between my brother and I we might shoot 600 rounds or more during a weekend match.

Bob
Viper225 is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 06:49 PM   #13
CherokeeT
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 23, 2008
Location: Medina, Ohio
Posts: 273
Load and store. Yesterday I shot some 223 ammo I loaded back in 1981. Shot just as good now as it did them. Got some 38 Special ammo that I loaded 1/5/80 that shoots just fine. My ammo is stored in GI ammo cans in A/C environment (most of the time). Normally ammo gets shoot quicker than that but have no fear of storing ammo.
__________________
God Bless America
US Army, NRA Endowment
TSRA Life, SASS
CherokeeT is offline  
Old September 10, 2011, 08:19 PM   #14
Charlie98
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 6, 2006
Location: Great state of Texas
Posts: 1,077
In most of the cartridges I load for I have a 'standard' load... my generic load or two that I use for plinking and practice. Some of them are just FMJ or cast SWC loads but some are also handloaded duplicates of the factory ammo I have in my carry piece (I only carry factory in my CCW.)

I usually have 1000 .45ACP, 500 .380's, 400 .41Mag, 1000 7.62mm, etc. on hand and ready to go. I have enough cases left over to work with if I want to experiment with a different load or bullet.
Charlie98 is offline  
Old September 11, 2011, 02:59 PM   #15
wncchester
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 1, 2002
Posts: 2,832
There is no "should" to it. What I do is irrelivant, do what you want.
wncchester is offline  
Old September 12, 2011, 06:35 AM   #16
Fall2fast
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 11, 2011
Posts: 8
Last night I shot some 44 mag out of my winchester Mod 93 rifle that was loaded in 2004, and it was powerful and accurate with consistent velocities. Used my new chronometer to check the speeds.. that is another subject all together, what a fun and interesting tool that is!

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice, this gives me more of a game plan when entering the loading room.
Fall2fast is offline  
Old September 12, 2011, 07:12 AM   #17
MOshooter65202
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 16, 2011
Posts: 471
I store my load ammo in plastic ammo boxes,if I run out of plastic ammo boxes I will store loaded ammo in military ammo boxes.
MOshooter65202 is offline  
Old September 12, 2011, 09:42 AM   #18
studman5578
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 4, 2009
Location: Varying between 1 and 3 hours from Chicago
Posts: 152
I would think the only thing that would do damage to ammunition is humidity. I dont personally do this (because I'm not in the stockpiling phase yet), but you could pack your ammo into the military tins and put some kind of desiccant in there with it. That will absorb the moisture and help your ammo last. Otherwise, as long as you're storing your ammo somewhere indoors, it should last longer than you do.
__________________
Rev 5:13 "To him who sits on the throne and the Lamb be praise honor and glory and power, for ever and ever"
studman5578 is offline  
Old September 12, 2011, 11:33 AM   #19
NWPilgrim
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 29, 2008
Location: Oregon
Posts: 2,337
Quote:
I'm not sure what's better for storage? having the powder in its container, and the primers sitting in their boxes, or have the rounds loaded?

ammo in question is: 500mag, 460 mag, 44 mag, 357 mag, 40 S&W, 45 ACP. Ammo boxes, MTM plastic storage cases.
A properly loaded round is about perfect storage in itself for the powder and primer. A cartridge is a pretty good good sealed environment against moisture. That protects both components. Plus, it further separates the primers from each other and protects all but one side and even that is slightly recessed. Store those loaded rounds in a plastic case or ammo can and it is well secured against most things.

I only use the plastic ammo cases for my test loads or select loads for the next range trip. They start taking up a lot of space if you get to reloading a few hundred rounds or more per caliber. Probably fine for your .500 and .460 as those are likely far fewer in number than your other cartridges.

I would start with a few MTM cases and get a couple of ammo cans to start with. Ammo cans certainly are not necessary, but it is incredible how well those ammo cans preserve contents. Do NOT use ammo cans to store primers or powder, of course. I use them to store loaded ammo, spare parts, and some of my bulk bullets just because they are so heavy duty and can easily handle the weight.

It is your hobby and you should do what works best for you. Personally i prefer to reload in slack time with no pressure and with time to explore and brainstorm and research. But nothing wrong with loading before you go if that suits you better.
__________________
"The ultimate authority ... resides in the people alone. ... The advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation ... forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition."
- James Madison
NWPilgrim is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:35 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.09475 seconds with 8 queries