ammunition stored below freezing?

anonimoose · January 13, 2011, 10:28 AM

Howdy folks,

I apologize if I'm posting in the wrong forum. Mods, please feel free to move the thread or delete it (and tell me to repost).

I'm a Marine who's moving from Quantico, VA to Yuma, AZ. Over Christmas leave, I stored my personal weapons and some ammo (Remington .223 FMJ and Winchester 9mm FMJ) in an outside storage space during the recent blizzard. Both are also in the back of my car as I make the long trip west this week, and I've had to pass through some awfully frigid parts of this great land.

Once I arrive in Yuma and my weapons/ammo acclimatize to the hotter weather, should I have any concerns about using said ammo? Will the contraction/expansion have hurt the primer or the casing or anything like that?

While we certainly did live-fire exercises under below-freezing conditions while in training, the ordnance guys (and the ammo they kept watch over) always seemed to me to be kept out of the cold....

respectfully,
Moose, USMC

kraigwy · January 13, 2011, 11:22 AM

You may have a change in impact when you shoot the ammo. But storing ammo in cold temps wont hurt it.

If you go from point A where its 20 below, to point B where its 60 above, chances are you ammo is going to warm up to the 60 degrees before you get a chance to fire it.

The difference is zeroing at 20 below and then going to 60 above. On the average, a 15 degree temp change would change your impact about 1 MOA.

The best way to handle this is keeping a good data book where you record temps as well as everything else.

dusterdude · January 16, 2011, 07:29 PM

moose,enjoy yuma and semper fi

dalegribble · January 16, 2011, 07:56 PM

i'm pretty sure the old milsurp ammo you see everywhere was not stored in climate controlled warehouses. imagine 50 years of freezing winters and hot summers and the ammo is still accurate when shot today.

Kreyzhorse · January 16, 2011, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Once I arrive in Yuma and my weapons/ammo acclimatize to the hotter weather, should I have any concerns about using said ammo? Will the contraction/expansion have hurt the primer or the casing or anything like that?

No worries regarding your ammo.

mete · January 16, 2011, 09:26 PM

Read up on the USMC service in the Korean War !!

gyvel · January 23, 2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

moose,enjoy yuma and semper fi

Hang on to your ammo long enough and it will be getting exposed to temps well over 115.

spclPatrolGroup · January 24, 2011, 11:19 AM

Ammo should be fine as long as it is water tight, moving from cold to warm causes condensation on the case.

January 13, 2011, 10:28 AM	#1
anonimoose Member Join Date: June 25, 2008 Posts: 72	ammunition stored below freezing? Howdy folks, I apologize if I'm posting in the wrong forum. Mods, please feel free to move the thread or delete it (and tell me to repost). I'm a Marine who's moving from Quantico, VA to Yuma, AZ. Over Christmas leave, I stored my personal weapons and some ammo (Remington .223 FMJ and Winchester 9mm FMJ) in an outside storage space during the recent blizzard. Both are also in the back of my car as I make the long trip west this week, and I've had to pass through some awfully frigid parts of this great land. Once I arrive in Yuma and my weapons/ammo acclimatize to the hotter weather, should I have any concerns about using said ammo? Will the contraction/expansion have hurt the primer or the casing or anything like that? While we certainly did live-fire exercises under below-freezing conditions while in training, the ordnance guys (and the ammo they kept watch over) always seemed to me to be kept out of the cold.... respectfully, Moose, USMC

January 13, 2011, 11:22 AM	#2
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	You may have a change in impact when you shoot the ammo. But storing ammo in cold temps wont hurt it. If you go from point A where its 20 below, to point B where its 60 above, chances are you ammo is going to warm up to the 60 degrees before you get a chance to fire it. The difference is zeroing at 20 below and then going to 60 above. On the average, a 15 degree temp change would change your impact about 1 MOA. The best way to handle this is keeping a good data book where you record temps as well as everything else. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

January 16, 2011, 07:56 PM	#4
dalegribble Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2007 Posts: 861	i'm pretty sure the old milsurp ammo you see everywhere was not stored in climate controlled warehouses. imagine 50 years of freezing winters and hot summers and the ammo is still accurate when shot today. __________________ Waltzes with woofs

January 16, 2011, 09:26 PM	#6
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	Read up on the USMC service in the Korean War !! __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

January 16, 2011, 07:29 PM	#3
dusterdude Member Join Date: September 28, 2010 Location: hopewell va Posts: 73	moose,enjoy yuma and semper fi

January 24, 2011, 11:19 AM	#8
spclPatrolGroup Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2010 Location: North Dakota Posts: 349	Ammo should be fine as long as it is water tight, moving from cold to warm causes condensation on the case.