Ammo Storage.....heat question?

texbow · June 28, 2017, 08:42 AM

I normally store all my ammo inside the house(climate controlled). I recently found some rifle and 12ga ammo in my garage I must have misplaced 8 years ago during a move. Kept dry but in a texas garage for 8 summers. Still OK to shoot?

osbornk · June 28, 2017, 08:48 AM

I've had and used ammo that has been around for years where there was no climate controlled conditions (like WW II ammo) that worked fine decades later. I would shoot it and not worry about it.

FITASC · June 28, 2017, 08:59 AM

I have ammo that has been in my FL garage for 14 years that shoots just fine. I'll see your heat and raise you 99% humidity......

Where I live, summer is breathing through a wet sponge, yet the ammo functions fine.

lamarw · June 28, 2017, 09:05 AM

My money is on FITASC.

I have shotgun shells that are older than many of the members of this Forum. The shells are still fine. Some of them are even paper shells.

jpx2rk · June 28, 2017, 01:53 PM

FL summers,

. Take a shower in the morning before work, walk out to the car and break a sweat.

Fla_dogman · June 28, 2017, 03:00 PM

I'd use them to plink with but wouldn't use them for hunting or self defense... I've never had one of those old rounds fail but I subscribe to Murphy's law.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

JoeSixpack · June 28, 2017, 03:02 PM

It's still safe to shoot, worse that could happen is it just not go off.

Onward Allusion · June 28, 2017, 03:05 PM

Yeah, OK to shoot but I would not use it for self-defense. I swap out the ammo in my car after every summer.

tony pasley · June 28, 2017, 09:10 PM

I have 30-06. 30 carbine and 45 acp. from WW II and they shoot just fine.

Kreyzhorse · June 29, 2017, 06:44 AM

Yeah, it's safe to shoot.

hdwhit · June 29, 2017, 08:41 AM

Quote:

texbow wrote:
I must have misplaced 8 years ago during a move. Kept dry but in a texas garage for 8 summers. Still OK to shoot?

I'm shooting ammunition that has been stored in a succession of Arkansas, later Texas, garages since it was loaded in 1980. It still works fine.

g.willikers · June 29, 2017, 09:31 AM

Folks like to worry about the dangest things.
Ammo is sealed up very well and really hard to damage.
Even after a trip through the washing machine, it shoots just fine.

ShootistPRS · June 29, 2017, 09:47 AM

Temperatures over 120F make smokeless powder break down. If it has been repeatedly exposed to temps in that range then it is safe as long as a bullet doesn't get stuck in the bore. If a round feels odd then stop and check the bore.
Time doesn't affect powder or loaded rounds but temperature can and does.

mete · June 29, 2017, 04:02 PM

Styrofoam coolers are cheap and keep powder temps constant .

TrueBlue711 · June 29, 2017, 04:17 PM

I've always stored my ammo in my garage and never had issues in any of the states' climates I've lived in (Idaho, Nevada, California, and New Mexico).
Now storing reloading supplies (powder and primers namely) may be a different story? I'm not sure

g.willikers · June 29, 2017, 04:28 PM

Had to go check the temperature outside and in the garage.
93 outside and 80 in the block garage.
It doesn't sound like anything in the garage would be in danger of overheating.

Hitthespot · June 29, 2017, 08:53 PM

When someone says old ammo, I think Civil War. I'm slightly exaggerating but modern powder lasts a long long time unless it gets wet, or is consistantly in very high heat. I've read of people using primers and powder they've had for 70 years with no problems at all. If I remember correctly some powders will turn slightly red and smell acidic when bad, but I've never heard of any.

jackstrawIII · July 1, 2017, 09:12 AM

Expect no problems. Enjoy.

June 28, 2017, 08:42 AM	#1
texbow Junior Member Join Date: March 20, 2014 Posts: 13	Ammo Storage.....heat question? I normally store all my ammo inside the house(climate controlled). I recently found some rifle and 12ga ammo in my garage I must have misplaced 8 years ago during a move. Kept dry but in a texas garage for 8 summers. Still OK to shoot?

June 28, 2017, 08:59 AM	#3
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	I have ammo that has been in my FL garage for 14 years that shoots just fine. I'll see your heat and raise you 99% humidity...... Where I live, summer is breathing through a wet sponge, yet the ammo functions fine. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

June 28, 2017, 01:53 PM	#5
jpx2rk Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2015 Posts: 387	FL summers,. Take a shower in the morning before work, walk out to the car and break a sweat.

June 28, 2017, 03:05 PM	#8
Onward Allusion Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2009 Location: Back in a Non-Free State Posts: 3,133	Yeah, OK to shoot but I would not use it for self-defense. I swap out the ammo in my car after every summer. __________________ Simple as ABC . . . Always Be Carrying

June 28, 2017, 09:10 PM	#9
tony pasley Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Location: western north carolina Posts: 1,641	I have 30-06. 30 carbine and 45 acp. from WW II and they shoot just fine. __________________ Every day Congress is in session we lose a little bit more of our Liberty.

June 28, 2017, 08:48 AM	#2
osbornk Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2012 Location: Mountains of Appalachia Posts: 1,598	I've had and used ammo that has been around for years where there was no climate controlled conditions (like WW II ammo) that worked fine decades later. I would shoot it and not worry about it.

June 28, 2017, 09:05 AM	#4
lamarw Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2010 Location: Lake Martin, AL Posts: 3,311	My money is on FITASC. I have shotgun shells that are older than many of the members of this Forum. The shells are still fine. Some of them are even paper shells.

June 28, 2017, 03:00 PM	#6
Fla_dogman Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2015 Posts: 265	I'd use them to plink with but wouldn't use them for hunting or self defense... I've never had one of those old rounds fail but I subscribe to Murphy's law. Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

June 28, 2017, 03:02 PM	#7
JoeSixpack Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2017 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,048	It's still safe to shoot, worse that could happen is it just not go off.

June 29, 2017, 06:44 AM	#10
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	Yeah, it's safe to shoot. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

June 29, 2017, 09:31 AM	#12
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Folks like to worry about the dangest things. Ammo is sealed up very well and really hard to damage. Even after a trip through the washing machine, it shoots just fine. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

June 29, 2017, 09:47 AM	#13
ShootistPRS Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2017 Posts: 1,583	Temperatures over 120F make smokeless powder break down. If it has been repeatedly exposed to temps in that range then it is safe as long as a bullet doesn't get stuck in the bore. If a round feels odd then stop and check the bore. Time doesn't affect powder or loaded rounds but temperature can and does.

June 29, 2017, 04:02 PM	#14
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	Styrofoam coolers are cheap and keep powder temps constant . __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

June 29, 2017, 04:17 PM	#15
TrueBlue711 Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2011 Posts: 489	I've always stored my ammo in my garage and never had issues in any of the states' climates I've lived in (Idaho, Nevada, California, and New Mexico). Now storing reloading supplies (powder and primers namely) may be a different story? I'm not sure

June 29, 2017, 04:28 PM	#16
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Had to go check the temperature outside and in the garage. 93 outside and 80 in the block garage. It doesn't sound like anything in the garage would be in danger of overheating. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

June 29, 2017, 08:53 PM	#17
Hitthespot Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2010 Posts: 227	When someone says old ammo, I think Civil War. I'm slightly exaggerating but modern powder lasts a long long time unless it gets wet, or is consistantly in very high heat. I've read of people using primers and powder they've had for 70 years with no problems at all. If I remember correctly some powders will turn slightly red and smell acidic when bad, but I've never heard of any. Last edited by Hitthespot; June 29, 2017 at 09:01 PM.

July 1, 2017, 09:12 AM	#18
jackstrawIII Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2016 Location: Upstate NY. Posts: 901	Expect no problems. Enjoy. __________________ In God we trust.