Ammo Can Use?

[timeexposure]

I have to play my ignoramus card at the risk of embarrassing myself and suspending my man card.
Ammo cans. I don't get it.
I just leave my ammo in their packaging in my safe. Seems to me ammo cans would just take up more space. Are you supposed to empty the ammo from its packaging into the can or box? Will that store more ammo in a smaller space (I don't see how)?
Are ammo boxes just for preservation? Convenience I don't recognize?
Never mind other uses-I did find those lists on the web. I just want to know in terms of holding ammo, when/why is an ammo can/box preferred?
Help me say Duh, I didn't think of that...thank you.

[3rd_gear]

Normally most enthusiasts don't store ammo in the safe.
Other will say that if you store ammo in the safe, you don't have enough guns...or ammo.
I keep mine in cans to help preserve and keep dry. There's no way I can store 20k rounds in my safe.

[AdidasCJ]

Normally most enthusiasts don't store ammo in the safe.
Other will say that if you store ammo in the safe, you don't have enough guns...or ammo.
I keep mine in cans to help preserve and keep dry. There's no way I can store 20k rounds in my safe.

Only guns go in the safe... DUHHH!!!!


But like 3rdGear said... I am one who stores my ammo in a different place than my safe. WAY to much to put it in the safe. I only keep a small load out of ammo IN the safe with the loaded mags for what guns are in there. HELL even for the AR15 mags, I have an ammo can with a bunch of them stored with the ammo.

[P5Ret]

^ That. Too much ammo to keep in the safe, ammo cans are airtight. I don't take it out of the boxes and keep it loose in the cans. Either the original packaging or in Plano ammo boxes works just fine for me.

[Garv]

If I stored all my ammo in the safe, I would have guns all over the place outside, rusting away.

I keep a few boxes of each caliber in the safe.

The rest is in a locked metal cabinet similar to Stack-On in ammo cans.
The metal cabinet is not well sealed (in work) so stored in ammo cans for protection.

[TKM]

If you reload a thousand or so at a time you don't want to play with little cardboard or plastic things. Ammo cans for the win.

[Divernhunter]

I have my safes full of firearms.
I do have loaded mags and a few boxes of special ammo in one safe.
I store ammo in ammo cans, plastic reloading boxes and factory cardboard boxes. Also I store the cases of ammo as I received them. Some ammo is stored in my house but much of it is stored in the garage. Ammo cans are great when you reload 1000+ rounds. I use to use the 50cal cans but with my back being bad I am using more 30cal cans now. I also store bulk bullets, especially 50cal, in ammo cans for reloading. Brass goes into plastic shoeboxes I get at Big Lots for $.99 each.
I have ammo stored like this for 40 years and it all shoots just fine. I do not do anything special with the ammo for storage. Too many people on this site overthink it when it comes to storage. Yes is get hot (105*+) here and damp with rain and tulle fog. Still no problems with factory loads or my hand loads.

So I suggest you just store your ammo anyway you like and not worry about it.
One other reason I do not store ammo in a safe is, if it is a good one, you can be making a bomb in a fire. Same reason not to store powder(for reloading) in a safe. A light duty cabinet type "safe" is fine. However I have way too much ammo for a safe or cabinet.

[baih777]

If you can keep enough ammo in your safe to have a few years supply of ammo. You dont have enough guns.

[baih777]

I leave the ammo in the boxes, in the ammo can. Use the blue painters tape to mark the can and date. If any room i add a small bag of dessicant.

[omega]

ammo should be stored in a large locked container, even a extra gun cabinet would make a nice ammo storage container.

ammo needs to be secure just like the guns need to be secured, your ammo supply could get stolen if it's left out and not locked up.

stored in ammo lockers

[Tasty]

If you can keep enough ammo in your safe to have a few years supply of ammo. You dont have enough guns.

Or you have one big *** safe.

I won't open boxes of ammo and dump the loose rounds in cans, but I will stuff as many boxes of ammo in cans that I can fit. Usually only rifle ammo though, pistol ammo boxes are too cumbersome to get a decent amount in the can.

[beanz2]

I am one who stores my ammo in a different place than my safe. WAY to much to put it in the safe. I only keep a small load out of ammo IN the safe with the loaded mags for what guns are in there. HELL even for the AR15 mags, I have an ammo can with a bunch of them stored with the ammo.

If you have room in your safe for magazines, you don't have enough guns

[kcheung2]

The military ammo cans are waterproof. Cardboard boxes are not.

For reloaders it's a must-have. I'm not going to get cardboard boxes of various sizes to accomodate a bunch of different-sized cartridges when I can just lay in a good supply of cans.

[SmallShark]

your safe has space for ammo? either you dont have enough guns, or you wasted your money on the safe which is too big.

ammo aint cheap, but they dont deserve being in a safe.

put them in a cage locker

[alpha_romeo_XV]

Ammo cans are strong, can be stacked, and locked, and be moved by the carry handle (though the 20mm can below is pretty heavy filled with 12 and 20g shells.)