Packing Ammo For a Move

[Jeepergeo]

So, we're finally bidding Cali the Big Adios for "redder" pastures, and I'll be fine if the door hits me on the way out. Got a dilemma, though:

Does anyone have experience packing a large amount of ammo in a move? I'm assuming moving companies would take issue transporting them in their trucks or pods. My car trunk only has so much room. Also, would you pack it in a normal moving box, a Rubbermaid bin, or are there special bins out there that I should get?

Thanks ahead of time for any advice!

Define "large amount of ammo".

[lastinline]

These threads always make me laugh. If you were a shooter you wouldn't have this problem.

[JC2020]

Does anybody else besides me actually shoot their ammo?

[hermosabeach]

10

my guess Brad is less than 50 on average


--
back to the OP

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TRINITY-36-in-Job-Site-Box-Gray-TXKPGR-0502/206892086

Look at Job boxes
Expected to be heavy as it's full of tools to steal.

I would add apple trackers to a lot before moving

[hermosabeach]

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tile-mate-essential-2022-4-pack-black/6482096.p?skuId=6482096

[jeffyhog]

There's a reason ammo cans are the size they are. Ammo is heavy. Go ahead and load up some rubbermaid totes, or moving boxes and let us know how that works out. A milk crate will be strong enough, but you're going to have a real tough time moving it around.

Smaller, heavy-duty cardboard boxes are best if you don't have ammo cans. I suggest something around the size of an ammo can. You can order them online or Office Depot.

[Danodog]

Yep, I used to have a shooting budget for ammo of $800 to $900 a month and kept things in rotation. Not anymore, with shortages and crazy prices.

[gsparesa]

We had a short (500 mile) move, so it was practical to take stuff up. Rented a van, put the ammo on the floor, moved the guns, ammo, wine, whisky in a special trip. My new safe was delivered and installed while we were up here on that trip.

Did the same but traveled 11 hours.

[SharedShots]

So, we're finally bidding Cali the Big Adios for "redder" pastures, and I'll be fine if the door hits me on the way out. Got a dilemma, though:

Does anyone have experience packing a large amount of ammo in a move? I'm assuming moving companies would take issue transporting them in their trucks or pods. My car trunk only has so much room. Also, would you pack it in a normal moving box, a Rubbermaid bin, or are there special bins out there that I should get?

Thanks ahead of time for any advice!

Hazmat Freight. Palletize it, shrink wrap it, the transfer companies have the good stuff, not that Saran wrap you running around in circles.

I take it you're talking about tons and not just a few hundred pounds right?

If it's just a few hundred pounds, still, shrink wrap it on a pallet or even a smaller section of plywood with 2x4 stringers on the bottom. Forget the boxes, plastic containers, they crack, crumble and break your back. Put trash bags under the 2x4s and in the bed of the truck. When it gets to the right height and you want to slide it in, it takes almost nothing to move some serious weight, it slides like ice on grease.

To lift it, get for cheap a small electric jack. Those things can lift 3000 pounds just being hooked up to your car or truck battery. Slide the jack under the platform, press a button and up it goes. At the right height, slide it into the back of a truck or van. To get enough height you use 4x4s. Cut them to length and then use as spacers as you go up to hold at max jack lift. Then remove jack and spacers under jack - then lift again.

Not for ammo but I did exactly that to lift some decently heavy things (about 1800 pounds) into the back of a pickup. I've also moves heavy safes this way. Works like a charm and it's a one person affair.

This might seem complicated, but the total cost is about $70 and you end up with an electric jack. You could use a scissor hand jack but nothing beats just pushing a button. At the destination offload slowly and don't try to reverse the procedure, it won't end well.

.

[capturedlive]

In the near future I will be making my exit from CA and relocating 1200 miles away. I have always been a DIY when it comes to moving and I have never minded driving long distances. The plan will be to buy a cargo trailer in the state we are moving to as it is cheaper to buy there than in CA. Then we can move what we need to in 3 or 4 trips.

Right now we are in the process of dumping things we do not need or will never use and appliances that are getting old will be left behind and replaced after we make the move.

So what you do will depend on what you are willing to do and the time you have available.

One way rentals out of CA are hard to find and you pay a premium because more people are moving out that moving in.

You need an idea of how much weight you need to move and are you willing to make a special trip for the ammo and guns. If the weight can be handled by cargo van, I would rent one where you are moving to, drive it back, pick up the guns and ammo, and drive it back to the new home. The upside is it is enclosed so better protected than in the bed of a truck.

If you need to spend the night somewhere, stay at an RV place and if there is room, sleep in the van, if not, bring what you need to sleep on the ground and you will not have to worry about someone breaking into the van when you are in a motel room.

That is what my son and I did when I helped him to move to Illinois. We stayed at the Kamping Cabins at KOAS and parked his truck right at the door and left the door open so we could hear and react to any one messing with the truck. The KOAs we stayed in though had a night person in cart driving around keeping an eye on things also.

Another time I needed to tow a vehicle to Portland (10 years ago). I rented a small Ryder truck with a car hauler. There was a door from the cab to the box. Since the box was empty, I just through an air mattress and sleeping back in the box section with a light. I spent the night at a rest stop in Oregon.

With the crazy high rental prices in CA, you can often come out ahead picking up a one-way rental in Las Vegas, driving back to CA, then go to where ever you are moving to.

I discussed this with my wife and we're both leaning towards this solution. It would avoid the risk of trying to sneak it in the pod and the hassle of loading our two cars' trunks with all that extra weight. Plus, she'd be able to take all the planting pots she thought she'd have to sacrifice for the move. Thanks for the tip!

[nitroxdiver]

I moved a crap ton of ammo out of state in a uhaul truck.

[nitroxdiver]

Does anybody else besides me actually shoot their ammo?

[Dan_Eastvale]

I brought mine to Utah in ammo cans in our two cars. I did have a wooden case of 1000 rounds of Norinco AK ammo accidentally placed in the moving company’s truck. It was stolen by them.

[capturedlive]

Define "large amount of ammo".

About 7 large heavy duty moving boxes full.

[stormvet]

When I moved here to SE AZ, the movers would not take guns or ammo only the empty safes. I loaded all my guns 70 plus in the cab of my half ton truck. All the ammo (25,000 rounds) reloading equipment and components plus others stuff in the bed. They won’t transport alcohol either. So my truck was loaded down with guns, bullets, gun powder and alcohol. My 4x4 pick up looked like a low rider, there was only room enough in the truck for me driving made the 800 mile trip solo. Your most likely either gonna have to rent a truck or small trailer for your car.

As far as transporting the ammo, I have two sheet metal storage cabinets I keep my ammo in. I laid them flat in the bed of the truck, loaded all the ammo in them and then locked them, very heavy. Stacked other stuff around them and then threw a tarp over it all.