Buying Bulk .223 Ammo? Make Sure to Store It Properly
There is no better way to save on the shooting sports than to buy ammo in bulk. For many of you who enjoy the use of AR-style rifles and other modern-sporting rifle platforms, that means .223 (or 5.56) and a lot of it.
Now, buying bulk .223 ammo is a great way to save, but not if you don’t know how and where to store your ammo properly. There’s nothing more deflating than to crack open a box of .223 and see the bullets or casings are all discolored and corroded - except perhaps experiencing a few duds at the range.
More often than not, those misfires (unless they represent a manufacturing error, which, though rare, does happen) occur because the ammo was not stored properly, and was either exposed to excessive moisture or high temperatures.
If you’re going to put good money into bulk .223 ammo, make sure you store it properly. Here’s what you need to know.
The Two Killers of Ammunition
There are two main things that damage ammunition; exposure to moisture (as well as oils that contain corrosive compounds, such as the oils on your skin) and high temperatures.
Moisture exposure, though it is one of the prime killers of ammunition, doesn’t always mean the ammo got physically wet to be damaged. Atmospheric moisture can also damage ammunition by reacting with the brass casings or with the copper jacket. Moisture absorption can also damage propellant and primers, although in theory ammo could get wet and dry out and be fine to shoot - but you want to avoid that in any case.
The oils on your skin can also be damaging to ammunition, for the same reasons as moisture. For this reason you should handle ammunition minimally, and ideally only right before you are going to fire it.
As damaging as moisture can be to ammunition, it is temperature that is the silent killer of ammo, specifically high temperatures. The reason high temperatures are such a problem is that they can chemically alter propellant and primers (mostly primers), rendering them useless.
According to SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturer’s Institute), the primer in a cartridge will start to experience a breakdown and will be damaged by temperatures as low as 150℉, although this could in theory happen at lower temperatures.
Another thing to note is that rapid temperature swings, even if they don’t reach this threshold, could also potentially damage the ammunition. The worst part is that ammo damaged by exposure to high temperatures, or by heat cycles, will look normal - you won’t notice anything wrong before you have a failure to fire.
The bottom line? You need to know where you should store your bulk .223 ammo, as well as where you shouldn’t, along with some other best practices.
Where You Shouldn’t Store Your Bulk .223 Ammo
First, let’s get this out of the way. Here are a few places that you should not store your ammo, bulk or otherwise.
- In the attic: The problem with storing ammo in the attic is that the attic is often the hottest room in the house (in the summer), and unless it is actively climate controlled, chances are the humidity in the attic is off the charts, too. Even if your attic is climate controlled, if your HVAC system malfunctions and the temperature skyrockets, that’s not good for any ammo you have up there. By all means if your attic is climate controlled, go for it, but be aware of the risks.
- In the basement: In most basements around the country, the issue is not one of high temperatures or even temperature swings, but humidity. Humidity in some basements, particularly unfinished ones, is often chronically high, and again, high humidity and ammo don’t mix.
- In the crawl space: Most crawl spaces are unfinished, meaning they get the worst attributes of both the attic and the basement, combined - high temperatures in the summer, rapid temperature shifts at other times of the year, and persistent, high humidity. Do not store your ammo there.
- In the garage: The garage experiences the same issues as the other areas aforementioned. Don’t store your ammo out there, bring it inside and store it somewhere in the house instead.
- In your trunk (or in the car): Of all the places mentioned here yet, the trunk (or just in the cab of a car or truck) just might be the worst one yet, and for one simple reason. In many areas around the country, the temperatures inside a car or its trunk can get well above the 150℉ threshold mentioned above. For a short period of time it’s no problem, but be conscientious about the temperature ahead of time.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s go over some best practices for where and how to store your ammo, inclusive of a few notes.
Where to Store It?
The best way to store your ammo is in the original box or container, somewhere in your home that’s cool and dry. As for general best practices, while it is a good idea to store your ammo in waterproof ammo cans, you shouldn’t remove it from the box it came in and pour it in those cans, for two reasons.
One is a matter of space. Neatly boxed ammo will stack more efficiently than loose rounds. The other reason is that touching the ammo before you need it will expose the casings to the oils and salts on your skin, which can accelerate corrosion.
As for where to store it, any room in the home that’s cool and dry will do. As low as possible on the relative humidity is ideal, but definitely less than 50%. And, as for temperature, a good range is between 55℉ and 85℉ is ideal, and remember, it’s best if there are no wide temperature swings.
Stock Up on Bulk .223 Ammo Here
Here to get a deal on bulk .223 ammo? We carry both .223 and 5.56 in bulk, and from the top brands. Take a look through our bulk ammo and remember, once you put good money into bulk ammo, make sure you store it properly so that it’s reliable and consistent when you hit the range.