Where do you store your powder and ammo?

[mugsie]

I do a lot of reloading, consequently I have a lot of powder and loaded ammo in my basement. I was thinking if I had a fire the FD would go no where near the house with rounds cooking off. So - where do all of you store your loaded ammo, primers, powder etc.? In an outside shed? The garage? Basement? Let me know. thanks....

[mtnman31]

I store mine right next to the fireplace in carboard boxes right beside my oily rag collection. Just kidding.

I keep the majority of my ammo and reloading equipment in the garage which is not attached to the house. In all reality the garage is close enough that if it or the house ever caught fire it would only be a matter of time before they both went up. Hopefully, if a fire started the FD would be able to get here before the one could burn up the other. The powder is kept in a metal cabinet (not fire rated) and the primers and loaded ammo are kept in sealed ammo cans. That being said, it is a garage and there are enough other flamables in there (vehicle lubes, paint, solvents, etc) that if it ever caught fire it would most likely be like Cheech and Chong - up in smoke. I do have a hose (tapped off the main supply line) that is more powerful than a regular garden hose and I also have a fire extinguisher that I check/maintain regularly. I like to think I am somewhat prepared but it is all a moot point if it starts up when I am not home - fellow member Lloyd Smale had that unfortunate experience last spring.

[runfiverun]

powder is on an open shelf and primers are in a wooden cabinet.
loaded ammo is in either containers or sealed containers.
if the loaded ammo is in a fire it's the primers that shoot out. powder just goes pfizz in its containers,
and unloaded primers just burn up.
if you contain primers though and they get set off thats a different story.

[Gunslinger]

In Denmark we're required by law to keep ammo stored in the same kind of safe our weapons are stored in. Så that's what I do. Powder and primers are stored on shelves next to boolits, molds and what not.

[Shiloh]

in a cool dark area. Primers in a different cool dark area. Ammo in boxes or coffee cans.

Shiloh

[454PB]

About two years ago, my fire fighter SIL was involved with a hardware store fire. This store sold ammo, components, and guns, along with other volitile chemicals and liquids. The ammo and components where not much of a problem, it was the cans of paint, solvent, and Coleman fuel that really accelerated combustion. He said they just backed up while the ammo, powder and primers went off, which was right after all the paint and solvents went.

My powder and primers are stored in my shop, 100 feet from the house. It's the propane bottle on my back deck I worry about the most.

[mpmarty]

Primers in factory 5000 lot boxes in a cabinet in my shop. Powder is on an open shelf in one pound containers, the large economy size containers are kept in a hinged top metal storage cabinet under my reloading bench on rollers so I can drag it out to refill the one pounders. loaded ammo is in GI ammo cans stored on the floor right next to the concrete stemwall of my shop. I used to have a wood stove with a glass door. I once inadvertently tossed some trash into the stove and in amongst the trash was a loaded .40S&W round. Either bullet or case came through the glass door with quite a bit of energy and I'm more careful of what is in the trash now.

[mike in co]

. The powder is kept in a metal cabinet (not fire rated) and the primers and loaded ammo are kept in sealed ammo cans. .

get those primers out of the sealed ammo cans!

They are explosives and in a sealed steel can..a bomb waiting for a fire to show up.

[357maximum]

I used to use a powder magazine from a defunct gunshop for all my powder. I outgrew the magazine and now smokeless powders are on shelves. Bulk powder and most of the BP is in the hinged commercial mag. Primers are in a large wooden drawered cabinet. Loaded rounds are in MTM/mil ammo boxes all over the place.

It is the primers that cause most of the "scariness" in a fire. I once had one get in my recycled lead and upon smelting it actually put a 1/2 X 1/8 inch slit in my stainless smelting pot I used to use for small batches as the lead was getting up to temp. Luckily it had not melted yet.

I know almost all the local volunteer firemen and they all KNOW what I have here. They will very likely bring beer/hotdogs/and lawnchairs and watch it burn if she ever were to go. The senior volunteer actually knows exactly where my stuff is at and knows that the end by the pole barn is a pretty safe spot to set up farthest from the pyrotechnics that will occur.

[Mk42gunner]

I store my powder and primers in separate wooden boxes. My ammo is stored in various sizes of military ammo cans, they are supposed to be able to contain the ammo within if there is a fire. I have never tested this, and do not want to.


Robert

[lwknight]

Powder on the shelves. Ammo in meats cabinet or ammo boxes. primers in the fire rated gunsafe. I would hate for a thief to get my primers more than ammo.

[Urny]

Powder in an old refrigerator, primers in another old refrigerator on the other side of the garage. Both refrigerators will be moved to a new shed I'm putting together. Ammo will stay on shelves in the garage.

[vincewarde]

Powder in an old refrigerator, primers in another old refrigerator on the other side of the garage. Both refrigerators will be moved to a new shed I'm putting together. Ammo will stay on shelves in the garage.

A fridge actually is fairly fire resistant. I guess the only issue is that when the powder or primers do cook off - there is going to be one big bang with shrapnel. It might be a good idea not to lock the fridge so the door blows off or open. But having the components in fridges will by a little time to fight the fire vs immediate ignition.

As far as hazards, ammo is fairly safe (that's why no hazmat required to ship). Individual rounds will cook off, but generally won't go through much. Lot's of little bangs, no big bang.

Powder is safer than primers. We are talking flammable solid here - not too much different than road flares. It is, in my former reserve fire fighter opinion, safer than gasoline or propane. The problem is many of us have a lot of powder (I have about 75-100 lbs). Of course the slower the burn rate the less dangerous.

Primers are the most dangerous - but the packaging helps. They are, in fact, explosives. As mentioned above it is very wise to make sure there is not a lot of potential shrapnel around them. It is also a really go idea to keep them away from powder ;-)

I'm still trying to figure out what to do in my own situation. I'm in a townhome with garage. I keep the powder in the garage, the primers and ammo in my gun room. I have thought about some kind of container I can pull out of the house in an emergency.

Meanwhile, no one smokes in my house and we are very careful about fire - so hopefully it will never be an issue.

[Nora]

FWIW the "Myth Busters" did an episode that checked what happened when loaded ammo was subjected to fire. It was not the bullet that caused the damage but the brass casing.


Nora

[dudel]

Powder in an old non working dorm refrigerator. Insulated, sealed and if something should happen, the magnetic door will release pressure. They can be had for next to nothing.

Primers are stored in military ammo cans away from powder.

Don

[Bret4207]

Like many here I use and old refrigerator for powder and mould storage. A 25 light bulb inside take care of the moisture issue. Primers are stored in an ammo can. All this in the milk room in the barn. Should there be a fire the 20 lb propane jug will be a bigger issue than the primers.

[Pepe Ray]

In a plastic blanket box under my bed.
The most protected place in my world.--KISS
Pepe Ray

[HeavyMetal]

Old fridge is the best storage place! Particularly one with the magnetic doors so no pressure build up if you get a fire.

My deal is an old double door fridge: powder in one side primers in the other. Never heard of a fire reg for primer storage but they do have them for powder! Ammo gets made as needed I try not to "store" large amounts of any particular load this way I have components for experimenting if a new gun turns up in the mix of freinds and family.

Most cities / states hold you to about 50Lbs of smokeless in a residential structure reguardless of magizine construction.

There's something to think about!

[Navahojoe]

I store my primers in a wooden cabinet with hinged doors and a small screendoor latch holding the doors shut. The cabineet is not filmsy, but, at the same time I could tear it apart if necessary. Powder is stored on a shelf mounted high on the wall, ( nine grandkids you understand), in one pound containers, in another room.
regards,
NavahoJoe

[nonferrous]

Guys, It's un-American to even suggest the possibility of destroying 5000 primers of any size, in a fire in this day and age.
Don't you have a safe deposit box at your bank?

[XWrench3]

ammo is (for the most part) stored in ammo cans under my reloading bench. the powder, is stored in a closet on a high shelf so the kids dont decide to play with it when i am not looking.