Is it OK for ammo to freeze?

Ammo Storage Temperature

When the Winter months hit, the last thing you want to do is expose your ammo to freezing cold temperatures. Doing this can result in altering the ballistics or your ammunition and could lead to some inaccurate shooting when the bullets are used again in the Spring.

Is it bad if ammo gets cold?

According to SAAMI(Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute) standards, extremely high temperatures (over 150° F) should be avoided. The ideal storage temperatures is between 55°F and 85°F. In addition to avoiding high temperatures, extreme cold can also affect your ammunition (although it's less likely).

What happens ammunition freezes?

While storing in freezing temperatures will not cause your ammo to freeze it will cause the cartridge to constrict, thus having the potential to alter how the bullet is seated.

Can you freeze bullets?

Reversely, freezing temperatures may not lead to a loss of powder in your cartridge, but it has a large possibility of changing the ballistic performance of your bullets. This can particularly affect the accuracy of shots fired with long-range rifle ammo.

Can you leave ammo in a cold car?

You can safely leave ammo in a cold car without noticeable damage as modern-day munition is built to withstand extreme conditions. However, exposing your ammo to extreme cold is a terrible idea. Subzero temperatures impact your ammo's ballistic performance and will lower the accuracy of long-range shots.

Storing Ammo in Very Hot or Cold Places? Do Extreme Temperatures Really Degrade Ammo?

Is it OK to store ammo in garage?

First, if you are running air conditioning the humidity should be lower in the house. So fill the ammo cans and seal them in the house to minimize the moisture content. If it is hot and humid in the garage and you fill the ammo cans there, all you are doing is sealing in the moisture.

At what temperature will a bullet explode?

A bullet will melt if it is exposed to a thousand degrees fahrenheit. The primer will pop when a loaded cartridge is exposed to a few hundred degrees. There are Cartridges that don't explode.

What temperature can you store ammo?

A general rule of thumb for ideal storage temperatures is between 55°F and 85°F. According to SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute) standards, extreme high temperatures (over 150° F) should be avoided.

Can ammo ever spoil?

Ammunition doesn't “expire” per se, but the gunpowder looses potency over time. The largest risk to shooting old ammunition isn't a failure to fire, it's the risk that you will actually fire the shot and it doesn't have enough momentum to make it out the barrel.

Can stored ammo explode?

“When a fire comes through and when that ammunition gets super heated to ignite, if it's stored in a steel container, that can create quite an explosion within the steel container.” And the the container itself can become dangerous bits of shrapnel, in addition to the bullets and casings.

Can you store ammo in ziplock bags?

You should not store ammunition in Ziplock bags because the bags don't keep out moisture very effectively. While it can be a temporary storage solution when combined with a desiccant (to absorb humidity), it's best to keep ammunition in ammo cans or the original containers.

Can you store gun safe in garage?

It's best to avoid placing our gun safes in the garage, but if there is no other choice, it's a good practice to bolt it to the floor and build a closet around it. Although the gun safe can be placed inside a bedroom closet, the best place is once again the basement.

Are 30 year old bullets still good?

Generally, yes. If factory centerfire cartridges are stored in a dry, cool place with low humidity, preferably in an airtight container, they can have an amazingly long shelf life. Many ballistics experts who have shot tens of thousands of rounds over the years report shooting 20- to 50-year-old ammo with no problems.

How much ammo should I stockpile?

A good rule of thumb is to consider a 500-round stash your starting point for your handgun. That might seem high but it does go fast. Of those 500 rounds at least 150 should be defensive, not target rounds. If you can afford to stash mostly defensive ammo, do it.

How long is unused ammunition good for?

Ammunition isn't a perishable good - if stored correctly, it can last almost indefinitely. Whether it was stored correctly or not is another matter. Ammunition isn't like the still-edible 5000-year-old honey found in Egyptian tombs; ready to eat and spread on toast.

Is it OK to store ammo in the attic?

Best Places to Store Ammo

When choosing an ammo storage location, shoot for dark, dry and cool — not cold. A closet inside a home is ideal. I would, however, avoid extremes such as basement storage or storing ammo in the attic. Normal fluctuations in household temperatures are OK.

What happens to ammo in a house fire?

Let's consider this scenario: Ammunition/bullets are located in a box in a nightstand during a house fire. The bullet, when heated, will explode, and pieces of the casing—often referred to as shrapnel—will scatter in all directions.

Can bullets explode if dropped?

Likelihood of a Cartridge Going Off

When this happens, the bullet will land in a way that prevents the impact from being sufficiently forceful to cause the bullet to fire. Significant impact to the primer would be needed to cause it to discharge. This is extremely unlikely to happen from it simply being dropped.

Do bullets go off in a fire?

If you throw a live round into fire, nothing is going to ignite the primer – there is no striker in a campfire. However, gunpowder will eventually reach the temperature of ignition and will light up causing those hot expanding gasses to appear.

Can I store ammo in my basement?

Keep it Cool & Dark

The basement, with a dehumidifier, is the perfect choice for ammunition to be stored as it is generally cool and stable in temperature. A dehumidifier unit will continuously pull moisture out of a damp basement. Ammo should not be placed on the floor of the basement but elevated on a shelf.

Is rusty ammo safe?

Danger of Corroded Ammunition

In the worst case scenario, a corroded bullet that is fired could rupture or break, shooting white-hot gases back through the action of the gun and possibly in the shooter's direction.

How long is 9mm ammo good for?

9 mm ammunition can last for 10-25 years and continue to function correctly if it's stored in a cool, dry place. The only way for them to become ineffective is if they become corroded. Corrosion happens when one of two things occurs: either foreign matter gets inside of them or they come into contact with water.

Why is there a rifle ammo shortage?

The shortage has been attributed to many factors, most of them related to the explosion of gun ownership in the United States since the pandemic began. While the start of the pandemic is nearing its two-year anniversary, that is also the case for the nation's ammunition shortage.

Will guns rust in basement?

Moisture, Humidity, and Gun Safes Don't Mix

And of course, basements are at risk of flooding. Because of its iron content, steel is naturally vulnerable to rust, which is why we use pickled and oiled steel before we begin the manufacturing process.