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Got most of my ammo consolidated in one place (finally)

nitesite

nitesite

Average Guy
Moderator
"Philanthropist"
I've had my all my loaded ammo (and all my components for reloading) more or less kinda scattered around.

A lot of it is factory new ammunition. And a bunch is my reloaded ammo using the recovered cases with new primers, powder and bullets.

Some loaded stuff in a closet, some brass in the laundry room, some powder here, some powder there, bullets and primers laying all around. Well, no more. It's 75% contained in a Craftsman metal cabinet after this past weekend. I still have around 16-lbs of powder behind the reloading bench and some primers on some wall shelves, and the cast bullets won't all fit so they are sitting in tubs and buckets on the floor until I figure what to do with them. Brass that's sized and primed is in the cabinet but brass that needs tumbled or sized is staying out in the garage. Unsmelted lead and smelted ingots are on the garage floor of course. I could still fit some more in the cabinet but I was getting concerned about how heavy it was getting..... :geek:

ammo_cabinet.jpg


edit: Drat, I just found 500-rounds of 10mm Gold Dot ammo that I didn't get in the photo!
 
Organizing that is what you call a good problem. You certainly put me to shame. I'll step up and volunteer to store the excess free of charge...anything to help a fellow M.O.!
 
Every grown man needs a hobby.

I don't care what it is, but everybody needs one.

I think reloading is on my short list of things I want to do. I just don't have the extra $$ to do it right now.
 
I can just imagine how long it took to do that. Looks good though sir!
 
You know what they are singing?....

Hooo-oooolllllyyyyyyy ssssshhhhhhhh***********t
That loooooo-ooooooks like the Yooooouuuuu Sssssss miiiiiiiiiinnnt.
 
These aren't the droids you're looking for.

You can go about your business

Move along

Move along
 
I wouldn't mind having half as much stuff he has in his case.....I need to get going.
 
Nice, nitesite. That second shelf from the bottom looks like it is sagging a little in the middle. Considering it is because you have so much ammo, that is a good thing.
I have also been organizing my ammo while getting ready to head back over to the Middle East. Everything is in Mil-Surp ammo cans finally. A cabinet such as yours is a great idea for storing those cans.
 
Holy stockpile, Batman! Looking good. I was just thinking about moving stuff to one of those Stack-On metal gun cabinets the other day, but since I'm going to be picking up reloading components here soon, what type of safety concerns should one have in mind when storing loaded ammo, powder and primers in an enclosed space?
 
... but since I'm going to be picking up reloading components here soon, what type of safety concerns should one have in mind when storing loaded ammo, powder and primers in an enclosed space?
Click to expand...

That's a VERY good question and I'm glad you raised it.

Wow. This is going to get long winded...... but here goes:

I understand your observation that some of my primers and some of my powder is intermixed with some of my ammunition. Like I said, it's a very good question.

First, the steel cabinet is NOT considered an "enclosed space". There is room within it for expansion and venting, and the cabinet is in a room that has ZERO electrical connections or heat sources save one ceiling light. Most of the time I let natural light from windows illuminate the cabinet when I open it. The nearest thing plugged in is almost 16-feet away in another room. So I figure that if a fire has engulfed or surrounded that cabinet the house is pretty much a conflagration at that point.

Second, it's worth noting that smokeless propellant burns and does not explode. Here's a snip from Alliant Powder web site per SAAMI

http://www.alliantpowder.com/getting_st ... dling.aspx

Informaiton Provided by S A A M I
Sporting Arms and Ammunitaions Manufacturers' Institute, Inc.
FLINTLOCK RIDGE OFFICE CENTER, 11 MILE HILL ROAD
NEWTOWN, CT 06470-2359

When smokeless powder burns, a great deal of gas at high temperature is formed. If the powder is confined, ( my entry: such as inside a cartridge case or grenade ) this gas will create pressure in the surrounding structure. The rate of gas generation is such, however, that the pressure can be kept at a low level if sufficient space is available or if the gas can escape.

In this respect smokeless powder differs from blasting agents or high explosives such as dynamite or blasting gelatin, although smokeless powder may contain chemical ingredients common to some of these products.

High explosives such as dynamite are made to detonate, that is, to change from solid state to gaseous state with evolution of intense heat at such a rapid rate that shock waves are propagated through any medium in contact with them. Such shock waves exert pressure on anything they contact, and, as a matter of practical consideration, it is almost impossible to satisfactorily vent away the effects of a detonation involving any appreciable quantity of dynamite.

Smokeless powder differs considerably in its burning characteristics from common "black powder."
Black powder burns essentially at the same rate out in the open (unconfined) as when in a gun.
When ignited in an unconfined state, smokeless powder burns inefficiently with an orange-colored flame. It produces a considerable amount of light brown noxious smelling smoke. It leaves a residue of ash and partially burned powder.
Click to expand...

And more...

Recommendations for Storage of Smokeless Powder

STORE IN A COOL, DRY PLACE. Be sure the storage area selected is free from any possible sources of excess heat and is isolated from open flame, furnaces, hot water heaters, etc. Do not store smokeless powder where it will be exposed to the sun's rays. Avoid storage in areas where mechanical or electrical equipment is in operation. Restrict from the storage areas heat or sparks which may result from improper, defective or overloaded electrical circuits.

DO NOT STORE SMOKELESS POWDER IN THE SAME AREA WITH SOLVENTS, FLAMMABLE GASES OR HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS.

STORE ONLY IN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION APPROVED CONTAINERS.

Do not transfer the powder from an approved container into one which is not approved.


10-3.6 Smokeless propellants shall be stored in shipping containers specified by U. S. Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations.

10-3.7 Smokeless propellants intended for personal use in quantities not exceeding 20 lb (9.1 kg) may be stored in original containers in residences. Quantities exceeding 20 lb (9.1 kg), but not exceeding 50 lb (22.7 kg), may be stored in residences if kept in a wooden box or cabinet having walls or at least 1-inc. (25.4-mm) nominal thickness.
Click to expand...

So you see, my ammunition is not a highly combustable material. Neither are my small numbers of primers (a few thousand) kept cool and dry and enclosed in a metal cabinet away from sparks, flame and impacts.

The contents of my cabinet are not exposed to a likely source of ignition whether it be heat, flame or spark.

And the bulk of my powder and primers are kept per regulation in a wooden box with 1-inch sides to slow its exposure to open flames. Believe me, if this stuff goes off, the only thing that would happen is a big roman candle of flame from the powder, and a lot of bangs from the primers and cartridges as they ignite like lady-finger firecrackers. And bullets don't fly when a cartridge goes off in a fire....... :geek:
 
My great aunt was blinded in both eyes from one of her brothers throwing a live round in a fire when she was about 8 years old. Granted it was back in the 1920's, but still happened and I doubt that the process would've changed much if it happened today.

It was meant as a trick to scare her, but it ended up blowing out the side of the brass casing, threw a lot of debris in her face/eyes, which ultimately busted both of them as a result.

The bullet won't shoot out (like it would if it were contained in a barrel), but there is still a lot of pressure and stuff that is going to go somewhere if it gets hot enough.

I understand that if the house is on fire, that you wouldn't be sitting around the case chatting while it was happening.
 
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