Freezing weather and ammo.

[gtojim]

For years I stored my ammo in my house. (basically room temperature}. I recently moved in with my fiance. She isn't comfortable with ammo in our new place and wants it stored in the shed. I wanted to store the ammo in the house. So we compromised and are storing ammo in the shed! I have tens of thousands of rounds. reloads and factory ammo from 500 Linebaugh down to .22 and almost everything in between. Our winter temperature is in the single digits. Will this cold temp affect my ammo? May be a stupid question buy I never had it in the temperature this low. I would appreciate any input. Thanks 

[potatojudge]

I don’t think the cold will harm it so much as moisture will.

That kind of investment in anything potentially perishable should be afforded more protection.

[clintsfolly]

Get a old dead refrigerator and use it to store the ammo. It will slow the temp swings.

[gtojim]

I was concerned about moisture. I do figure winter has low humidity which buys time. I like the fridge idea too. Thanks!

[bradshaw]

Jan 25, 2022 20:22:05 GMT -5 gtojim said:

For years I stored my ammo in my house. (basically room temperature}. I recently moved in with my fiance. She isn't comfortable with ammo in our new place and wants it stored in the shed. I wanted to store the ammo in the house. So we compromised and are storing ammo in the shed! I have tens of thousands of rounds. reloads and factory ammo from 500 Linebaugh down to .22 and almost everything in between. Our winter temperature is in the single digits. Will this cold temp affect my ammo? May be a stupid question buy I never had it in the temperature this low. I would appreciate any input. Thanks 

*****

Extreme heat excites the nitroglycerine family infinitely faster than extreme cold. Part of military testing is for extended storage under adverse conditions. Modern smokeless powders store much longer than early breeds. Likewise, primers. It took the U.S. military a long time to replace corrosive mercuric primers with non-corrosive. Temperatures here may not reach Fahrenheit ZERO here tomorrow; lows may exceed -20. Water in a gallon jug freezes PDQ. Fingers prefer insulated mittens to gloves. Eyes react, breathing reacts. At 20-below (52 below zero), trees pop, weak antifreeze freezes, pot metal car parts break easily, many plastics break on slightest impact. At the pull of a trigger, ammunition goes BANG!

Permit me to caution against moving powder back & forth between outdoor freeze and inside heat. Air in can contains moisture. To bring canister from severely cold storage to warm loading room causes condensation in canister. Better to wrap powder in a blanket, or have in a box, to promote gradual transition.

Canistered smokeless powder is less volatile than hairspray and numerous other household chemicals. This fact may not displace fear. Fear may drive a fearful person to jump on furniture at the sight of a mouse.

I do fear prolonged storage at high heat. Under a hot summer sun it is better to store powder on a cool floor than close to a hot tin roof.
David Bradsha

[contender]

I know a few folks who use a dead fridge as well. But they also keep a light bulb,, or a closet heater rod in them to keep the temps closer to "normal."

Time in a constantly changing temp area may very well cause issues. Not immediately,, but after a few years,, it MIGHT.

[taffin]

Jan 25, 2022 20:22:05 GMT -5 gtojim said:

For years I stored my ammo in my house. (basically room temperature}. I recently moved in with my fiance. She isn't comfortable with ammo in our new place and wants it stored in the shed. I wanted to store the ammo in the house. So we compromised and are storing ammo in the shed! I have tens of thousands of rounds. reloads and factory ammo from 500 Linebaugh down to .22 and almost everything in between. Our winter temperature is in the single digits. Will this cold temp affect my ammo? May be a stupid question buy I never had it in the temperature this low. I would appreciate any input. Thanks 

PERHAPS YOU AND YOUR FIAMNCE NEED TO HAVE SERIOUS UNDERSTANDING--OR THE FUTURE COULD BE.................

[cowpuncher]

I agree with JT!

[contender]

They say love is blind,, but a great relationship is based upon mutual respect, and understanding of one another. For one person to try & change another person can be a source of friction, that over time can become a problem.

An HONEST,, and serious discussion about your likes & hobbies,, as well as her doing the same with you,, can reveal a lot. And not just where shooting is concerned.

JT is being direct,, and it still says a lot.

And as to ammo & her fears. Many feel a fire will cause a massive explosion,, and bullets flying everywhere. Not true. Yes,, ammo can & will "cook off" and come apart. If her fear is based upon the hollyweird version of explosions & flying bullets,, may I suggest you PATIENTLY explain it doesn't happen that way,, and then,, get her to agree to a demonstration.
Take a basic cooker,, such as a coleman stove. Go out in a wide open area. Set the coleman down,, placing a shallow frying pan on a burner. Place a large caliber round in the pan,, then place a 3 ft square cardboard box (or bigger,) over all of this. Let the round cook off. Let her see the results. Most often,, nothing will even penetrate the cardboard. I have done it occasionally using an old appliance shipping box,, and proved to folks hollyweird is sensationalizing things.

Just an idea here.

[bigbrowndog]

So many of the general publics ideas come from TV/movies, even well respected associations base opinions on these false representations. I tried and tried to get my fire dept. to look at video produced showing actual fires involving ammunition, from private ownership sizes to warehouse sizes. In order to provide better information and tactics to combat these fires. The false stereotypes still prevailed, even after watching the lack of danger involved in fighting these type of fires. Direct evidence was provided showing the tremendous lack of danger that firefighters would be subjected to while wearing our standard fire protection gear. Those stereotypes are tough to overcome, way too much anecdotal and “I’ve seen it” , “I heard”, etc. Calm conversation, visual evidence, and time, but I agree with JT, that’s probably quite a monetary investment that you’re gambling with.  SAAMI did a good job producing the video.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c
Trapr

[bisleyfan41]

I don't know if the extreme cold will affect the ammo or not. My ammo will NEVER be stored out in any shed, for a number of reasons...temp swings, more susceptible to theft, etc. Depending on where you live, I assume hot weather will come and that will be the new living conditions for your ammo. Not good. Have a talk with the fiance and remind her the ammo was there first.

[leadhound]

Welp, guess it’s time for a climate controlled shop. Make it overly big, might be the only chance we have at it!

[rangersedge]

Some good advice above. Find out reason she is opposed and try to educate and to rationally discuss viable options (mutually agreed location in house or in climate controlled shed or maybe friends house). I've always heard that it isn't the cold temps but the humidity that messes up ammo.

[gtojim]

Thanks everybody for your advice/input. I showed her that you tube video and she did her own research. The ammo is coming inside! I learned a lot myself from your posts and videos. Thanks!!

[aciera]

Dead refrigerator with a bulb on all the time.
Heat and dry. Depending on wattage
I do it with tools