“New to the P-100 Series line-up, the 100 Round 22 Caliber Ammo Box [not shown],” MTM Case-Gard’s presser proclaims, “It’s designed specifically for 22 LR and 25 ACP ammo, constructed of durable materials that provide a scratch resistant exterior. The ammo box stores 100 rounds of 22 LR or 25 ACP neatly with the bullet tip up. The snap-latch on the front of the box ensures a secure closure while the flip top clear blue lid allows shooters to view quantities without opening the container.”
Yes, well, devising a storage strategy using MTM products is an OCD nightmare. Bullet tip up or tip down? Lid touching the bullet or not? Slip-top or flip-top? How many 100-round boxes, how many 50’s (easier to take to the range)? What colors? Different colors for different calibers? Which colors for which calibers? Arrrrrghhh! How do you store your ammo? Product names and complete storage strategies welcome.
How do I store my ammo? I use the AFS storage method: “Any Flat Surface”.
Handgun and rifle ammo in the ammo cans they came with. Shotgun ammo in the original boxes. All of it stuffed in the drawers of a locked file cabinet.
.22 LR in its own safe, behind a locked door, with motion sensors, CCTV, and a dedicated guard dog.
Metro wire rack shelf holding several boxes of ammo for easy grabbing when packing for the range. Dividers keep calibers separate, labels along the edge of the shelf to indicate caliber. Shelves at about elbow level, just above the closely spaced wire shelves holding targets.
Empty boxes of .22LR loaded with random nuts and bolts to serve as decoys.
Full unopened cases on the lowest wire rack shelf, e.g. as received via mail order.
Stacked metal .50 cal ammo cans along one wall, labeled with printed business card sized magnets for the remainder. Inside the ammo cans, either in boxes if the ammo came boxed, or stripper clips or MTM cases if it came loose. The magnet backing lets me move and replace labels as needed. Dessicant, oxy absorber and humidity indicator card tossed into each can.
If the ammo came in a can to begin with, label the can (if it’s not) and stack.
You are the funny one today +1 …………….. and two guards , two dogs and your mother-in-law on the 22wmr .
Amen on the 22 LR. This made me laugh.
Sad that it hurts the industry and guns in general that 22 is so hard to get at non-centerfire prices.
I get most of mine at Walmart as I travel around.
Since I started reloading I take my old factory cardboard boxes (with plastic ammo trays) and refill with reloads, then stack the boxes in an ammo can. If I only need 100 rounds I’ll toss 2 boxes in my range bag. If I need a few hundred I’ll just grab the can.
Just like Taofledermaus, in long tubes, nose to primer, and then whack the tubes to see if they go off.
I’m a one load per caliber guy for the most part (so much as primo ammo goes). Freezer bags and ammo cans do me just fine. I used to stack boxes..but if their dimensions didn’t cooperate with an ammo can I threw a tantrum in my head. So….yeah, baggies…and realizing that it will, indeed, be ok outside of it’s pretty little box.
Now the surplus and practice stuff? Wherever it’ll cram.
^This.
I love mtm boxes for my OCD reloading itch. But when it comes time to store the end result in a transportable container, its out of the box and into a freezerbag that somehow always seems to fill my 50 cal ammo boxes.
Re-use old factory ammunition boxes with new hand written labels.
I live in New Jersey, the second amendment does not exist here. I store my weapons and ammo in PVC tubes burried in the yard.
Now the cops know where to look.
Did you remember to sprinkle some scrap metal all around before you buried it? You have to have some scrap metal a few inches below the surface to throw off the los federales equipped with metal detectors.
Dude, it’s the 21st century. Ground penetrating radar.
A layer of fine mesh wire screen will take care of that.
If you have truthfully done this , you should wipe the gun lightly with a rag of Vaseline , wrap in a 2 mil. plastic banded or bound somehow and then throw in a few high quality desiccants in before sealing the tube . Seal with regular PVC primer and glue and leave enough space to saw open when needed .
mine are conveniently located at the bottom of a lake, right next to my guns. Tragic really….
In a safe with dehydrators
Bulk ammo? Stacks of surplus ammo cans in the corner of the armory.
Specialty ammo? (the stuff I keep less than 500 rounds of) Shelves above said corner organized by caliber.
Ready ammo? (One combat load for my battle rattle) In the magazines loaded into their pouches.
For long-term storage of bulk ammo, a small desiccant packet thrown into the can lets you more or less forget about the ammo until you need it. I’ve kept hundreds of round on the shelf of a room whose temperature varies between 60F and 80F over the course of the year with no problems. Humidity in the armory varies between 80% RH and 19% RH over the course of the year with no serious impact on either the ammunition or the weapons.
Same here. Except the ‘armory’ part. Not to that level, yet…
It’s not a hard conversion. Grab a small spare bedroom, install a door lock, and off you go.
For him, that may entail ‘encouraging’ the kids to vacate the premises… 🙂
Bulk/range ammo loose in metal ammo cans.
Specific loads (rifle rounds) in 20 round boxes with an index card detailing the load.
Miscellaneous ammo in factory boxes stacked in a wooden crate I built years ago, approximately 2’x4′ and 2′ tall.
I remove ammo from cardboard boxes and store the trays in various locking boxes by caliber. I reuse the trays for hand loaded stuff. My aversion to cardboard comes from living on a boat too many years. I’ve only recently overcome my addiction to pelican cases…
I store mine in plastic grocery store bags. Easy to store and carry besides the fact that people don’t know what you have in the bag. Only draw back is having to feel around for a 9mm instead of a .44 Mag. Toughest is telling whether it’s a .38 SP or .357 Mag by feel, but you get it down after a while.
With a forklift [electric]. Kind of like the last scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark. ; )
I use a Rubber O-Ring’d Tote that’s a cheaper-ish knock off of a plano or other case. It is overloaded for its weight bearing capacity so I don’t move this one much.
I recently found a nice and inexpensive product at my lgs from NTM, in their “Case-guard Series”, that were more substantially molded (in Safety Orange and OD). They are a new-ish model though, and I don’t see the particular ones that I bought on their link, http://www.mtmcase-gard.com/products/rifle/ammo-boxes-rifle.html .
In 50 cal ammo cans with labels. .22 is in 20mm ammo cans… I had to get a couple of those industrial metal Costco racks to hold the weight.
Ammo? Who needs ammo? Get a moist nugget with a bayonet. Never need to fire a shot.
Moist nuggets again… I’m starting to think California-based smartphones don’t want people to talk about Mosin Nagants.
You seem to be bothered by using slang instead of the proper nomenclature.
I have decided that this is a personal problem for you to resolve. Let me know when you work your issues out.
Have nice day.
in mags of course and those little handy boxes you posted. love those things
In a giant pile, with me laying in it like Smaug the Dragon.
That’s the post I was waiting for…
You are my hero of the week, Bob!
I use .30 and .50 mil surp cans. The 30s and 50s are in a steel gun cabinet bolted to a concrete floor with silicone gel canisters. I do have some vintage crates that are just on the floor. All inside a closet with A/C and locked door.
Everything either stays in original packaging or gets sorted into .50 Cal ammo cans by caliber and manufacturer. I always need more ammo cans.
However my friends store theirs.
On a metal shelf, organized by caliber. Factory loads in their original box. Handloads are stored in plastic boxes as in the summary.
I use 50-round boxes for .223, 50- and 100-round boxes for pistol (although I like the 50- better), and 20-round boxes for other rifle rounds.
FWIW, the MTM boxes seem to be the highest quality, but the design of the case lid makes it hard to add a stick-on label. I’ve gone to Berry’s boxes, which are almost as heavy-duty, but are more easily labeled. The Frankford Arsenal boxes aren’t terrible, but they’re definitely more brittle. I refuse to use their .223 50-round box (#505) because the empty brass falls out of the slots.
Most ammo is stored as separate components (brass, bullet, powder, primer) and is waiting for assembly.
And, generally, bullet tip down for pistol, bullet tip up for rifle.
In Ziploc bags, with the load data written on the bag in Sharpie (super cheap), then into a small plastic ammo can (cheap). Factory ammo I leave in the box and throw the boxes into medium-sized plastic ammo cans (fairly cheap), Am I the only cheap sob here? Spend your money on bullets, powder and primers, not neat little plastic trays. I mean, for .22LR?? Really?
You are not the only cheap person out there. I dumpster dive at the range for discarded ammo boxes with trays, and i also make my wife save the mayonaise jars, spark canisters, or other lidded plastic containers… Washed first of course… Total cost is even cheaper than ziplocks… A little masking tape and old sharpie to write the load data and im set. Fill it with salvaged wheel weight lead reloads and im off to the range for less than $5 per 50 rds of 9mm. I agree with you. Spend money on guns and ammo.
Umm, in a box?
If the original packaging is good enough for the manufacturer, it’s good enough for me. Then again, I only buy 250-500 rounds at a time, sometimes one caliber, sometimes another. I’ve been buying from Freedom Munitions, and their ammo comes in 50 round boxes with plastic trays. I ran out of room in the cabinet that I’ve been using for years, so now I don’t even open the boxes it ships in. I’ve been trying to put up a reserve because of the recent ammo law that goes into effect 1/1/18, and the pending Newsome “Safety For All” initiative on the November ballot that will likely cut off my out of state supplier (and that will most definitely increase prices). My reserve is woefully inadequate, but I have a year.
Newsome’s “Safety For All, Freedom for None”
FIFY
Regular stuff goes in a Stack-On cabinet for which I built shelves. Factory stays in original boxes. Reloads go in beautiful MTM 50 round boxes color-coded (of course). The boxes are in order by caliber (also if course). Extra LT goes in plastic ‘cans’ with desiccant.
I put every thing in a sunk boat.
Sure seem to read about a lot of maritime disasters in the comments section of TTAG!
To be fair, it was actually just 1 boat, we collectively decided to see how many guns a boat could hold without sinking.
Answer was one less than we thought.
That’s it we have a winner!! And nobody thought to quit throwing more guns in after the boat was under the water.
Tickling the dragon’s tail?
Wait, I’m supposed to store my ammo? I thought I was supposed to shoot it.
Whatever ammo I don’t shoot is stored in my guns. It’s a real time saver.
Yeah, I’m kidding. I store my ammo in locked tool boxes. Isn’t it amazing how a “tool box” costs 1/2 the price of an “ammo box” of exactly the same capacity?
Ammunition is kept in its original box and placed in ammo cans. Then all the cans go into a steel-walled cabinet, double padlocked.
cases wrapped with garbage bags, stacked up on steel shelves and floor. individual various boxes on shelves in metal cabinet, by caliber.
Plastic bucket with lid. You can get them super cheap at Lowe’s.
Found an old luggage chest in grandparents’ basement once:
“What the hell are you gonna use grandma’s trunk for? It takes up too much space.”
“Too much space for thousands upon thousands of rounds of ammo?”
*Grandpa smiles ear-to-ear*
“Let’s get this bastard into your car before she remembers we have it. Hurry.”
Four steel .50 cal cans and a 7.62x54R crate fit end to end in this thing with some space left over. The top is hollowed out and closes easily on two stacked crates. For the price of $0 I couldn’t be happier.
I have a few of these MTM things for my rifle hand loads, but honestly my preferred method of storing handloads is in the 10rd plastic dividers that come in Federal plinking ammo. Plenty of room to put a label with load details and when I head out into the field I just toss one in the pocket of my hunting jacket before I leave.
Factory ammo I just store indoors in the box it came in or the UPS box it shipped in for the bulk orders as it helps keeps stuff less cluttered.
OK , It probably isn’t necessary , but I am a classic OCD organizer , so I have everything sorted by caliber , type , grain and velocity in plastic bullet containers , in .50 caliber rubber gasket sealed ammo containers , in a cool , dark , dry room with desiccant replaced every couple years . I keep my shooting ammo organized in .50 cal. cans in my safes . I know , but I actually enjoy this . You should see my ( hardware store/ garage ).
Everything fits in my dresser drawers. I’m a little light on everything so that might change (I found a nearby gun shop with low prices,low tax, in Illinois and does $25 transfers-most of these Illinois azzwhole’s want $45-75 for a damn transfer).
I have to hide it where my wife will never find it…so in the closet with the housekeeping supplies.
I try to use the original boxes or refill old boxes with ammo bought loose. The small boxes go into plastic totes of different sizes. I have a few ammo cans too. Also those plastic ammo boxes with lids are great.
I bought one of those HD wire racks from Home Depot.
Factory ammo stays in it’s boxes and sits in labeled ammo cans on the shelves.
I keep the plastic inserts from factory ammo for reloads, mark them as reloads, put them back in a box and into a labeled ammo can.
Shotshells have their own ammo cans that hold the shells. 100 per box. Labeled.
Brass sit on the same shelves. After it’s been deprimed and cleaned it goes into heavy duty ziplock bags sorted by caliber and placed in cardboard boxes to await it’s turn at the bench.
In magazines, mags in my bag, mags in my leg rig, mags in my rifle bag, mags on my shelf, mag in the rifle, magazines on my flack, in original boxing and, in ammo cans,
50 caliber ammo cans filled with the same calibers still in their original boxes.
Steel ammo cans with padlocks through the handles. Wooden ammo crates with added hinges and padlocks. Spare safe to store projectiles, powder, primers, and other components.
Inside the ammo cans, the one for .223 has MTM boxes. Green ones for one gun, and translucent blue ones for another gun, to keep the batches separate as each uses different loads. They are 100 round boxes, and the complete batch is reloaded and used before next reloading cycle. The .308 can stores ammunition in original boxes. The scoped rifle can (in .308) uses Turkish 8mm bandoliers and clips. The same bandoliers and clips are used in the 8mm can. 7.62x54r is in the original Albanian packaging as uses spare space in the general .308 can.
Pistol reloads in white cardboard 50 round boxes from Midway (because our range master said that it was okay to shoot “white box” ammunition) marked with caliber and specs on each end and my own logo on the top. Most of the pistol ammo is stored in locked home built 3/4″ plywood cabinets. Most of my rifle and shotgun rounds are in plastic Plano or Flambeau .30 cal size boxes. The local Atwoods farm supply store runs a sale on the plastic boxes about every six weeks and I buy eight or ten boxes every time the price is right. I also have a bunch of .30 and .50 cal size metal boxes but they’re used more for tools and first aid supplies these days.
The plastic boxes sit on a set of industrial grade shelves that I picked up at Sam’s club. I’ve got the boxes marked with a Sharpie pen as to caliber, load etc. I keep ready ammunition for my go to war firearms where I can get to it in a hurry – six loaded 1911 mags, six 30 round AR mags, and an over the shoulder bandolier with 12 gauge slugs and 00 buck.
In Kalifornia, we don’t have a ammo storage issue. We simply are not allowed. In less of course you are an illegal, gang member, or nut job, then its ok. Oh how it sucks living in N Korea lite.
Store Ammo as follows.
– Rounds go into or are in OEM boxes.
– Using seal a meal machine, suck out all air and seal them trim off excess plastic.
– Stack like caliber/grain Ammo in a cardboard box just the right size. When full, suck out air and seal/trim with a seal a meal machine.
– place the correct quantity (what will fit) of sealed cardboard boxes into a rubber o-ring sealed plastic can. Suck or the air and seal/trim with a seal a meal machine.
– place four of said sealed cans into a standard copier paper box, suck out air and seal/trim using seal a meal machine.
– Place 20 said sealed copier paper boxes loaded with Ammo on a pallet, get a large commercial seal a machine and suck out air, seal and trim.
I keep 100 pallets stored in the back of my go to War Wagon along with my go bag. War Wagon is a Peterbuilg cab over with sleeper and a 45′ trailer. And of course- it is sealed with a VERY LARGE custom built Seal-A-Meal machine after the air is sucked out.
Reality- all my ammo is properly stored in built for purpose containers that have a blow out partition vented to the outside of basement. Same goes for the many pounds of powder and primers. And yes they are stored separately.
I also have one two door commercial locker 36″w x 30″ d x 80″ tall that has 5 reinforced shelves just for .22LR. I have one problem in that I still have 108- 500 round bricks that will not fit because it is full.
I reload for all other calibers, determine the cost savings and have always spent that on .22LR.
Of course having a brother high up in the food chain in Federal doesn’t hurt either.
Sealed ammo cans with desiccant packets.
Quite casually…
50 cal Ammo cans full as I can get them.
I handload in mass I ain’t got time for little boxes and fancy rows. Simply fill the can label it and drive on.
100 round MTM boxes that I buy whenever I am placing an Internet order because it usually doesn’t change shipping price and for a couple bucks you dont really notice 1 or 2.
From there they go into a tool bag. (Harbor Freight 5.99, even has pockets on the side that will hold at mags nicely. I put a piece of hardboard in the bottom to increase strength). Each gun has its own tool bag . Tool bag holds mags, MTM boxes with ammo, and anything else that typically goes with that gun. That way all I have to do is grab the gun, my ammo bag for that gun, and a range bag (that has the typical stuff I always take to the range) and I don’t have to worry about forgetting anything.
Look at the Dillon boxes, they can be had much much more cheaply than the MTM boxes. Often the savings is enough to offset the cost of shipping. And I think the Dillon boxes are more durable, I have a few MTM boxes with cracked lids, and the little feet broken off, but all my Dillon boxes are perfect.
I store my ammunition in its original cartons and then store most of those cartons in ammunition storage containers.
Unboxed and mixed together in a big black trash bag, double bagged.
Most factory ammo is left in the factory boxes. Sometimes they are put in ammo cans, depends on how well the factory boxes fit in ammo cans. Any match ammo is chamber gauged with the date noted on the box.
Any ammo that comes in bulk packing is gauged using a Shock Bottle chamber gauge, and then flipped into a Dillon or MTM 100 round plastic box. With a masking tape label noting all the specifics and date gauged.
Ammo I reload myself as done the same as bulk ammo above, but the tape strip is much more specific.
A few years ago, it was at the store/gun show, although I could never remember where I put them, so I never found them. Had to find more. Looking for Godot?
All ammo goes loose in an old washing machine on the back porch. I run it through a cycle (Delicate if there is any .45acp in there, Normal otherwise) to mix it up and give it all a nice patina then use an old claw machine I got from a closed up bowling alley to grab a load and that determines what guns I take to the range that day.
Just boring, here. Left in the boxes/ammo cans they came in, stashed by caliber all over my closet, IOW nothing special. Reading here, tho, I’ll have to consider putting a lock on the door to the understairs closet/gun safe room, seems like a good idea.
In buckets and bins. Who’s got time to anal retentively organize? Those that don’t shoot much I guess.
I bought a butt load of those MTM 100 for 45acp when they were on sale recently. They stack in the poly ammo cans that Cabela’s sells. I think I can get 8 MTM in on of those poly cans. Been using the MTM 100 rnd small, medium and large rifle cartridge cases for about 3 years. Be sure an get the ones with the snap together mechanical hinge so the lid folds all the way back. The other kind with the crease sucks. Lid won’t stay open. Bulk reloaded 223 goes in 30 cal and 50 cal metal ammo cans from Midway. Factory 223 stays in the cardboard box on the shelf.
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