"Ask the Rabbi" by R. Mermelstein

I hope you are well, and in good health. I have a great curiosity on the storage life of boxer primed ammunition. I have acquired quite a bit of center fire ammo and wonder how long will it keep? It came to me in sealed arsenal storage cans, and hopefully I can keep it that way for some time, given the present political climate.

Thank You,

Louis

The rule of thumb for ammo storage is to keep it in the same heat and humidity conditions where you are comfortable. This rules out garages, storage sheds, etc. Cold has no adverse effects on ammunition. Another help is to get moisture absorbing desiccant packs and put them in the container with the ammo. Keep the container off of concrete floors. Moisture seeps through them. A high shelf is to where heat rises. Keep the container between the floor and ceiling. Desiccant packs are available from Midway. Their order line is 1-800-243-3220. They sell three sizes of desiccant packs, depending on the number of cubic feet you need to dehumidify. Properly stored ammunition will last for many decades.

Sincerely,

R. Mermelstein