Today I’ve got something incredibly important to share…

A Complete Guide On Storing Your Ammo The RIGHT Way

Because if you can afford to stockpile ammo, you owe it to yourself to store it properly.

You should treat your ammunition like precious metals.

Both require good storage practices to maintain them for the long haul.

If you don’t properly maintain your ammo (or neglect it), it’s shelf life will be cut short.

And this would be a travesty.

Because ammo is a critical supply in an emergency.

TOPICS IN THIS GUIDE…    ↓(click to jump)

• Does Ammo Go Bad?
• Old Ammo Vs. New Ammo
• How To Store Ammo The Right Way
• Best Ammo Cans For Sale
• Humidity Control and Desiccants
• Your Long-Term Storage Plan

Want a free 78 item prepper checklist?

Does Ammo Go Bad?

Yes, ammo DOES have an expiration date.

But unlike food, which has a shelf life measured in days or weeks, the life of ammo is measured in years and decades.

It all depends on HOW you store it.

If stored right, it can outlive YOU.

Heck, it may even outlive your kids and your grandkids.

If in good condition, modern ammo can last centuries.

But if you store your ammo improperly, degradation starts on day one.

Slow at first, but you may find your ammo useless over a few years.

And even if it still fires, I wont’ be accurate.

↓ Does Ammo Go Bad / Accuracy?

Want a free 78 item prepper checklist?

Old Ammo Vs. New Ammo

Modern materials, design improvements, and automated manufacturing have improved today’s shelf life.

And that’s great news for those who stockpile.

When discussing “older ammo,” I primarily reference ammo manufactured after the 1930s.

Back when smokeless powder was introduced.

↓ Black Powder Vs. Smokeless Powder

Older bullets had a much shorter shelf life unless meticulously stored.

Today, the risk vs. reward of shooting older ammo may not be worth it.

And the equation keeps getting worse as each year passes.

↓ Will These 90-Year-Old .22 Rounds Still Function?

The bottom line is:

Your ammo stockpile is an investment.

You want to protect this investment as long as humanly possible.

So let’s learn how to do just that:

How To Store Ammo The Right Way

Proper storage for ammo is not complicated.

You only need to follow some simple principles and take action.

Yes, that’s it.

Here’s the first storage principle:

Store your ammunition in a cool, dry, dark location.

Let’s break that down.

If you keep your ammo in a…

• Cool
• Dry
• Dark

…place, you win.

Follow this, and you’ll extend your ammunition stockpile from decades to centuries.

Once we analyzing this principle, we discover there’s a bit more to it.

So let’s dive deep into each of these storage principles:

↓ How To Store Ammunition

Keeping Your Ammo Cool

You want to keep your ammunition cool.

Not cold but cool.

Avoid warm or hot storage locations.

Constant warm temps or consistently cool temps are not the main concern.

It’s the temperature swings that are the real problem.

The integrity of ammo is compromised if it’s subjected to extreme temperature cycles.

It’s hard on ammo to go from 100 degrees to 0 degrees and back to 100 degrees, year after year.

Why is this bad?

These temperature swings invite humidity.

And as we’ll discuss shortly, humid environments are a serious threat to ammunition.

That’s why garages, attics, unheated cabins, and the trunk of your car are poor locations.

These storage locations are susceptible to extreme heat and cold swings.

• In winter, overnight temps can reach sub-zero degrees in garages, attics, etc.
• And in the summer, north of 100 F.

Ammo stored in such locations will seem fine for the first few years…

But if left in these locations over several decades, the temperature swings will begin taking a toll.

So, where should your ammo be stored?

Basements are popular.

Why? Because basements are located below ground level.

Ground temperatures change less than air temperatures.

So while air temps will change from 0 degrees to 100 degrees seasonally, ground temps 10 feet below the surface tend to stay in a range of 20 degrees.

So, for example:

If soil temps 10 feet underground average 50 degrees, it may rise to 60 degrees in the summer and drop to 40 degrees in winter.

This is significantly less variation than air temps.

And at 30 feet below the surface, temperature swings become negligible.

At this depth, ground temps stay constant regardless of the air temps.

So we can take advantage of the earth and support the “constant cool” principle.

That’s why basements are popular ammo storage locations but they can have downsides too.

Which we’ll cover next…

Keeping Ammo Dry

Moisture is even more dangerous to your ammunition than temperature swings.

Moisture is corrosive to metal.

And ammo is made of metal (brass casings, primers, and bullets).

Hence, moisture exposure will eventually rust your ammo.

It will begin with small amounts of surface rust.

You can sand this off, and it will still fire…

But even this may affect its accuracy.

And if this rust is allowed to fester, it will eventually (over several decades) render your ammunition useless.

So we need to control moisture.

But guess which part of our homes tends to have the highest humidity levels?

You’ve probably guessed it…

Basements.

Rain soaks into the ground.

Ground contacts your home’s foundation.

This ground moisture is dangerous to foundations if allowed to accumulate.

That’s why ensuring your gutters and downspouts are working properly is important to avoid foundation problems (i.e., cracking, settling heaving, etc.)

Many homes have sump pumps to help manage basement moisture issues.

When massive flooding occurs, which area gets wet first?

Your basement.

So from a moisture standpoint, basements present a problem.

However, there are solutions to help manage these risks.

First, if you’re storing ammo in a basement, don’t set it on the floor.

Keep it in cabinets or racks.

The higher, the better.

That way, if your basement floods, your stockpile will remain above the water level.

Another way to manage the increased humidity in the basement air is to get a good dehumidifier.

Dehumidifier For Your Basement

This dehumidifier unit will continuously pull moisture out of a damp basement.

You also should remove the ammo from the orgnial boxes.

Why? Because there are trace amounts of moisture in that carboard.

And if you put your ammo in ammo cans (and you should) the air tight containers will pull that moisture out.

Instead, get them away from cardboard and into an ammo can.

Keeping Your Ammo “In the Dark”

UV light is also a destructive force.

Over long periods of exposure, the sun’s harmful UV rays will break down nearly everything.

You’ve seen this process with vehicles.

Leaving a vehicle in the sun for years deteriorates its exterior.

Compare THAT vehicle to one stored in a garage.

Over a long time, UV rays will take a similar toll.

The good news is:

Most indoor storage areas work just fine.

A closet, pantry, and basement are all protected from UV rays.

Plus, the inside of your ammo cans will be dark as well.

So if you store your cans in a windowless location, UV rays become a non-issue.

Organization Matters…A Lot

Good storage takes organization and discipline.

Remember, you’re stockpiling for decades.

So it’s important to stay organized and maintain control of the inventory.

It’s not ‘set and forget.’

You must maintain a process.

↓ How I Organize My Ammo Cans MTM Ammo Cans

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Make sure you’re familiar with Alaska hunting laws before heading out for the hunt. Enjoy an exciting time of the year veteran hunters and beginners alike.

RELATED: Deer Season and Hunting Laws by State

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For Southeast Mainland: between September 15 – December 31 and March 15 – May 31.

Legal Weapons and Ammo

• A muzzleloader is a shoulder-mounted long gun with a barrel that is rifled or smooth bore. Use a .45 caliber or larger and discharge a single projectile.

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Global catastrophes aren’t limited to earthquakes and hurricanes.

The WHO has announced that coronavirus has reached pandemic status.

Just a few months ago, no one had ever heard of this virus. Now, store shelves are empty and businesses are shut down.

Did you see how quickly that happened?

This means that you can never be too prepared.

Here’s the types of global catastrophes you should be putting a plan together for now.

Global Catastrophes You Need to Be Aware and Prepared For

1. Economic Collapse

One of the lesser-known possible global catastrophes is the economic collapse. With our dependence on everything automated and instant, we are bound for these catastrophes, indeed. Find ways to become less dependent on the economic and financial systems of the world.

Don’t forget to have a safe room installed in your house, too. Watch out for storm surge warnings and evacuate if needed.

RELATED: 20 Ways To Prepare For An Economic Collapse

11. Drought

Learn how to grow a garden in dryer and hotter circumstances and apply good soil maintenance. Make sure you manage your livestock and keep them healthy, too.

Reducing the risk to honey bee hives and protecting the next harvest are a few tips to get ready for a drought.

12. Tornado

It is a must for you and your family to practice a tornado drill on a regular basis. Continued practice will become almost like second nature should such a disaster occur.

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Get to know some of the lavender oil uses and benefits as a go-to first aid treatment for a very long time!

Lavender Oil Uses: 7 Benefits of Lavender for Survival

Lavender Oil Uses and Benefits

There are many lavender oil uses. And for an essential oil enthusiast like me, it comes handy even for survival.

Lavender is a green plant, produces beautiful purple flowers, known as a natural antibiotic due to its antiseptic properties. With its antiseptic properties, this plant is a popular choice for home remedies, helping relieve a number of illnesses such as headaches, anxiety, or upset stomachs.

Antibiotic Definition: An antibiotic is a drug that fights bacterial infection. It kills the bacteria or makes it hard for the bacteria to grow and multiply.

1. First Aid

If you have scalds or burns, apply topically some lavender oil on the affected area to prevent blisters from forming. This can also lessen the pain from the scalds or burns.

Just rub some lavender oil on your forehead or temples. You can also combine lavender oil with peppermint to have a calming and numbing effect.

Here’s a short video by WaysAndHow on how to make lavender essential oil:

Essential oils such as lavender oil are reliable for survival or emergency situations. See to a point to have them readily available for use at all times − at home or out in the wilderness.

Do you know of other lavender oil uses in your household? Share them in the comments section below!

Up Next: How to Repel Pests with Essential Oils

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Disclaimer: All content on this site is for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer here.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in February 2018 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

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Garden pests can really be a problem in your survival garden. Learn how to deter these pests by using beneficial insects for garden.

Gardening season is well underway. As a gardener, it is likely that you are already picking your battles with common pests in the garden including caterpillars, aphids, and ants.

In a situation like this, it will be tempting to use chemical pesticide to eradicate the pest problems, but that is a method that you should not resort to. Pesticide can harm the long-term health of your garden soil and more importantly does a lot of damage to the surrounding ecosystem.

Beneficial Insects for Garden Pest Control

Earlier, we posted some great tips on using essential oils and companion plants to deter pests. To take that one step further, check out the following infographic which covers ways to eradicate pests naturally using beneficial insects.

As the infographic shows, not all insects are bad. There are many good bugs out there that eat the unwanted pests and leave your plants alone. Who would have known that the beautiful ladybug is a great predator against pests like aphids?

Beneficial insects are considered a subset of biological control, which is a method of using other living organisms to counter the presence of pests. There are many great benefits to using such a method.

First, they are great cost-savers over the long-haul. You don’t necessarily have to invest money to get these bugs to roam your garden. If the beneficial insects are native to your area then planting certain flowers and herbs could do the trick to attracting them.

For example, ground beetles, which prey on pests like slugs, caterpillars, and cutworms, are known to be attracted to plants like evening primrose and amaranthus.

Second, studies are starting to show that pests are building greater resistance against chemical pesticide products. According to the Pesticide Action Network, over 500 insects and weed species have already developed some form of resistance against pesticides.

This list is likely to grow over time. With the use of beneficial insects, you can be comforted with the knowledge that the pests are being eaten so there is nothing they can resist against.

Before you make the decision to introduce the good bugs, make sure you take the following steps. First, do your research and make sure the local climate and vegetation are suitable for the insects.

The last thing you want is for the predator to peace out as soon as they are brought to the garden. Second, educate your neighbors on the use of beneficial insects.

It would be common for the bugs to move around so the one thing you won’t want is for your neighbors to kill them.

If you want to learn more about using beneficial insects then check out Organic Lesson for more information and tips.

Sam Choan is an organic gardener who manages a blog called Organic Lesson, where he shares his knowledge and experience of gardening and sustainability efforts.

Visit our friends at Garden Season for more gardening tips and tricks.