[How to] Properly Store Ammunition: Best Ammo Storage Tips
If you're like us, more ammo is more better. With this guide, you can store ammo for the End of Days, or just buy in bulk for your next range trip.
PPT Editor. Marine vet, hunter, and long-range shooter. Articles in 10+ major publications
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Dang, when did ammo get so expensive?
At these prices, you’ll want to pounce on deals when you see them and save that ammo for a rainy day. But will it go bad?
If you properly store ammo, it will last for a very long time. Here's everything you need to know to properly store ammo and keep it safe, reliable, and accurate for the long haul.
Table of Contents
What You Need Before You Start
Must-Have Tools
- Ammo
- Storage container
- Secure room in your home
Nice-to-Have Tools
- Ammo cans
- Humidity mitigation system
- Labeling system
How to Store Ammo Properly
This one’s simple and doesn’t cost a bunch of money. Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Find a Safe, Secure Location
As always, safety first!
Ammunition is different from a firearm, but I still like to keep it out of the wrong hands. A lockable safe, closet, cabinet, or shed is a great place to keep ammo readily available to you, and only you.
Step 2: Keep Your Ammo Dry
Locks will help prevent someone from taking your ammo, but theft isn’t the biggest threat – not even close. Your main concern is moisture. Plain, old water.
Moisture will corrode cases, primers, and bullets, rendering them useless.
The first precaution you should take is getting your ammo off the floor. Keeping it on the floor of your garage, for example, is just asking for rain to come through the door or run off your car and ruin your ammunition.
Moisture seeps up from the ground, too. It can pass through concrete and will evaporate naturally – unless it starts corroding ammunition first.
A sealed, plastic ammo can will offer better protection than the paper box it came in. So will a metal ammo can.
These use waterproof material and create an airtight seal that will lock out water – including moisture in the atmosphere. If you live in a humid region, this might be just as important as keeping standing water away from your ammo.
But what about the moisture that’s already in there? I recommend tossing in a few packets of silica gel. These are effective and super cheap.
If you’re locking ammo in a cabinet, chest, or gun safe, you might need more water-absorbing power. A small dehumidifier can tackle bigger jobs.
You can choose from simple, affordable gel humidifiers (basically a giant silica packet) or more advanced plug-in dehumidifiers.
Step 3: Keep Your Ammo Cool
Believe it or not, heat is the next-biggest threat to your ammunition’s shelf-life.
Ammo isn’t milk, but it will start to degrade if you let it reach about 150 degrees Fahrenheit for long periods of time.
For most people, this isn’t a concern. If you store ammo in your house, you’re good. If you keep it in a metal storage container in the desert, that’s another story – the internal temperature could easily reach or exceed 150 degrees.
Be careful about leaving ammo in storage units, sheds, attics, and car trunks. Outside of that, temperature shouldn’t be much of a problem.
If you’re not sure how hot is too hot, throw a simple thermometer in with your ammo and check it from time to time.
I like this thermometer because it has a humidity gauge, too. It only goes up to 120 degrees, but if your ammo is hotter than that it’s probably worth moving it, anyway.
Step 4: Create an Organized Inventory System
Ammunition has a very long shelf life – we’re talking about decades, here. It’s still a good idea to keep your inventory somewhat fresh with a first-in/first-out system, though.
If you’re really particular, you can label each ammo can with the cartridge, date you bought the ammo, and manufacturer lot number (the last one is really only relevant for precision shooters).
Otherwise, stack new ammo at the back of the shelf so you grab the old stuff first.
If you dump boxes of ammo loose into an ammo can, keep cartridge types separate and label the can so you don’t have to open them all up and rummage around to find what you’re looking for.
When you go to the range, you may not want to lug around a whole ammo can (or maybe you do, and that sounds like a pretty awesome range day to me). A small, plastic box like this one from MTM is great for keeping ammo organized and separated by cartridge.
And what about magazines?
Yes, it’s fine to store ammunition in magazines. Springs wear out due to compression/expansion cycles, not long-term compression. As long as your magazines are safe from moisture and extreme heat, you’re golden and one step ahead when it’s time to shoot.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not accounting for humidity: Moisture is ammunition’s worst enemy. If you live in a humid part of the world, the moisture in the air could be enough to degrade your ammo over time. A few packets of silica gel could save you thousands of dollars.
- Storing ammo on a concrete floor: Concrete slabs are porous. Moisture will seep up from the ground, pass through them, and evaporate – unless something is in the way. If you leave paper boxes of ammo on a concrete floor, where do you suppose that moisture is going to end up? Raise your ammo containers with a pallet or blocks of wood to create some airflow if you don’t keep them on a shelf.
- Not using old ammo first: Ammo lasts a long time, but keeping track of when you bought it will keep your stockpile fresh.
- Poor organization: Keep your ammunition organized and accurately labeled. Not only will this save you time when you’re looking for something specific, but it will prevent you from grabbing the wrong type of ammo and setting yourself up for disaster at the range.
Best Places to Buy Ammo Online
Looking for a deal on bulk ammo? We have your back.
- Ammunition Depot: decent prices, well-stocked in popular ammo.
- GrabAGun: good for a heavy discount now and then.
- Lucky Gunner: incredible inventory, ships fast.
- Midway USA: quick shipping.
- OpticsPlanet: good prices on ammo and whatever else you need.
- Palmetto State Armory: save lots of money with bulk AAC ammo.
- True Shot: discreet packaging and shipping to California.
And don’t forget to check our Gun Deals of the Day page for the latest discounts on guns, ammo, and gear!
Meet the Experts
Editing this article is Scott Murdock. When he’s not helping you find the latest and greatest gear, Scott’s busy obsessively making the most of his own money. That includes buying ammo when it's on sale, and keeping it in pristine condition until it's time to train. The information comes from thorough research and the collective experience of the Pew Pew Tactical team.
Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical.
Final Thoughts
Stocking up on ammo can save you a lot of money in the long run. Take advantage of deals and discounts, spread the cost out by buying a little at a time, and then preserve your investment.
You can safely store ammo for decades if you do it right, and now you know how!
How much ammo should people keep on hand? Give us an excuse to buy more in the comments. Need help finding deals? Check out the Best Places to Buy Ammo Online!
Latest Updates
- November 2025: Complete overhaul with new instructions, photos, and supporting content.