Taking care of ammo and preserving it properly is one of the most difficult tasks for a casual hunter. People who go out often on hunting use up their ammo in time and don’t usually have to store it in oblivion for a long time. Casual hunters, however, need to learn how to store their ammo properly. Using metal ammo cans is one way to ensure that your ammo functions well even after years of storage. In this write up, we look at the ways in which the military takes care of its ammo using metal ammo cans.
Ammo is usually designed to last in a temperature range of 65 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a pretty long range and covers almost all sorts of temperatures possible. The shelf life of most ammo manufactured for military (and civilians as well) is generally forever. However, adequate care of the ammo needs to be taken to ensure that there is no loss in the efficiency of the bullet.
The military uses metal ammo cans to store their ammo. These metal ammo cans are then placed in large wooden boxes. The standard procedure in the military requires the ammo to be kept inside metal ammo cans, which are, in turn, kept inside large wooden boxes for storage. The ammo is kept at least two inches off the ground and it is inspected every 5 years for corrosion and other defects. The ammo kept inside metal ammo cans is usually checked at random. The standard procedure is to check at least 10% of the ammo randomly. If the randomly selected sample set is found free from defects, it is assumed that the other 90% would also be free. The ammo is again packed in metal ammo cans and stored away inside the wooden boxes for another 5 years.
As a civilian, however, since you would not be possessing too much ammo, it is better to inspect it once every 6 months. You should also inspect more than just 10% of all your ammo to ensure that you are never short of it when you require it. Make sure you check all the metal ammo cans in which your ammo is stored. If your ammo develops any corrosion, it is advised to scrub it with steel or copper wool immediately. This would stop the corrosion and you can store you ammo back into the metal ammo cans for another 6 months.
Moisture is ammo’s biggest enemy. Moisture can also cause harm to your metal ammo cans. Thankfully, there is a way to prevent it: use dehumidifier packets in metal ammo cans when you prepare these for storage of your ammo. As a second level precaution, put some dehumidifier packets between the metal ammo cans. This will ensure that both the ammo and the metal ammo cans are safe from any type of moisture. Finally, you can arrange the ammo in the metal ammo cans inside large wooden boxes. Ensure that metal ammo cans are kept high and have an elevation of at least 2 inches.
Buying 