Storing Ammunition and Guns in Hot Weather

[ryr8828]

Recent events in Illinois have us talking again about moving full time to Florida, we spend 6 months here now in the winter and 6 months in IL in the summer. A lot of my guns and ammunition will have to come to Florida with me, I can only sell so many and would prefer to sell as few as possible.
I'll be limited to a 25 ft cargo trailer for storage, not air conditioned. I'd like to put one of my safes in there for the guns I keep. I have 2 ar's, 3 pistols, and 1350 rounds of ammunition in this 43 ft motorhome now that we keep with us and that's all the room I have in an air conditioned space.
So one safe with maybe 6-8 ar's and ar pattern rifles, a browning bar .270, 3 shotguns, and 8-10 pistols.
Around 12,000 rounds of 5.45x39 in spam cans boxed in crates just like it was shipped to me before the ban.
6,000 rounds of 5.56x45 either in ammo cans or plastic sleeves.
3,000 rounds of 7.62x51 in ammo cans or plastic sleeves.
Some shotgun shells and .22LR.

What kind of knowledge can you impart to me? I worry #1 about creating a huge bomb, #2 about the ammo getting ruined, #3 about my guns getting ruined. I've always kept all this in my air conditioned house.

[markm]

See my ammo storage worry wart thread in this very forum. And the "bomb" consideration is nothing. I've seen fires on the news where a guy's stash is popping off as the fire burns. No massive explosion.

For the guns, my only experience is do not leave them in the soft cases. I rusted a 10/22 by doing that. ARs would be a lot tougher, but it showed me how much moisture a soft padded case holds in.

[ryr8828]

See my ammo storage worry wart thread in this very forum. And the "bomb" consideration is nothing. I've seen fires on the news where a guy's stash is popping off as the fire burns. No massive explosion.

For the guns, my only experience is do not leave them in the soft cases. I rusted a 10/22 by doing that. ARs would be a lot tougher, but it showed me how much moisture a soft padded case holds in.

Thanks. My guns inside the motorhome are in cases but the ones in the cargo trailer will just be in the safe. But oh boy it will get hot in that trailer.

[markm]

Thanks. My guns inside the motorhome are in cases but the ones in the cargo trailer will just be in the safe. But oh boy it will get hot in that trailer.

I'd rather not store ammo in heat for sure. Even though we've seen ammo left in the hot desert and rained on and buried in the sand, I still keep my ammo in climate control.

[mack7.62]

One option is rent a climate controlled storage unit and sneak your stuff in, being Florida I would look for a place that had survived a hurricane with no issues and had a good security system. Security is enhanced by stealth, you don't want to be seen loading the unit with ammo cans, stick them in cardboard boxes and make sure no cameras are looking into your unit. If you want to put your safe in there stick it in a refrigerator box or something. When I lived in a Florida condo to move my rifles in and out I bought a hideous lime green golf bag with head cover at a second hand store, which are all over, worked like a charm.

[mark5pt56]

Where in Florida? As I understand, since 2010 minimum is for a new home to withstand a cat 3 in Florida. Ours is 3+,basically a 4. A block house has rods every couple of feet going from the pad, up the wall and through the top sill/truss, roofs have the water proofing and the tiles are decorative. We insulated the walls and it was well worth it.

The ammunition, years ago a national fire group conducted training on the ammunition. Using a mock store with loaded ammunition on the shelves, etc did a controlled burn. No explosions and ammo just "popped" nothing would penetrate the turn out coats, gear. I think it was over 200,000 rounds they burned for the video. Sad that it must not get around as I still hear firemen say they won't deal with it.

I would categorize your ammunition into three categories (1) long term hunting or defense, (2)mid term range 3-10 years and (3)shooting within 2-3 years. For instance I have a (1)war stash in my safe that will take me to the finish line or grave with left overs. Hunting ammo-life time supply with 3 calibers. (2) piled in a closet, move out when (3) needs re supply and new stuff goes to the (2) pile.

I wouldn't worry about leaving it in the trailer, storage etc during the move. Place the containers away from the exterior so there's less of a heat/cold cycle. When I moved I picked up a few of the VCI sheets and bags for the guns just in case. Also, 2 .50 cans fit nicely into a milk crate or 3 .30 ones. Stack great, conceals the cans and doesn't impart seal compression as with multiple cans stacked. If you want to go further, the yellow topped totes in HD work good-the small ones.

[Sidneyious]

I dont see how you couldnt fit all the guns and ammo in the motor home and still keep the safe in the trailer holding documents.
are you trying to use the motorhome and trailer to move your whole house and fill up a car or 2?

have you ever played tetris