Ammunition taken into the field should not be returned to your stockpile.
Rounds that have been taken into the field, exposed to moisture, of left in extreme conditions should not be stored with your long-term supplies. Once a box had been removed from your stockpile for use, it should be quickly used or stored separately so an not to introduce moisture or compromised rounds into your stock.
If you plan on storing your rounds for longer than a couple years, or plan on burying it underground, you need to take a couple of precautions.
- Vacuum Seal – Vacuum sealing your ammunition can help protect it from water, rust, and even burying it underground.
- Rotation – Just like long term food storage, the key to successfully storing ammo is to rotate your ammunition as often as possible. Make sure you mark purchase dates on your ammo cans, so you use the oldest ammo first.
- Humidity Kills – Humidity is probably one of the biggest things you need to worry about. Try to keep your ammo in a low humidity location, or use some sort of dehumidifying equipment in your storage area.
- Periodic Checks – If you’re not regularly firing your ammo, it’s a good idea to check your supplies at least once every six months for signs of corrosion. Doing periodic checks will help ensure your stocks are ready to fire when you need them.
- Silica Packets – Those little silica gel packets that come in just about everything these days, are a great way to keep your ammo in top notch condition. Silica Gel, or desiccant packets, should be placed in your ammo cans to help get rid of moisture.
