Ammunition Storage?

[HunterCO]

20K+ of ammo over 45lbs. of gun powder and the numbers keep growing.

Anybody don't like it two choices move or kiss my arse! :mrgreen:

[Delphi]

Thank you very much for the information ice pirate, i'll keep on checking this post for updates. I actually ordered a large metal container, and will spray it with fire retardant paint and add insulation ot the inside of it. I am currently keeping the ammo in the basement.

[KarlPMann]

Well, first, I DO NOT live in Colorado Springs, but they have no restrictions anyway. There are some restrictions under federal law though, but that mostly applies to gunpowder. I'm well under the limitation. Karl.

[Ice Pirate]

Well I had a long talk with Tim Heightshoe last night, he used to work for me on the ranges for the Colorado Air National Guard. He is also an NRA Instructor and works with several shooting organizations in the state and teaches advanced CC classes. He told me that he has actually done a lot of research along the lines of ammo storage and even conducted some experiments with cooking off ammo of various calibers.

Fist, storage. Tim lives in unincorporated El Paso County and while not sure about what the CS FD requires, he gave me the limits that he is under and he believes them to be the same for CS proper, but you'll still want to check to be certain.

For Tim:
Less than 300 lbs of small arms ammo, no problems. Just keep it stored in a secure area, away from any sources of flame or heat, like a fire place, water heater, oven or stove. Common sence stuff really.

300 lbs to 1500 lbs, no license is required but you do have to mark the locker or room with the appropriate fire symbol, 4 I believe, and notify the local FD of the approximate amount and location within the home. Most FD's are cool with this and will really work with you.

Amounts greater than 1500 lbs require a license.
Again, your area may be different as far as quantities go.

Finally we talked about what happens to ammo in a fire. First off, the rounds will not mass detonate. Unless the can is in a situation where the heat builds evenly thoughout the inside of the can, the rounds will cook off individually. Also, as the rounds are not contained in a chamber, they tend to explode like a fire cracker and as the projectile is the heaviest part, it tends to move the least. From experiments he has conducted, the primer tends to be the most dangerous componet of a cooked-off round. The primer is so light and has the heavy projectile just on the opposet side of the propellant charge, it tends to move the fastest and go the furtherest and penitrate the deepest. Furthermore, he tested this with old FD Bunker Gear, the coat and SCBA face mask and only the primer managed to penitrate anything and even then, it had no power to do any damage once it got through the coat. It wouldn't even tear a hole in paper positioned behind the coat.

Ammo cans. These are the best for ammo storage not only because of their water tight seals but also because they are designed to come apart in the case of a round cooking off. This further prevents a mass detonation and allows the ammo to cook off individually.

Storage lockers: The best storage locker for ammo will have a wood 2X4min walls with a thin ply top. This will tend to channel any detonation of ammo, up through the top instead of out through the sides.

Finally, he told me that, unlike Black Powder, the powder used in ammo is considered to be a Propellant, and not an explosive. This is due to the burn rate that it has. So the ammo these days is much safer to have around.

If any of you would like to contact Tim Heightshoe to get the story straight from the horses mouth, he's cleared me to post his office number here.
719-391-0407 He told me last night that he is more than happy to answer any questions you may have conserning this issue or Concealed Carry, or just about anything else you might care to ask. His web site is here: http://www.carolhightshoe.com/DeHLTA.html and his email is:
DeHLTA@Juno.com
Forgive me for being so long winded here and I hope this helps. Shoot, I even learned alot last night.

[Delphi]

thanks allot that helps a tremendous ammount