Cold weather/Ammo storage

[jefnvk]

Does cold weather effect ammo at all? I have been storing ammo in my car for the past few months, because it is easier to leave it there instead of having to put it in my gun locker here at school. But, it has been below zero for the past few days, and I was jsut wondering if that would have any effect on the ammo. It is stored in a .50 ammo can and a .30 ammo can, if that helps at all.

Thanks!

 

[P95Carry]

Better cold than hot IMO!! Most important tho maybe the time needed to let it acclimate when into a warmer environment ... slow rise and not too quick - re temperature to minimize condensation etc. In sealed ammo boxes all should be good in the cold.

If shot that cold then some performance factors may be evident.

On the opposite note - I picked up a case of Portugese .308 in 2003 - mid summer - Dallas gun show. That case sat in back of truck in baking heat for several days before wife and I got home - some 2,500 miles later! It's performance has not thus far shown any deterioration - mind you, not much left!

 

[SteelyDan]

I know you're not supposed to store ammo in the trunk, but I always seem to find two or three boxes in there. Which, around here, means temperatures ranging from -20 degrees to probably 140 degrees or more (in the trunk) in the summer. So far, all of the mistreated cartridges and shells have functioned 100% reliably.

I strongly agree that if you're planning to shoot in cold weather, don't bring the ammo inside to warm up first, because of the condensation. Keep it cold, and it will be fine.

 

[M67]

A bit of trivia.

A Norwegian Arctic expedition in the 1890s brought along some smokeless cartridges for testing. The expedition leader, dr. Fridtjof Nansen, used black powder for all the hunting ammunition they took along because they didn't have enough experience with the then new smokeless powder in the cold.

From March 1894 til June 1896 they stored a box of smokeless ammo on deck. During this period the temperature varied from a high of -3.5 C to a low of -52.6 C (25 to -63 F). This was aboard a ship at sea, drifting with the ice pack, it was not a "dry" cold. The ammo was tested years later and found to be OK.

 

[jefnvk]

OK, thanks.

About bringing it in, one of the cans will be brought inside to be shot (.45 ACP). THe other can has 7,62x39, and will be shot outside. Is there any reccomendation about letting it warm up before shooting it, if it ios going to be shot in the warm?

 

[P95Carry]

If you need to shoot in the warm then yeah - bring it in well in advance. Place it on floor so not too rapid a temp rise ... condensation will be biggest enemy if too rapid. I'd guess .... two hours minimum ... probably longer if possible and in stages. Start at front door where cooler then move into living area after a while.

Just to play safe and give it best acclimation.