How to Preserve & Protect Your Firearms and Ammunition From Moisture

Supply chain issues are making ammunition harder to get. Excess moisture can make them harder to keep.

Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturing | Producer Price Index
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Supply chain issues and a surge of new gun owners have made ammo expensive and hard to find. Because of this fact, it’s imperative that you keep the firearms and ammo you have in top condition.

Prolonged exposure to moisture can cause your ammunition to rust and become corroded. This can warp your ammo and make it unsafe to shoot — effectively rendering your investment wasted. Using a dehumidifier to manage the air and keep your storage area dry will also help increase your ammunition shelf life.

Just because you keep your firearm and ammo in a safe doesn’t mean they are safe from moisture.

Even if you store your firearms in a gun safe, humidity can seep inside. To prevent this, you need a dehumidifier that will dry and circulate the air.

According to the NRA, your safe should be kept between 30%-50% humidity at 70 degrees room temperature is the perfect storage condition to help prevent rust and corrosion.

Rust will eat away at the metals of firearms causing discoloration and even pits in what should be a solid surface. It is the union of moisture and oxygen on a metal surface that produces oxidation that causes rust on firearms.

Excess moisture can foul up primers and render powders useless. Using a dehumidifier to manage the air and keep your storage area dry will also help increase your ammunition shelf life.

How To Protect and Preserve Your Ammunition for 10 Years or More.

To protect and preserve your ammo, you need to keep it dry, cool, and away from sunlight.
Ensure your ammunition stockpile is not exposed to moisture, even in the form of humidity.

Don’t store ammunition in basements or other areas with high moisture levels.

Invest in a dehumidifier.

Avoid high temperatures. The ideal storage temperatures are between 55°F and 85°F.

Prevent Temperature Fluctuations. You want to keep your ammo somewhere that has consistent temperatures (storage unit, gun safes, gun rack in the house, etc.)