Topic: Long term ammo

[Nomad]

 Any ideas on keeping ammo from season to season safe and out of the reach of childern.....

[TylerC]

lock box? i use a simple military foot locker with a combo lock on it and it seems to work just fine.

[Bill, Idaho]

By quanity:
   A couple of hundred rounds.....in a .30 or.50 GI ammo can, with one of those locks designed to keep them kid-proof.  
   A case of ammo (or a couple of cases).......bigger ammo cans. Fat-.50's or 20mm's
   Pallets........good locks on the shop door.
  
20mm cans are real easy to convert over to lockable. Go down to the hardware store and buy a .$59 3/16" U-bolt. Drill two holes, one above the other (you'll have to do this on each end of the can) the distance of the legs on the U-bolt. These go where the flap folds down on the lid of the can. Bolt the U-bolt from the inside, and you're done. From experience, if you have a bunch of cans, you line them up side by side, run a steel cable through the U-bolts, and lock each end. That saves you from having to buy a bunch of locks.

    

[tgibson]

How about ex paining to them what it is and what it is for and how it can be very dangerous and that it shouldn't be handled without an adult around?  I know this won't work for all kids, but heck....give it a try.  A lot of times they'll suprise you.
Adios,
TG

[meinidaho]

After my teen age years I sold all my guns, reloading equip etc.  Then got married and had some kids.   There was a situation that happened that changed my opinion of fire arms.

A few kids were playing at a friend's house.  One boy found a pistol  ( 357 mag ) that the home owner had.  The kids left the house and went into a play house near by to play.  I think they were all early teens.  The boy with the pistol loaded a single round and was playing Russian roulette pointing it at the other kids and pulling the trigger.  He finally shot the home owner's girl in the face.  She survived.

At first I was enraged at the home owner.  Then I thought a little bit more.  Why did the home owner's daughter allow him to touch the gun?  Why did she let him take it from the house?  Why were those teenagers so ignorant as to let the boy point a weapon at them and pull the trigger???

I purchased an SKS and took the kids out shooting and showed them what happens when a bullet hits something - pumpkins, water jugs etc.  I taught them all how to use firearms and send them through hunter ed when they are old enough.  I started hunting again with the intent of the kids seeing dead animals that had been shot.

To me, the statement above about educating the kid is the MOST important thing we can do.  We have little control over what they will encounter as they expand their universe with friends etc.  I do not want any of my kids ignorant enough to let a stupid butt hole to put them in danger or be the stupid butt hole.

[High Wall]

To me, the statement above about educating the kid is the MOST important thing we can do.  We have little control over what they will encounter as they expand their universe with friends etc.  I do not want any of my kids ignorant enough to let a stupid butt hole to put them in danger or be the stupid butt hole.

Absolutely.  Good post.

[fj40mojo]

After my teen age years I sold all my guns, reloading equip etc.  Then got married and had some kids.   There was a situation that happened that changed my opinion of fire arms.

A few kids were playing at a friend's house.  One boy found a pistol  ( 357 mag ) that the home owner had.  The kids left the house and went into a play house near by to play.  I think they were all early teens.  The boy with the pistol loaded a single round and was playing Russian roulette pointing it at the other kids and pulling the trigger.  He finally shot the home owner's girl in the face.  She survived.

At first I was enraged at the home owner.  Then I thought a little bit more.  Why did the home owner's daughter allow him to touch the gun?  Why did she let him take it from the house?  Why were those teenagers so ignorant as to let the boy point a weapon at them and pull the trigger???

I purchased an SKS and took the kids out shooting and showed them what happens when a bullet hits something - pumpkins, water jugs etc.  I taught them all how to use firearms and send them through hunter ed when they are old enough.  I started hunting again with the intent of the kids seeing dead animals that had been shot.

To me, the statement above about educating the kid is the MOST important thing we can do.  We have little control over what they will encounter as they expand their universe with friends etc.  I do not want any of my kids ignorant enough to let a stupid butt hole to put them in danger or be the stupid butt hole.

+2, use the same method with my kids and any new shooters that I initiate into the shooting world. First shot fired from a centerfire is always at a milk jug full of water at a distance short enough to guarantee a hit. Exploding milk jugs are a great way to illustrate the destructive power that a gun puts in your hands.

[mopeman440]

Started teaching my son gun safety when he was 4, and he started shooting by 5. I also when through the NRA and got their Eddy Eagle teaching program for kids. He loved the program and learned a lot. I will do the same with my daughter...and she already knows not to touch the guns when they are out, but she loves collecting spent brass.

[Bill, Idaho]

Whilst (I love using that word) teaching your kids right from wrong is an important factor, there are other things to consider.  If your kids are like most all other kids in the world, they don't always do as you hope and teach.  And what about if a friend of a friend of a friend comes over to your house? Are you certain that kid is a reputable as you hope yours is?
  I'm just saying, if the ammo (and guns) are ultimately not capable of being accessed, you have removed one part in the equation of accidental shootings  (not to mention thefts).
  Lock it up.

[Nomad]

 Teaching them safety and keeping things safely locked up and no chance of a accident
visit a doctor or undertaker a choice.........

[tgibson]

Whilst (I love using that word) teaching your kids right from wrong is an important factor, there are other things to consider.  If your kids are like most all other kids in the world, they don't always do as you hope and teach.  And what about if a friend of a friend of a friend comes over to your house? Are you certain that kid is a reputable as you hope yours is?
  I'm just saying, if the ammo (and guns) are ultimately not capable of being accessed, you have removed one part in the equation of accidental shootings  (not to mention thefts).
  Lock it up.

If your not sure about how your kid will act when you aren't around, this is definitely the way to go.  With that being said, taking them to shooting matches on a regular basis gives the gun a different persona.  It is something you go to shooting matches with.  My son has the attitude of, "Why would I get my gun out if I wasn't going to shoot or go to a match?".  Being around it a lot sort of takes the mystery out of it.  He has had pistols and rifles in the bottom of his closet since he was about 6 1/2".  Heck, I found the Para I had forgotten about last week in there!!
Adios,
TG

[fj40mojo]

If your not sure about how your kid will act when you aren't around, this is definitely the way to go.  With that being said, taking them to shooting matches on a regular basis gives the gun a different persona.  It is something you go to shooting matches with.  My son has the attitude of, "Why would I get my gun out if I wasn't going to shoot or go to a match?".  Being around it a lot sort of takes the mystery out of it.  He has had pistols and rifles in the bottom of his closet since he was about 6 1/2".  Heck, I found the Para I had forgotten about last week in there!!
Adios,
TG

While I agree with you on "taking away the mystery" on the other hand there is always the possibility of an outsider happening upon your stash. Things can turn ugly in an instant, better judgment tells me to lock 'em up, but I don't. My current practice is to keep things up high where younger more curious folk can neither see nor reach.

[Nomad]

 Have five sons raised around guns, yet they are boys and just some times a friend comes by and says
can I see it will it do this or that and guess what.........trouble.....
 Not saying that it wouldn't happen just safer..........

[NoviceHunter]

I use a cheap janitor's cabinet with a locking handle.  If you can score it used, they're almost free.  Unless they're willing to pry it open and leave evidence, damn near any cabinet with a cheap lock bolted near the top will also work.

[El Conquistador]

I've got a old Homak metal gun cabinet that ammo cans fit perfectly in. You have to stack them, so if the can you want is on the bottom its a bit of a hassle, but you can fit a lot in it. Two locks and bolted to the wall and floor, so its not going for a walk even if they could get it loose, its way too heavy full. Also, while its not fireproof, with the cans inside another big can, I'm not too worried about rounds popping every direction if it did heat up if we had a disaster.
My kids have grown up knowing and respecting guns, and I trust that they will always act smart and safe. That said, all our guns and ammo is still always locked up, just in case.

[Nomad]

 Talking to the neighbor and he said to use an old freezer and put a lock on it for safety.
 Sounds like a great idea........

[Nealio]

I recently solved my problem of keeping the amoo away from the kids by taking some of the many cable gun locks I've collected over the years and threading them through the handles of my cabinets and locking them.  Its not going to keep a robber out of my stash, but it should keep the toddlers from picking up 10mm rounds and smashing them with a hammer...
 - Nealio

[crj]

Kids are interesting... my son sees guns and ammo all the time. He knows not to touch...or else.  It is no mystery to him and for the most part he could care less.

HOWEVER, when he has a little buddy over, suddenly he wants to show him bullets and stuff.

So I've had to talk to him about that as well.  I keep stuff locked up- I don't trust teenagers- my friend in high school killed another kid with a shotgun while screwing around, when drinking.


 A small Pelican case is awesome for ammo storage.

[No-One]

I don't worry about my kids but their friends terrify me . I keep a lot of ammo in my gunsafe and the rest of it in Ammo cans on top of the safe . When we have B-day parties and whatnot I lock up all the firearms . I remember coming home from work on my Daughters 12th Birthday with the party already underway and a firetruck parked out front . My first thought was that I had missed a firearm and someone found it and shot someone else . I was terrified of what I was gonna find when I walked through the door . Luckily it was just one of my Daughters friends who had gotten stuck in the washing machine while playing hide and go seek 

[carharttfarmer]

it would probable be easier to get ride of the kids i dont have any yet so my ammo storage is differnt than most it is every were i could probable show up to a match and sxcavange enough out of my truck to shoot it
girlfriend did make me empty out the drawer full of ammo in the kitchen though women

[sidaemon]

Break your kids' hands... And the hands of every other kid that comes over...

Seriously take every precaution you can. For me, my reloading room is in the basement, so all my extra ammo goes in there and it gets padlocked up when I'm not in the room. This also keeps the wife from going in and "cleaning" (her word for hiding my stuff in an unlabeled box that is then dropped into a black hole). No kids for me yet, but when my nephew turned 4 he got into guns in a big way just because of all the holyweird stuff he had seen, so I took him aside showed him what they were, what they do, and then explained that I would spank the crap out of him if I ever found him in the room I store my guns in.

Education is super important just so the kids learn not only to not touch your stuff, but to object when someone else pulls a gun out. Nothing demonstrates this better than watching an animal die when a bullet hits them. My dad took me out and shot a squirrel with a 357 and that's an image I've never gotten out of my head. I then started shooting and being only 4 that got me off to a great start.