Home Forums Reloading Shotshells Ammunition Storage

Would the membership mind giving me some advice on a large enough storage container for shotgun shells, rifle shells and rimfire ammo that I want to safely secure and lock away from small grandkids when they visit. My wife and the grandkids parents have asked us about in-house gun safety and right now the guns are all in gun cabinets locked with cables through the trigger guards and wire ties around, levers, bolts and hammers but my ammo is in a converted old stereo system cabinet with a glass door and unlockable. My research has found several gun cabinets steel and lockable with some shelves for ammo but nothing dedicated to just ammo storage. The closest thing I have found that could work is a 3 drawer nightstand that I could somehow lock myself. All comments, suggestions and thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I've taught my grandkids to not touch any ammunition, firearms, knives (other than eating utensils), tools, etc without me or my wife being present. If they wish to see whatever has their attention closer, they merely have to ask and one of us will show it to them and help them to handle it safely or show them how it works. This seems to take a lot of the mystique out of potentially hazardous objects as well as teaching them manners, educating them on proper handling of an object, and how it is used. The item then becomes a non- interest for all intents and purposes as the kid's curiosity is sated.

If there was some unusual situation that this would not work then I probably would put a lock on the room door and lock it up and keep the key with me. This will work if the kid(s) are always under supervision and you always remember to lock the door after leaving but such things seem to backfire. Denying entry tends to pique a kid's interest and they will make every attempt to gain entry. They can be very resourceful and unrelenting in their attempts. Locking things up never worked on me as I always got entry to places long before I was given permission.

If one can't lock the door, then a locking file cabinet would work well. One can usually find them pretty cheaply at a second hand store, ad, or even word of mouth. One does not need anything special to keep ammo in.

I put an exterior door knob with a lock on the room mine was stored in. Sorry, kids, you can't go in there, have fun in the rest of the house.

Might not work in your situation.

I always kept my loaded ammo in .50 cal ammo cans out of sight in the garage, Up to 50,000 rounds at times. Thats a lot of cans! With no problems.

I store mine in a 20mm ammo can
Holds a lot of boxes and has worked for years, many years!

Buy one of the small 8 gun locking cabinets from Stack On or Homak. Around $100 and you can fill it with a lot of ammo. Other option is a surplus 4 or 5 drawer locking file cabinet. I bought two 5 drawer ones with key locks last year off eBay for local pickup for $30 for tool storage in my garage. Commercial grade and very well built and gently used.

I use a metal 2 door cabinet like you see used in an office. 50 caliber ammo cans and MTM plastic boxes stack in it pretty well.

I bought off of Craigslist a number of gym lockers. I have ammo stored by caliber and grain weight in each locker. It makes it easy find exactly what I want without the hassle of going through all of my ammo each locker box is locked with a gun lock. Keys are kept in another part of the house.

I keep all my ammo, powder, and primers in a gutted out refrigerator that I put a hasp/lock on. The insulation keeps those large temperature swings down. The refrigerator is out in a small barn that I use to keep my mule drawn carriage and wagons in.Guns and smaller amount of ammo is in my gun safe.
No kids here,so loaded defense firearms are in bedroom and beside outside door

A graduate school mate of mine uttered similar language once about his two kids when we had a reunion at his ranch. Several of us noted and commented on the abundance of arms casually propped in corners or behind doors. About 2 years later, little sister came home from school to find her 12 year old brother dead in mom and dad's bedroom with a 44 handgun that was typically kept in the nightstand now beside hime on the floor. The marriage did not endure.

I use ammo boxes (50cal and 20mm) plus 2 Craftsman 4 drawer tool cabinets.

Teach the grandkids that you will beat the fugg out of them if they touch anything like guns or ammo without you around. It worked for me and my brothers.

5 gall buckets with a lid. Stack em up. No one will pay attention to them or what’s in them.

Locked ammo cans and safes.

Unless the kid has designs on being a drummer...

Lockable gun room.

I like the door lock idea. You could also consider a simple lockable storage box or cooler, like a Plano or Yeti style. But a lockable room or closet would be the easiest, by far.

It is a good idea to store ammo in Military ammo cans. If there is a fire, the top will just pop open, and all the bullets and many of the primes will still be in the can. If you store the ammo in something that will hold pressure, there maybe an explosion putting fire fighters in danger. A gun safe would be the worst possible choice for storing powder and loaded ammo.

I keep firearms in safe. I keep extra ammo storage in ammo cans. From 30 cal. small to Fat 50. They stack real good and airtight and cheap.