I just bought some Harbor Freight metal ammo cans. I'm wondering if there is any benefit to storing the ammo in their cardboard boxes or opening them and storing the ammo as loose rounds? Loose rounds seems like the way to go - you can store more, and it's readily accessible. Storing in cardboard boxes makes it easier to inventory. Anything else I should consider?

Load magazines and keep them in the ammo can?

I have certain loads for which I have thousands of rounds of the same ammo. Those go in as loose rounds.

For other situations where I have a mish-mash of smaller quantities of various loads, they stay in the box.

I like to keep them in original boxes in case I encounter an issue with the ammo. Doing so also helps if there’s a recall.

Leave the ammunition in its original packaging. Don't let cartridges bang around against each other inside a metal can.

And, while it's not the primary reason for doing it, if ever you need to use that ammunition as a barter item, it will benefit you to have the amunition correctly packaged, and not in some plastic bag.

Are we talking store bought or home loaded ammo?

50 or 100 per heavy duty zip-lock bag (I assumed your own reloads).

If store-bought, then leave it in the original boxes for reasons cited above.

I always use original boxes. It always seemed like another good way to get nicks, or even pushback. I also don't like them tarnishing.


I keep a great deal in the six .50 cans I have.

I store mine loose in plastic ammo cans.
Saves space and I just throw in a couple little silica gel packs for long term. Been doing it this way my whole life and never had a problem.

New ammo stays in the original packaging. I used to put my reloads into the empty boxes from new ammo but it got to be a pain in the butt. I put a big plastic bag in an ammo can and toss them in. A 50 cal can full of .45 reloads gets heavy.

Boxes, as I rarely need an anmocan-full at once.

Plus, it's less effort to leave them in the original packaging.

Double plus good.

boxes inside the cans,

unless,

the boxes are crap (bought greek .303 with boxes that were falling apart)

or , my pistol reloads, my rifle reloads are generally in a plastic storage box, inside a can if needed

Much prefer boxes. Maintains the lot number ( or in the case of reloads my data label) on the ammo, easy to open a can and grab boxes and know how many you have for a match or practice session and as mentioned if you want to sell ammo in the future easier to sell in original packaging. I can think of no downside to keeping it in boxes and many negatives to storing loose

Store as it is received - so in my situation, typically in case form, with individual 20/50rd boxes inside.

I always store loose in ammo cans with a large pack of desiccant.

This are stored inside and will not be subject to any movement. Also realize that belted ammo is packed in cans without boxing.

If you leave it in paper boxes, then you are adding trapped moisture to the contents. Plus, you greatly reduce the number of rounds in a .30 or .50cal can:
.22 LR: 5,500 rds. / 50 cal. can.
5.56: 1,200 rds. / 50 cal. can
9mm and .45 ACP: 1,000 rds. / 50 cal. can.

I have also vacuum-packed 7.62 and 30-06 in flat strips to load in cans.

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Depends on the caliber. If I've been reloading some 9mm hollowpoints, for example, those go in a big, thick, ziplock. Computer component bags are good and much thicker. Yes, I used to steal them from work instead of tossing them out. So I never really know up front what I'm getting when I grab a .50 cal can. Sometimes I need to open a few to find what I'm looking for. Each can has the load info on a strip of cardboard. Powder, bullet, date loaded. Some cans have 2 strips, one in the baggie, the other for the loose rounds. Its too much trouble to refill boxes, and there's never enough to take all the rounds. Besides, its not the load in the box.

9mm is too heavy to fill the can. Small and not much air space. 45-70 is heavy as all hell, but they carefully go in the can loose. I need to start loading .30-06, but those'll go in the same way. I've got a cigar box full of .32-20. guess I need to fill up more so I can move them to a .30 cal can.

I leave it as it came packaged. Put the boxes into an ammo can.

I do have an ammo can of loose ammo but that's how it came. It was reloaded from Georgia Arms.

40mm ammo cans are great for storing ammo in its original packaging. If I remember correctly each can will store 2000 rounds of 9mm in the typical larger american brand boxes.

I store mine in boxes (even tho' I have the Harbor Freight plastic cans) as it's easier to inventory. Don't guess there is a wrong way, just some better than others.

Tinyman

If I have loose rounds, they are stored in an ammo can. The only loose rounds I have are 5.56.

For ammo I have a larger amount of such as .22LR, 5.56, and 7.62x39 which is still in the original packaging then I store them in the original packaging in the ammo cans.

All other ammo is stored in original packaging, but not in an ammo can. All ammo is stored inside my house an climate controlled.