How to keep ammo safe in a house fire

[oowess]

Not that I'm planning on burning my house down to test this but...

I've seen a couple of the youtube videos of ammo cooking off in fire dept test and that kind of thing and it packs a little punch.

You wouldn't bother if you had 50 rounds or something, but for the guys storing hundreds of rounds and KG's of powder, did you give any consideration to this when deciding where/how to store your stuff?

I'm not being paranoid or anything, just asking if anyone's gone to these lengths.

[BBJ]

Powder doesn't exactly ignite on a warm breeze.

If it's hot enough inside your safe that it's going up, you're house would be so far gone already it would be the last of your worries.

[Elek]

It won't be the same for all but I found this on a quick search for temperatures.

Accurate reloading powders
Name: Double-base smokeless powder, propellant.
Trade Names and Synonyms: Accurate::No. 2, No. 5, No. 7, No. 9, 4100, 1680, 2200, 2230, 2460, 2520, 2700, MAGPRO, 8700, Nitro 100, 5744

Autoignition temperature: 160°C - 180°C
No explosion - 5 hours at 120°C

You've got bigger problems if it's 160°C inside your house

[Warrigul]

Not that I'm planning on burning my house down to test this but...

I've seen a couple of the youtube videos of ammo cooking off in fire dept test and that kind of thing and it packs a little punch.

You wouldn't bother if you had 50 rounds or something, but for the guys storing hundreds of rounds and KG's of powder, did you give any consideration to this when deciding where/how to store your stuff?

I'm not being paranoid or anything, just asking if anyone's gone to these lengths.

I have a lot of ammo and the maximum amount of powder allowed in TAS (4kg). Anything I am not going to use in the immediate future is inside in a fire rated safe(2 hours). This is so it is in a stable environment, the fire rating is a bonus and is only there as it is the safe that our important documents are stored in..

I also have a lot of ammo spread between two sheds.

It is important to know state regulations as per quantities allowed in a domestic situation. As a result of the draconian regulations the mines department(not firearms services) I have to store powder with my father and brother. The mines department have also made it hard for dealers to store quantity of powder. As our water locked we only get two deliveries a year. If you want a powder supply guarantee you need to pre order with the gunshop and be there to take powder home when it arrives otherwise you are taking potluck and many have been missing out recently. For someone like me who reloads an awful lot it is very painful at times and I have had to put the onus on the people whom I help reload to keep powder themselves rather than rely on me.

Powder control is under the mines department but ammo is looked after by firearms services. However primers have slipped through the cracks as neither government department wants to record quantities so they are essentially unregulated at the moment(but still an offence to be sold to or possess if unlicenced).


So quick answer is YES I do consider the effect storing in bulk could have in a fire situation and take steps to minimise potential damage. I don't store in sealed steel boxes either, that is only making a bomb. The steel cabinets I do use have blow out panels.

[Lorgar]

I store about 350 centrefire rounds, 500 rimfire and 3kg of powder max?

Never given any thought to fire. As said, my house would already be half ashes before this happened with the position of the safe.

[eeckle]

The steel cabinets I do use have blow out panels.

How does that work?

Doesn't make them easier to get into at all?

[Tiiger]

It would just be a port in the cabinet to release pressure, should there be any.

No reason it couldn't be re-enforced for additional security.

[inventurkey]

Pick it up and GTFO of there?

[Rippah]

You've got bigger problems if it's 160°C inside your house

It's more like 400c in an average house fire I believe.

Last thing on your mind is going to be a few rounds of ammo if you find yourself in the middle of that.

[oowess]

So quick answer is YES I do consider the effect storing in bulk could have in a fire situation and take steps to minimise potential damage. I don't store in sealed steel boxes either, that is only making a bomb. The steel cabinets I do use have blow out panels.

Blow out panels, eh.

I'll look into that.

[bigfellascott]

It would be the last thing I'd be worrying about if my house was on fire, same goes for the 40lt of petrol sitting around, not concerned about that either.

[1290]

Blow out panels, eh.

I'll look into that.

It's code for garage door

In the Promised land of Victoria (maybe less promised after this weekend) we are specifically not permitted to store propellant in steel cabinets....the reasoning, I would assume, is either the spark or containment (and pressure/deflagration rate) issue....

But dont worry about your storage, unless you leave your ammo and powder unsecured.... accessible to all.... the commercial propellant is packaged in plastic (or thin steel?) containers that prevent pressurisation and explosion on ignition, if ignited it will quickly rupture and burn out. BP is another thing, it will explode contained or not. This is a good demonstration comparing the unconfined burn rate smokeless vs BP

[Mich]

....the reasoning, I would assume, is either the spark or containment (and pressure/deflagration rate) issue....

People say it's for the spark and static, but in a plastic tub that would seem to be false. Pretty obviously too I'd have said.

(Talking about comments in general here, this isn't a go at you )

I really can't see a little static spark doing a hairpin turn up one side of the inside of a bottle lid and then down again an inch or more into the powder... With nothing conductive along the way.

I'd have thought anyway.

[1290]

A sliver of polypropylene wont necessarily insulate the powder.....regardless, our laws state that it cant be stored in steel, although the enforcement is highly unlikely (Police are not the enforcement authority for dangerous goods) from the safety side.....timber is the go!

[Mich]

It's no guarantee, that's true.

Maybe to be clearer... In a commercial setting where large volumes are stored definitely take every precaution.

At home, if you have a kg or two. Not really an issue IMO.

Maybe I'm wrong though. I don't make it, I just shoot the stuff