Secure Storage - Powder, Primers, and Bullets

[Calcoyote]

I have a home security system, but still securely store my firearms in a safe. What about my reloading components? I got to taking inventory the other day of my powder, primers, and bullets and wonder if maybe I should start locking them up too. The only thing I can think of is to buy another gun safe and just put shelves it it. Is that the best option or is there a cheaper way to do this? Feel free to post photos of how you store your reloading components.

 

[Weldor]

They sell some nice heavy duty explosive cabinets all keyed doors . Could easily be bolted to the floor.

 

[Calcoyote]

This is locking and is a LOT cheaper than buying another gun safe. I could drill some holes in the back and secure it to studs in the wall. Would it be secure enough and sturdy enough to discourage a burglar???

 

[SW hunter]

Only you know the answers here but ask yourself what other valuable items do you have that are easy to carry and re-sell quickly. Guns, electronics, optics, coins, jewelry, credit cards, hand tools, power tools, chainsaws, petty cash are more commonly stolen items.
Not saying it doesnt happen but its not common that reloading supplies are stolen during a break in. My nice press is more attractive than my open cans of powder or open boxes of bullets. Now if you have a tweaker family member who will slowly make off with stuff here and there thats different story i guess.

I’ll go off on a rant for all. Make your house the least attractive place to break into on your road.
Doors and windows always locked, cars locked and windows completely up if outside, park in garage, no garage door openers in cars parked outside, garage closed, side gates locked, a porch light on at all doors, a lamp on a timer, no easy quick tells if you're home or not. Doorbell camera too.
Driving down the street, how many neighbors can you immediately tell if they're home or not? Or gone for several days? Amazon packages piled up. Ive got a complete stranger neighbor down the way i know leaves town every other weekend. Every other weekend the house is dark and trash can sits out all weekend. Sunday around 7 or 8 its put away again. If he got a neighbor to bring it in and a wifi light switch nobody would notice that house. Burglars notice this stuff too.

 

[rayporter]

i use a light duty metal cabinet about like that. powder is replaceable.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

I’d be hesitant to put my powders or primers into an even somewhat tight enclosure that wasn’t specifically designed to contain or direct explosions. If you’re worried about theft, an open air, grated weapons locker might be a good bet.

That said, I agree with SW hunter; can’t imagine a random thief going for powder or primers.

 

[mt terry d]

What about just the explosive/flammable nature of it?

God forbid, but say someone knocks a candle ( hate those damn things) over in their bedroom or whatever
and a small fire reaches or tosses sparks into the reloading room before it's contained?

Would a metal cabinet be a good option?

 

[Eric_F]

I spent enough time working in chemistry labs for it to feel wrong to have powder and primers stored outside of flammable cabinets. Plus it's many state/local codes to store >20 lbs powder in a 1" nominal wall wood cabinet, per NFPA 495. Those are often also included by reference in home insurance policies, just saying...

Anyway, I built a cabinet of solid oak for primers and modified a larger cabinet to have thicker walls and polyiso foam insulation for powder. Painted both with intumescent paint for the hell of it. Nice how to here:

Necessary? Maybe not. It helps me sleep at night though.

 

[B23]

I have two heavy duty Tennsco 48x24x78 metal cabinets I put all my reloading components and ammunition in. Tennsco says they're rated for 400lbs per shelf. I bought the first one and it quickly filled up so I got a second one and it too is on it's way to being full. I don't know if it's the best option but for this stuff I definitely like it being in these enclosed cabinets a lot better then having all my reloading stuff and ammo on open storage shelves.

If you get a metal storage cabinet to put your stuff in pay attention to the per shelf lbs rating because a lot of these things are very flimsy. Even the ones I have that are supposed to be HD's and rated for 400lbs per shelf are far from but what I'd consider robust. You can get them with much heavier gauge metal but the cost of those is considerably higher.