So - we all know, the best place to store ammo is in a cool, dry, location, that isnt subject to varied temperatures.

I am considering storing some battlepack ammo in the garage.  

What *really* are the long term detrimental effects?  Texas temps range in the summer from 110 to 70 at night.... and winters are all over the map.

Is this a really bad idea?  How about something like 10-15 years?  

What is the worst enemy - the high temps in the summers, or the daily varying temps (condensation?)

I would reconsider.  My garage door faces West, and it gets pretty hot out there.  I don't even like to leave extra ammo in my range bag stored out there.

Is there any possibility you can "appropriate" an interior closet for storing your ammo, perhaps with a good key-locking doorknob for security?  Alternatively, a nice sized "Armoir"(sp!?) or entertainment center with sturdy shelves.

I formerly used a "blanket chest" at the foot of the bed, until "She who must be obeyed" decided the furniture needed rearranged.  When I brought in the handcart and started unloading my ammo, it was just a wee bit embarrassing...5K of Q3131A, 1.2K IMI M855, and 3K of IMI M193.  Oh, and my Zombie Dog Ruger was lying on top the ammo.

Rule #1, don't let the wife see your ammo stash!  When Academy had Q3131A on sale over the holidays, she was VERY unsympathetic when I made a comment about getting a "rain-check" for a couple more cases...

Having said that, IIRC some 1950's vintage Egyptian made 8mm I used to shoot all worked great, and had almost certainly been stored under desert conditions of high day time and low night time temps for DECADES.

Paladin

A big cooler should minimize temp variations

I keep lots in the garage in Arkansas.  It is surplus.  I was in the military.  I saw how the US Army kept ammo.  I now have forign ammo also.  I bet a garage is better than where it has been kept before.   That said... If I could keep it inside I probably would.  But I don't think it will hurt it to keep it in the garage if stored properly.

My family would reload shotgun and kept it all in wooden ammo crates in an uninsulated shop in South Louisiana. Never had any problems.

Quoted: A big cooler should minimize temp variations

How about keeping the old refridgerator the next time you have to buy a new one, or accepting a defunct one from a friend the next time their's quits.  If you have room enough in the garage for it, you could use it as an ammo dump.  I've got a friend that uses an old refridgerator to store automotive paint in it.  He drilled a hole, wired it for a light socket inside, and put a bulb in it to keep it from freezing his paint in the winter.  I guess it works, he got the idea from some of his friends.  ARKAR

Quoted: Quoted: A big cooler should minimize temp variations How about keeping the old refridgerator the next time you have to buy a new one, or accepting a defunct one from a friend the next time their's quits.  If you have room enough in the garage for it, you could use it as an ammo dump.  I've got a friend that uses an old refridgerator to store automotive paint in it.  He drilled a hole, wired it for a light socket inside, and put a bulb in it to keep it from freezing his paint in the winter.  I guess it works, he got the idea from some of his friends.  ARKAR

could probably do the same with a big cooler and a golden rod dehumidifyer. an old fridge is bulky and heavy, you could probably buy some industrial shelving and wrap insulation around it as an alternative to the fridge, but a fridge would work since it's a big cooler too

I can't speak to the 10-15 year time frame in your initial post, but I keep most of my ammo in a brick out-building behind the house and have so since we bought the place 5 years ago.  It is well-insulated, so (depending on your garage structure) it may not apply at all, but I keep many thousands of rounds on hand at all times in all sorts of calibers and I have yet to have a problem with any of it due to storage, temperature, etc.  (FWIW, before we bought this place I never kept more on hand than what I could store in the house. )

It's a great idea...BTW, where's your garage?

I used to keep it all inside, but when I moved that was no longer possible.  So my ammos been outside for a year.

Still goes bang, but it's coming back in before summer.  Right now, outside is a cool dry place, so I'm not worried.

Quoted: Quoted: A big cooler should minimize temp variations How about keeping the old refridgerator the next time you have to buy a new one, or accepting a defunct one from a friend the next time their's quits.  If you have room enough in the garage for it, you could use it as an ammo dump.  I've got a friend that uses an old refridgerator to store automotive paint in it.  He drilled a hole, wired it for a light socket inside, and put a bulb in it to keep it from freezing his paint in the winter.  I guess it works, he got the idea from some of his friends.  ARKAR

Wouldn't a fridge that is not plugged in just retain humitidy in the summer heat?

I wouldn't worry about it.  You'll be long dead and the ammo would still be good.  I got 1k rounds of 308 a few years back from a friend that was stored in a garage since '72 and all fired fine.  I just went thru 4k rounds of 1932 dated 8mm and only had 2 duds.  I'm sure the 8mm has gone thru some temperature extremes.

I had a friend that stored a 30 rnd mag loaded with '94 Q3131 in the side pocket of his vehicle for about 5 years.  In this part of the country seasonal temps generally vary between 0-100F with temps in his vehicle getting up to 140F in the summer, I imagine.  Shot it off later and it all went bang.  Didn't test for accuracy though.  I believe accuracy will be the first thing to go when ammo is stored under high variable temps.  If that is not a problem, you probably won't have any problems for a 10-15 year timeframe.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: A big cooler should minimize temp variations How about keeping the old refridgerator the next time you have to buy a new one, or accepting a defunct one from a friend the next time their's quits.  If you have room enough in the garage for it, you could use it as an ammo dump.  I've got a friend that uses an old refridgerator to store automotive paint in it.  He drilled a hole, wired it for a light socket inside, and put a bulb in it to keep it from freezing his paint in the winter.  I guess it works, he got the idea from some of his friends.  ARKAR Wouldn't a fridge that is not plugged in just retain humitidy in the summer heat?

could use dessicants and/or Golden Rod dehumidifyer to minimize humidity

Quoted: So - we all know, the best place to store ammo is in a cool, dry, location, that isnt subject to varied temperatures. I am considering storing some battlepack ammo in the garage.   What *really* are the long term detrimental effects?  Texas temps range in the summer from 110 to 70 at night.... and winters are all over the map. Is this a really bad idea?  How about something like 10-15 years?   What is the worst enemy - the high temps in the summers, or the daily varying temps (condensation?)

I have 70's WCC and LC 5.56mm ammo in the Philippines.  They're just left inside my cabinet.  They still fire.

My friend has lots of  '40s and '50 M1 Carbine ammo.  They still fire.  

And considering the Philippines is a very humid place.  

Several years ago, several huge crates of 1940's - era .45 ACP was discovered buried in sand in a beach in Leyte, where the US Forces (Gen. McArthur) landed to liberate the islands.  The seals on the crates were still intact, and the ammo, I believe has steel casings and were in cardboard boxes.  Several rounds were tested, and all fired.

IMHO, the worst enemy of ammo is oil/gun lube.

I keep my munitions stored in the garage in ammo cans in a large contactors lockable site box bolted to the floor