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Letter Re: Advice on a Rust-Resistant Method to Store Spare Magazines
Hello Mr. Rawles,
I just read your recent post on investing in full capacity magazines and was
motivated to place several large mag orders. I already had at least 150 rifle
mags, so
I have quite a few mags around. I recently have been trying to get my preparedness
storage organized so that items can be stored for long periods without being
damaged. As part of this I have been vacuum sealing mags in my Tilia Food Saver
with an oxygen absorber thrown in for good measure. These will then be stored
in bins in my clean, dry attic. (I live in the Midwest - extreme hot & cold
temperatures). Many of my AK mags are polymer, the steel mags I have given
a coat of Break
Free Collector before sealing. The AR mags are of course either
aluminum or the new Magpul polymer mags.
Do you think this is a good idea, or is there a better way? What is your recommendation
for long term mag storage? My indoor climate controlled space is at a premium
for food and ammo storage, so I would love to be able to keep these in the
garage or attic if possible.
By the way, your book "Patriots" was
instrumental in my starting my prepping journey, six years ago. Your Brother
in Christ - EWG
JWR Replies: Proper magazine storage depends a lot on your
climate. If you live in a humid climate and you want to store your spare
magazines in a garage or attic, then you should first heavily oil any steel
magazines and store them in sealed ammo cans. Be sure to also include a large
packet of
silica
gel desiccant
in each storage can. In the less humid western states, just a light coat
of oil will generally suffice. My favorite airtight containers for storing
bulky
but fairly
lightweight items
such as magazines are USGI
20mm ammo cans,
which are available at most gun shows and surplus stores. They are also fairly
inexpensive via mail order, but typically by the time you've paid for shipping,
your cost will double.
