Now are you storing the said firearm in the vehicle 24/7 or just for short periods of time like during work/school etc?
Anyhow, I live in a region that does get pretty hot in the summer but I honestly don't store guns in my vehicles. So It's just my uneducated opinion but I think don't see a problem in the short term and the only long term problem maybe shortened life span of the ammo or maybe some damage to plastic parts? I'm not sure if that helps but hopefully it will make do until someone else chimes in with some more useful info.
PS, It's probably just me being overly cautious, but I wouldn't leave said firearm chambered for any long amounts of time exposed to the heat.
I did read somewhere (possibly, or probably urban legend) about a helicopter pilot in the Army and that one of the bullets in his magazine, which was not even in the gun but in his leg pocket went off from it being exposed to heat.
Not sure where I read that, but I do remember it. Not sure if it is true either.
I know the Military stores ammo in steel cans in the hot ass desert for weeks, months, if not years at a time, with no ill effects.
You'll be fine.
Yes sir, but military ammo is designed for extreme conditions. I'm sure manufactures consider temps when making regular ammo as well but I don't personally store any large amounts of ammo over room temp.
Sorry about the slight off topic post.
Quote:
Now I need to give you some background on how and for what condition ammo is built. Military cartridges are designed so that they can withstand storage temperatures from minus 65 degrees F. to 122 F. So as long as you don’t keep them in a oven your fine. There made for soldiers to use in battlefield conditions under the most horrible conditions conceivable and still function. The manufactures (OLIN, Winchester, Remington Etc.) know this and they also know they will lose a big fat Govt contract if they don’t pass this criteria. Here is one for you, the same folks that make 5.56mm make the exact same cartridge and call it a 223 change the label and sell it civilian. Same with 308 (7.62 NATO). So now you know that there is hardly any difference between civilian and military ammunition manufacturing. Lets get down to storage.
Gunpowder won't reach autoignition temperature until about 340 degrees F. Below that, the primer MUST be struck to fire the cartridge. The only possible risk could be of the gunpowder slowly reacting to form the stable products of the normal reaction (thus weakening the overall charge with each molecule reacted). But... on average, the inside of a car in the summer will get to aybe 130 degrees. It is that hot for long periods of time in many of the Deserts where our soldiers are currently stationed, and like I said, they are stored in steel boxes which would only amplify that heat. I've read reports of ammo from the 1950s being used today (.50cal) with no problems at all.
I did read somewhere (possibly, or probably urban legend) about a helicopter pilot in the Army and that one of the bullets in his magazine, which was not even in the gun but in his leg pocket went off from it being exposed to heat.
Not sure where I read that, but I do remember it. Not sure if it is true either.
i heard a similar story, but it was about a guy who rigged his motorcycle wrong and some of the ammo in a mag he had on his motorcycle was touching one of the "hot parts" and went off
i heard a similar story, but it was about a guy who rigged his motorcycle wrong and some of the ammo in a mag he had on his motorcycle was touching one of the "hot parts" and went off
dont know though
That makes more sense. In machine guns, a round can go off on its own if it is chambered into a very hot barrel and left there for several seconds. But unless we're talking about that "Flame On!" guy from Fantastic 4, I don't think anyone will have to worry about ammunition igniting just due to ambient heat, at least not in any environment we could survive in anyways, heh.
i heard a similar story, but it was about a guy who rigged his motorcycle wrong and some of the ammo in a mag he had on his motorcycle was touching one of the "hot parts" and went off
dont know though
Hmm yeah maybe I confused chopper with chopper, lol.
Yes sir, but military ammo is designed for extreme conditions. I'm sure manufactures consider temps when making regular ammo as well but I don't personally store any large amounts of ammo over room temp.
As far as I know, Military ammo is the same as general production ammo. Only larger quantity's with all matching lot numbers. It's the same brass, bullet, primer and powder. The only "special" ammo is the tracer, armour piercing stuff. But I've seen that at gun shows.
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As far as I know, Military ammo is the same as general production ammo. Only larger quantity's with all matching lot numbers. It's the same brass, bullet, primer and powder. The only "special" ammo is the tracer, armour piercing stuff. But I've seen that at gun shows.
Then why does military ammo cost more? I was looking at the costs of factory produced military ammo and it seemed kind of higher quality compared to the stuff I pick up at a sporting goods store.
Living here in Las Vegas where it does on occasion get warm I have had to leave my pistol in the car while going into public buildings for extended periods of time. More than once when I went to put the pistol back in carry position I opted to let it sit infront of the a/c for awhile before putting back in close proximity to my two best friends, and not the ones in the Winabago (Spaceballs reference).
I have never had a problem with anything going boom while in the car. Might suggest not leaving it in direct sunlight but other than that I see no problem.
Like someone said earlier the military stores it in cans on pallets in the sen.
At my first duty assignment there were pallets and pallets of ammo, grenades, shoulder fired weapons just sitting out in the elements on the base. It was in a dry high desert climate where temps would range from high 60s at night to 100s during the day in the summer months and would drop below freezing in the winter. I think if they were worried about it then they would've had them stored in bunkers or warehouses.
It does get hot enough in a car in high summer to 'cook' cosmoline out of a rifle stock, but nowhere near the 340 degrees F. that would be required to "cook off" a round. You will be fine.
Then why does military ammo cost more? I was looking at the costs of factory produced military ammo and it seemed kind of higher quality compared to the stuff I pick up at a sporting goods store.
I could be very wrong though
one reason it brings a premium is that military cases often have thicker webs or case walls ( and thus a lower internal volume). Also Lake City made a lot of military bullets, and they were awesome at what they did!
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I heard about some ammo that was left out in the cold and got to shivering so bad the heat from the powder grains caused by the friction of rubbing together from the cold ignited the ammo and it fired. Don't know if it is true.You'll have to verify it someplace else. sam.
In the summertime, the inside and trunk of a car can get extremely hot. Is it safe to store a handgun/ammo in these temperatures?
Is your concern is if the heat will start lauching projectiles out of your trunk ? I have been told by firefighters that when they are dealing with a car on fire with a gun in it, the only round they are concerned with is the one in the chamber.
A cartridge that is fired with out a barrel to build pressure up in will just explode and not be lauched with any where near the force of a projectile fired from a firearm.
I hate to admit it but I have had a .22 rimfire round go off in my pocket. It scared the heck out of me and gave me a little burn on my leg. If the round had been lets say in the removable cylinder of a .22 revolver that was struck with enough force to ignite a round in my pocket, it could of headspaced and built up enough pressure to do the same damage if I pointed the revolver at my leg and pulled the trigger.
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In the summertime, the inside and trunk of a car can get extremely hot. Is it safe to store a handgun/ammo in these temperatures?
Is your concern is if the heat will start lauching projectiles out of your trunk ? I have been told by firefighters that when they are dealing with a car on fire with a gun in it, the only round they are concerned with is the one in the chamber.
A cartridge that is fired with out a barrel to build pressure up in will just explode and not be lauched with any where near the force of a projectile fired from a firearm.
I hate to admit it but I have had a .22 rimfire round go off in my pocket. It scared the heck out of me and gave me a little burn on my leg. If the round had been lets say in the removable cylinder of a .22 revolver that was struck with enough force to ignite a round in my pocket, it could of headspaced and built up enough pressure to do the same damage if I pointed the revolver at my leg and pulled the trigger.
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