If you're storing ammunition, don't forget about humidity. Pack that ammo away in a sealed can in the summer on a low humidity day. Wear gloves to keep the fingerprints off. Also, put in some of those dessicant paks. If you're using stripper clips, cardboard sleeves & cloth bandoliers, dry them out in the oven or clothes drier first. Otherwise, you may open the can to find your precious brass covered with green corrosion. I speak from experience.

"odd-ball" to relatively most shooters that go in there for ammo. Can't remember last time someone went in and said "I'm going deer hunting, give me a box of Ballistic tip 7.62x 54r or some of that Yugo 8mm".

Not "odd-ball" to me. As I have thousands in each caliber.

<img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Vacumm sealer...

I think that a lot of the buying ammo for a non-common caliber thing depends on where you are, and where you plan on being. While WallyWorld may well have those three boxes of .280 Rem, Mom and Pops stop and rob in Podunk may not.

Re reloading, a couple of things to keep in mind: Reloading gear is bulky (unless you happen to have an old Lyman 310 tongtool), and the components must be more securily stored than loaded ammo. A little moisture won't hurt most ammo, but it will wipe out powder and primers...

Hundreds of thousands of rounds? You'll be busy!<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

For saving space try a Lee Hand Press . Since I got mine I have retired my bench-mounted press. It takes up no room at all, and I can load while sitting in front of the tv or at the kitchen table. I wish I'd have gotten mine years ago.

Wow, thanks. I have been out of the reloading business for a while, and want to get back into it. But, we are living full time in a motorhome, and space is tight. I looked for Lyman 310's and the old Lee Loader, but both are out of production. I had no idea the Lee Hand Press even existed. Something new to ask Santa for!!!

Well, with the open ended rolls of bag making stuff, you could make a bag long enough to hold ten bricks or so, that would speed things up a bit...

Storing any ammo in "potentially" damp environments can be problematic. Steel cases, such as commonly used in surplus 7.62x39, can rust. I had 5 bricks of Winchester Super X .22 ammo laying on the floor in the basement. Sump pump quit working and got an 1" of water in that area before I got a new pump installed. Got the 7.62 ammo dried out OK, but I thought the .22 would be OK. Turns out whatever coating Winchester puts on the .22's turns really waxy when exposed to dampness. Even the ones that weren't immersed, but the boxes got damp from the water wicking up. Now the .22's won't feed after about a box of 50 are run through my Ruger 1022. The rotary magazines gum up and won't feed. This is a major nuisance. They work better in my son's bolt action, but they still get harder to extract after enough are shot. I'll probably have to pitch the two rotary magazines after I am done with the ammo. I don't think they can be taken apart and they don't seem to clean out all the way. I am finally down to my last brick. I won't be buying anymore Winchester .22's.

Keep your ammo dry and look closely at any ammo you are storing for long term use.

I have also used the Lee Hand Press, it works fine. It takes some arm strength. I also have the Lee priming tool and a Lee powder measure; they work great! You also need a good powder scale. I went with the Dillon Precision Eliminator Loading Scale, it is excellent! The Lee Hand Press takes standard dies, unlike the older hand reloading tools.

There use to be a company called Quentics, in San Antonio, that made a great hand held powder measure. I wish I could get another one. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />