What is the life expectancy of Ammo?

Ammunition should be stored in a cool and dry area. Most will take the precaution to store it in a waterproof box. A simple military ammo can was build for this and is perfect. To insure any moisture in the cardboard or in the can doesn't harm the ammunition you can add desiccant packs like come in electronic equipment to absorb the moisture. Make sure to keep metal ammo cans of of con create floors. Place them on wood or some type of buffer or insulation, other wise they may sweat.

If stored properly ammunition will out last you. I have WWII surplus ammunition for my SMLE .303 Brit made from 1941 through 1946. All old cordite loads with mercury primers. They still shoot, but all the primers aren't as snappy as new loads.

If you leave it indoors where there won't be wide temperature variations, even if you ignore humidity (and you shouldn't), the ammunition will still be good long after you're dead. On the other hand, bullet and propellant technology keep getting better, so the best you can buy now may not be as good as the stuff you'll be able to buy ten years from now.

Considering that everybody is worried about laws that haven't even come close to making it onto the floor of Congress, it seems the panic is premature if not completely needless. The microstamping idea, for instance, just seems so wrong-headed that I personally can't imagine that even the idiots in Washington would really fall for it.

"people are buying loads of handgun, restricted and prohibited weapon ammo because of Obama's threats on banning the use of these arms in the US and the possibility of micro stamping, which will increase prices by 500%, thus people are buying now before these laws have the possibility of being enforced."

This is the problem the myths are getting fused together and so many people can not be bothered to actually research the issues

1) Obama has made no thrat to ban handguns and prohibited weapons are already banned except by tax stamp

2) That micro stamp bill has been around for several years already and in it it make possession of non stamped ammo illegal after two years, so hording for future use would be pointless

3) It's not the microstamping that would increase the cost of ammo it is the mythical non existent proposal for a 500% tax on ammo

But if it makes you feel better

Properly stored ammo will put last you or your kids lifetime

Put it in an ammo can with a hand full of rice

or seal it in a PVC tube with rice or a lit candle and enough tin foil to fashion a usable hat, the candle will go out after it uses all the oxygen and will create a vacuum packed storage container

The bury it in your neighbor's backyard so you wont be blamed if "they" find it

Throw some metal around the are to throw off the metal detectors that the jack boots will be using

Just get some military surplus ammo cans. Place your ammo in the with one of the little silica desiccant packets that come in shipping boxes and remove moisture. Then store ammo cans in a cool dry place, such as an closet.

Ammo doesn't go bad very fast at all, if it is stored well. I have shot 100s of rounds of 1950 era 8mm surplus that work and looked like new.

Just keep it dry and it will be good to go.

If stored in a cool dry place ammo will last for a lot longer than you will be around to use it.

I would recommend getting a surplus ammo can and putting a desiccant in it. Every once in a while change the desiccant out to keep the humidity low. Store it somewhere where the temperature is fairly constant and fairly low (a basement or extra closet work well).

With every day pass, our country is getting into more and more trouble. The inflation, unemployment and falling value of dollar are the main concern for our Government but authorities are just sleeping, they don’t want to face the fact. Media is also involve in it, they are force to stop showing the real economic situation to the people. I start getting more concern about my future as well as my family after watching the response of our Government for the people that affected by hurricane Katrina.

According to recent studies made by World Bank, the coming crisis will be far worse than initially predicted. So if you're already preparing for the crisis (or haven't started yet) make sure you watch this video at http://www.familysurvival.tv/ and discover the 4 BIG issues you'll have to deal with when the crisis hits, and how to solve them fast (before the disaster strikes your town!) without spending $1,000s on overrated items and useless survival books.

To give an example people still fire old Czar era 7.62x54r from before the rise of communism and that stuff still works. Ammo can last forever if stored in the right conditions. Those being sealed away from moisture and excessive heat.

If properly stored, most ammunition will last for many decades. I have used ammunition from the 1880s, and still had a reasonable number of them go "bang" like they are supposed to. It had been stored well, and was in good condition. I have also had ammunition that was stored in hot, humid conditions for only a few years that is completely unusable. If you are buying surplus, make sure it is in good condition, with no corrosion. If you are buying commercial, check the same thing before you go to store it. Some of the other posters have covered storage.

As for stocking up in preparation for a ban, I wouldn't mortgage the farm to buy stuff now. After the Nordyke ruling yesterday, the anti-gun crowd is going to have a hell of a time stopping the repeal of hundreds of bad gun laws. Thanks to the anti-gunners in Alameda County, we now have a really, really big stick to beat them with.

Go to cheaperthandirt.com and buy a dry ammo box. They're 14 dollars and hold a great deal of ammo. I've had some 223 rounds in it for 5 years now and they still work like the day I bought them.

Keep modern ammo in a cool dry place,

and it's good for at least 40 Years.