I have read, many times, that guns and ammunition should be stored in different locations. If guns are stored in a heavy duty safe, why not store ammo in that same safe? Seems more practical than having to purchase another expensive and space consuming second safe.
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I think it’s mainly for the safe space. Instead of having to buy a second safe (or a larger first safe) storing your ammo outside of a safe is fine.
Here’s a Community conversation about storing ammo, How do you store your ammo?
If you’ve got the space in your safe, go for it!
If you’re not using a safe - then your ammo and firearms should be stored separately for safety’s sake. And I would suggest locking (trigger lock or lock box) your firearms that are not on you or staged for self-defense overnight.
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Thanks Dawn.
If guns are stored separately from ammo, if the bad guys or unauthorized persons get your guns, they dont get your ammo. If they get your ammo, they dont get your guns.
Except for my defensive firearm, I store separately.
It’s not really hard to bust into most any gun safe.
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Assuming this unauthorized person is a burglar and have access enough to find one or the other (guns or ammo) wouldn’t they also be able to find the other component? So if they see my safe and break into it and have my guns, wouldn’t they find the ammo in the ammo locker down in my garage? (or vice versa break into my ammo locker, now they know I have guns and will go find those?)
I think safes/lock boxes would keep out most unauthorized persons that are not intent on burglary? (e.g. they’re not trying to crowbar and drill the safe open)
Just trying to understand your the thought process.
I keep a limited amount of ammo in my gun safe (which is separate from my nightstand safe) the handgun carry stuff, several pre-loaded magazines. But that’s because the safe won’t hold all of my bulk ammo so due to space constraints I’m forced to keep it separate (both safe and ammo locker are locked/secured and not accessible by anyone other than my wife even though my kids are in their teens).
I’ve never thought of it as that big a deal as long as the storage devices was securely locked/secured, but I’m open to changing my mind on the topic.
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All my guns with few exceptions are stored with rounds chambered.
My classic rifles, and my AR rifles are stored with clear chambers.
All others, 1 in the chamber whether in my mini safe, at the head of my bed, or hidden in certain areas. Safety’s on where applicable or holstered with trigger guards.
A burglar is going to get your stuff no matter what, given enough time. But time is critical. You can break into a safe within a few short minutes, look at it on youtube. Keeping the ammo separate means they have to find it, that takes time.
But “unauthorized persons” doesn’t always mean burglars. It can mean your kids, your kids friends, nieces or nephews, house guests, your weird uncle, your father with dementia, etc… what if one day you negligently leave your safe open and one of these unauthorized persons starts screwing around with your guns? Could you live with the possible aftermath or an accidental death? I cant.
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Copy that…
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It does depend on the safe, and how it’s installed. Mine is bolted to the floor (darned hard to turtle it that way), and in a closet, preventing most leverage attempts to pry it open. Is it perfect? No, but it’s better than free-standing in the living room (as an acquaintance displays his). It’s also time-consuming to break into my safe.
I never have kids in my house, but that could change now that my daughter is married. When having kids around becomes more common, I will take additional steps to secure both weapons and ammo (currently easier to get to at night than during the day).
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If you needed more advice (great stuff so far, I’ll tell you what works for me. Home defense gun is loaded and ready to go in a safe on nightstand. All other guns are lock in safes. Ammo is locked in separate safe. When I am going to the range the next day, I’ll load up 10-20 magazines and put them in the car, separately.
Basements are usually good and out of the way of visitors.
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That was the biggest thing I had to get used to when I moved to Florida. No basements. We thought our house was going to be huge, then one of the bedrooms became a storage room. 
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Pros and cons, for sure.
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The thought is to avoid or delay potential thieves or “unauthorized persons” from getting their hands on a loaded weapon or to be able to load one quickly if they gain access.
At least at one time some states required they be stored separately as well.
If it’s a “self defense firearm” then my advice is to leave it a loaded condition, ready to go. If it isn’t, the store it empty.
If you have a large enough safe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to store the ammo in the same safe but in a lockable ammo can.
We used to use metal 50 cal and 20mm cans for ammo and powder storage and would just weld a piece of chain link to the front turning the flip latch essentially into a locked hasp with a padlock and they worked great even for very long term storage.
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Basements are a good choice but only as long as they are completely dry with very low humidity.
If they are not both there are fairly inexpensive ways to control humidity in a safe particularly but for a whole room as well when necessary.
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My firearms and my ammunition are stored in separate safes. Should someone try and break into one of the safes…either is useless without the other.
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I store my gun in a gun locker in the garage… with a cable lock through each one. I keep all ammo in a small safe on top of the gun locker. I keep the keys to the gun locker and tge cable locks inside the small safe, which has a fingerprint lock.
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