Separating ammo in cans.

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Arizona_Mike

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These days those of us who shoot a lot don't have the luxury of buying one brand/bullet type/weight. We pick up 100-250 round "value packs" when we can find them.

I keep my boxed ammo and handgun reloads in trays in 50 cal cans as well as shotgun shells and my loose bulk ammo in 30 cal cans as the loose ammo weight can get absurd in 50 cal cans.

I get 900 rounds on 180gr .40 S&W in one 30 cal can, 800 rounds of 180gr 10mm, and 700 rounds of 230gr .45. Since I shoot a lot and my turnover is big, I am having trouble filling a can in some calibers.

Cans are also getting more expensive. I have not seen them by the pallet at CheaperThanDirt in quite a while.

What do you use to separate different (brand, weight, bullet type) loose bulk ammo in the same cans while sacrificing minimal space? I'm thinking about muslin bags, cheap tube socks, or even nylons. What works well and holds up well?

Mike
 
I'm using the Tupperware style storage containers. Not anywhere near as heavy duty as my metal ammo cans but they are affordable and hold a lot more.
 
Zip style freezer bags work well, but only the heavy-duty ones (not sandwich or plain storage bags--too flimsy).

I store "standard" reloads in a bag with my load data and factory rounds in a bag with the pertinent data saved from the factory package, all in the same ammo can or coffee can.
 
Saddly my cache is not as large as I would like so can fit my stash in 50 cal can for .30 and up, a 12 guage can for my 12 guage and a 7.62 can for less than .30 cal and those three fit in a mil spec storage can. But I have had these cans for 10 plus years so I havent needed to buy any more yet. But I like the ammo can because of the rubber gasket and pressure latch.
 
Zip style freezer bags work well, but only the heavy-duty ones (not sandwich or plain storage bags--too flimsy).
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This!

But, and a very important But?

I don't want that much loose ammo in my house without being inside fire resistant GI ammo cans or a steel cabinet of some sort!

It will cut down the fragmentation considerably, making it safer for fire fighters in the event of a house fire.

rc
 
If anyone is interested in the M2A1 metal ammo cans, I have a bunch that I got from a surplus auction laying around. They're used, but in excellent condition. I can ship them 12 for $110 INCONUS. Sorry, I know this isn't the Trading Post, but I figured I'd offer them up.

IM me if interested. Thanks.
 
Where I work we go through coffee in huge quantities. The red plastic 1 gallon coffee cans with lids are perfect for me for separating brass, keeping my bulk range reloads in various calibers sorted and any number of other things. If you buy desiccant in bulk for use in your safes, a couple small holes punched in the lid first make them great containers for that, too.
 
rc,

You're probably right about the fire-resistance factor. Coffee cans are not the best in that regard, but they are themselves stored inside heavy wooden cabinets.

Maybe I should consider moving them to a steel box of some kind--like the old fridge in the garage. That would work, at least while the weather is cool.
 
If ammo is loose and unconfined there is essentially zero fragmentation hazard -- the bullet just pops out (a champagne cork is probably a bigger threat) followed by a fireball of burning powder, don't ask how I know, but I've experienced it The popping primer is the biggest frag hazard.. Confining it in an sealed metal cans ups the chances of a bigger BOOM!, but since it protects the ammo from the elements better, that is how I store mine.
 
I segregate ammunition by cartridge and store them in 30 cal or 50 cal ammunition cans. Inside the cans, I use plastic ammunition boxes or zip loc bags depending on how much ammunition that I have in inventory.

On the rare occasions that I have purchased factory ammunition, it gets stored in its original container in the can with the other ammunition of the same cartridge.

Since i reload, I do not buy much factory ammunition.
 
A thought about removing ammunition from factory packaging for storage:

The factory packaging has the lot numbers on it. If there's a recall on the ammunition, once you take it out of the factory packaging, you'll have no way of telling if your ammo is defective or not.
 
Zip style freezer bags work well, but only the heavy-duty ones (not sandwich or plain storage bags--too flimsy).
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Another vote for this. Works fine, doesn't sacrifice much, if any space in the can or other container.
 
I have used rubbermaid containers and coffee cans. Those then get set inside large rubbermaid tubs for easy transport and stacking. The other easy way to do it is heavy duty freezer bags as has been said above. Just make sure you properly store them away from heat/moisture, the ammo will last a long time if stored right. Please do not use the vacuum sealed bags unless you put a desiccant pack in the bag, or else you will have moisture get trapped in there and possible bad ammo.

My reloading buddy and I used to store our components in coffee cans and the loaded ammo in rubbermaid containers. The loaded ammo was labeled with the caliber, date, powder charge, and the type/weight of the bullet. The brass and bullets were labeled with type, once-fired or many, cleaned, and caliber for easy sorting. We were a little picky as to how we had everything set up.
 
I use GI ammo cans. I write the contents on the side/end in chalk, so I can change the description when the ammo inside changes. I don't worry about fire, etc, because I have Zero control over that. chris3
 
Most of my ammo is kept in the factory boxes, and much of that is stored inside milsurp ammo cans. not all of it, but most of it. it takes up more room keeping the packaging but I feel better about it that way.

I do not have the huge stash some of you have, so maybe not that big of a deal.
 
The factory packaging has the lot numbers on it. If there's a recall on the ammunition, once you take it out of the factory packaging, you'll have no way of telling if your ammo is defective or not.
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I said I take out out of the boxes, not that I toss the boxes. I cut the pertinent data from the box and place it in the bag with the ammo.
 
Mostly G.I. .30 and .50 cal. ammo cans with a couple of large plastic ammo containers for large quantities of rifle (like .223 and 7.62x39), ammo. Loose shotgun shells go into heavy duty ziplock bags and loose .22LR rounds go into plastic drink mix containers which have screw-off lids.
 
If ammo is loose and unconfined there is essentially zero fragmentation hazard --
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Not.

Primers, .22 RF cases, and fragments from handgun cases are very dangerous at close range.

See this about that:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7001165&postcount=15

BTW: Steel GI ammo cans are not closed bombs. In a fire, the rubber lid seal will melt and the outside spring latch will deform, releasing pressure before the ammo inside gets hot enough to cook off.

That's what they are designed to do.

rc
 
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Primers, .22 RF cases, and fragments from handgun cases are very dangerous at close range.
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Not matching my actual experience when young and stupid. I've set off far too many unconfined rounds and the primer flying out is the only real hazard other than starting a fire. Some Mythbusters episodes suggest smokeless powder is not that great a fire starter despite the impressive fireball.


Your link shows BB/pellet gun level hazard from flying primers (as I'd expect) at near contact distances and a 1" aluminum tube blocked at both ends is hardly unconfined.

I guess if BB/pellet guns are "very dangerous" then maybe we just shouldn't be keeping ammo around the house -- the anti's love this kind of argument, safety at all costs! its unsafe, ban it for the children!

Since GI ammo cans were designed to store ammo I can't really see a reason to use anything else if the factory packaging is not good enough.
 
I said I take out out of the boxes, not that I toss the boxes. I cut the pertinent data from the box and place it in the bag with the ammo.
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My comment wasn't aimed at anyone on the thread, just provided for consideration for those who, unlike you, may not have considered all the issues involved.
 
The carry stuff and special commercial availble stuff I keep in their own boxes stacked in the safe. For my reloads the most space efficiency that I have discovered is to use Crown Royal cloth bags inside of metal surplus ammo cans. When Crown bags are not available, I then cut the arms or legs from old sweatshirts/pants, cut sufficient length, sew the bottoms up and roll and sew a seam in the top to take a shoelace. These bags kind of expand to fit the corners in the ammo cans. I label the bags to the loads contained and keep one cal to a can that is labeled. I'm concerned of the weight capability in the plastic cans so have kept to the surplus cans. As I presently have a bit more completed ammo than cans available, I'm using plastic coffee cans until I can find some cheap cans. Also, surplus cans are padlockable. It appears that a nearly full plastic can would likely crack open if dropped.
 
and a 1" aluminum tube blocked at both ends is hardly unconfined.
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I beg to differ.

A .22 RF, or centerfire round in a 1" tube with loose sheet metal on both ends is hardly 'Confined'!!

It is a fair representation of what happens to the same ammo in a fire.

rc
 
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