Nice Unexpected Ammo Can Find ( btw what size is this?)

[DustyGmt]

Found these at my local building supply, at fire sale prices too. Cheaper than I've ever seen them at any online retailer, Army surplus store or anywhere really. $13.99 for this big guy. 40mm mortar can (I think). Although it says [Cartridges For Weapons-Inert Projectiles] on it.

They had a whole slough of them, these big guys, 30cal and 50cal cans and they also had a different style of 50cal can that is just a lil bigger than the typical ones. I wanted to buy them all since they were in great shape and only $10.99. I wonder why so cheap, maybe because nobody is buying them due to ammo shortage, idk. I'm having a hard time refraining from returning to buy more even though at this point I don't need them, but all my cans are full so maybe I do. The place is a stones throw from my house and I can hear them beckoning, lol. I love storage cans for some reason.

I would have probably bought more of them but I have around 25 of the 50's and 5 of the 30's and I'm OCD about filling them up, with ammo . If I buy a dozen more they will also be full, that could get expensive in this day and age.

I'm thinking about using this big rocket can for all my cleaning gear maybe, it would fit pretty nicely. I was also thinking about using it the store a bunch of loaded mags with foam inserts or maybe loading it with bandoliers with ammo on stripper clips or a combination of both. Do any of you guys have these, you just fill them with ammo or what?

 

[Keith E.]

I've seen them used for 55rds of linked 25mm.

Keith

 

[Spats McGee]

I've got a few of those. I like the little tabs on top to help me stack them. They're a good size, too. Big enough to carry a decent amount of stuff, small enough that they don't get unbearably heavy.

 

[mcb]

I believe that can is often refered to as a 40mm can (40x53mm grenade) though most US ammo cans get used or multiple calibers. There is also a taller version that is commonly used for the 20mm aircraft cannon. The 20mm are my personal favorite although they get heavy when full of ammo.

https://www.armyandoutdoors.com/blogs/news/an-introduction-to-ammo-cans

Good link showing the common US ammo can sizes.

 

[Kp321]

The bad thing about those cans is they hold too much. I had one like the one in the picture full of CCI SV 22 ammo. Had to have hand trucks to move it! Wish I had than much again.

 

[lightman]

Found these at my local building supply, at fire sale prices too. Cheaper than I've ever seen them at any online retailer, Army surplus store or anywhere really. $13.99 for this big guy. 40mm mortar can (I think). Although it says [Cartridges For Weapons-Inert Projectiles] on it.
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They had a whole slough of them, these big guys, 30cal and 50cal cans and they also had a different style of 50cal can that is just a lil bigger than the typical ones. I wanted to buy them all since they were in great shape and only $10.99. I wonder why so cheap, maybe because nobody is buying them due to ammo shortage, idk. I'm having a hard time refraining from returning to buy more even though at this point I don't need them, but all my cans are full so maybe I do. The place is a stones throw from my house and I can hear them beckoning, lol. I love storage cans for some reason.

I would have probably bought more of them but I have around 25 of the 50's and 5 of the 30's and I'm OCD about filling them up, with ammo . If I buy a dozen more they will also be full, that could get expensive in this day and age.

I'm thinking about using this big rocket can for all my cleaning gear maybe, it would fit pretty nicely. I was also thinking about using it the store a bunch of loaded mags with foam inserts or maybe loading it with bandoliers with ammo on stripper clips or a combination of both. Do any of you guys have these, you just fill them with ammo or what?

Back during the First Gulf War we had a local guy here selling surplus stuff from Government auctions out of an old service station. I bought 2 pallets of 50 cal ammo cans for something like $1 each. At the time I questioned ever needing that many cans. Well, most of them have been filled up with something and $1 ea seems like a steel now!

I would say buy all of them you can!

 

[herrwalther]

Close. That can is commonly used to store and mount 40mm linked grenade rounds for the Mk19 automatic grenade launcher. I have a few of them that I use for all kinds of storage.

 

[entropy]

Looks like a 40mm can for the Mk19 to me, too.

 

[DustyGmt]

I've got a few of those. I like the little tabs on top to help me stack them. They're a good size, too. Big enough to carry a decent amount of stuff, small enough that they don't get unbearably heavy.

So you're saying I need at least 2 for stacking?

I will probably stop and buy another one on my way home. I decided to retire my plastic MTM tote that I had ammo in and shuffle some things around, I filled the 40mm can with 900rds of 5.56 and some 9mm. I have 3 plastic ammo containers that I should probably retire for storing ammo since they aren't as good as the mil spec cans. I like the .50 cal cans from Wal mart because they are new production for only $12 but they only carry the one size, .50cal

I like the 40mm but don't like that it doesn't have a handle on top. I'll probably buy another or maybe a few, sportsmans guide and CTD sell them for like $30+ ea and from what I'm told they are often in horrendous condition...

 

[Dunross]

I like the 40mm and similar cans for storing equipment, powder, primers etc in because they seal airtight and stack well. Only took filling one full of ammo once to convince me a fifty can was better suited for that purpose. Can never have too many cans.

 

[herrwalther]

I like the 40mm but don't like that it doesn't have a handle on top.

That is by design. 40mm isn't a can you should be handling with one hand unless you have to. Unless they have broken off, there should be two fold out handles just under the lid tabs on both sides.

 

[DustyGmt]

That is by design. 40mm isn't a can you should be handling with one hand unless you have to. Unless they have broken off, there should be two fold out handles just under the lid tabs on both sides.

There is. Yeah, you're right. It would be quite a bear to hump that thing around one handed.

 

[CapnMac]

Those have been around for donkey's years, but their Achilles Heel is that they get too heavy too quickly.
Unless you have lighter, bulkier things that want packing. Which seldom seems to include shooting components.

There's a related 25mm carrier that's made of polymer which is stout all by itself. And, only holds like 12 rounds. On purpose (those 25x137 are like 650g each).

 

[Spats McGee]

So you're saying I need at least 2 for stacking? . . . .

Of course!

Hi. My name's Spats and I'm an Enabler.

 

[CapnMac]

Of course!

Hi. My name's Spats and I'm an Enabler.

LoL

 

[Bazoo]

I have a 50 cal can full of 22lr an it weighs 40 pounds is guess. Can't imagine how heavy one of those would be filled with 22s.

I have a 20mm can and I have thought of filling it with ammo but reluctant as it'd be too heavy. Right now it sets empty.

 

[rdnktrkr]

I like to load them with shotgun ammo, each for a different shot, labeled just as I do 30 & 50 cal cans for pistol and rifle ammo. Local place (True Prep) had an anniversary sale and had them for less than 10$ and 50s for about 7 or 8$. After loading up some 50s with 22 I couldn't imagine loading one of those with 22s

 

[Riomouse911]

They make a “.50 cal tall” can, and others that are wider than normal as well. Those are handy because they will hold more, but as stated above they can get amazingly heavy if filled with loose ammo.

I had one of those 40 mm cans, once I filled it with boxes of shotgun shells I realized it was too much for comfort. I put the shells on a shelf and gave the big can to a friend

I have some .50 cal cans with loaded AR Mags and some with loose ammo. Because I stack them two-high and double deep at the bottom of my shelving units. I try to stay with .30 cal cans as much as possible because the weight of the .50’s makes moving them from the back tougher.




Stay safe.

 

[Rembrandt]

Like the 25mm cans because of the extra room, they're a little harder to move around when full. Wish I could find some more, gun show source ran out of them couple years ago.

 

[George P]

Like the 25mm cans because of the extra room, they're a little harder to move around when full. Wish I could find some more, gun show source ran out of them couple years ago.

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I only have 1 of those sized cans and right now it is empty; but all my 30 and 50 cal cans are full................... I made the mistake of leaving some leather goods in that in a shed, the mold was horrible.