Ammo Can Options

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Hey folks here's my take on the ammo storage debate. You can definitely fit more in a can by strategically packing your unboxed ammo. I think it's a fine choice for rimfire and shotgun ammo. I wouldn't recommend it for anything that you wouldn't put in a tube magazine IE 5.56 bc pointy bullets on primers = NO BUENO!

There's cons to this method too though. (1) It's time consuming but I find it cathartic. (2) You'll likely shoot more rounds at the range (3) Cans get very heavy (4) less protection for ammo than factory packing.

Pros (1) ease of loading, hold mags over can and any spillage is contained (2) easier for friends to help load (3) looks pretty visually appealing imo (4) no empty boxes to blow away

As promised u/rcmp_informant

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '23

Yeah well put I’ll agree with all of that. I was silly and didn’t realize ammo cans come in specific sizes to hold specific calibers and bought some random shit 😂 now I’m using master craft toolboxes to hold everything and playing Tetris with my ammo cans every time I go to the range

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u/therowdyirishman Dec 30 '23

Some ammo boxes fit better than others, maybe it's just a touch of the 'tism but I enjoy figuring out the best stack after my hard earned ammo shipment arrives.

Haha yeah the military actually keep belted rounds in these and clip them in next to a mounted machine gun which pulls straight from the can. There's all kinds of uses for ammo cans though. I've even seen where a guy mounted one in a dune buggy as a water tight glovebox!

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u/dummdedumm1 Dec 30 '23

I’m gonna ask a dumb question.

Wouldn’t the plastic shotgun shells start to deform over time when stored loose in the ammo can? (The weight of all the ammo on the bottom row and no support of a cardboard box) Possibly causing feeding issues at time of use ?

Or am I overthinking it?

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u/MatterOFact111 Dec 30 '23

Loading pressure caused by filling and crimping the hull will help hold shape in most conditions. I wouldn't expect to see deformation unless a can was left in a very hot vehicle for hours at a time (which you probably shouldn't leave any ammo unattended in the first place). Even in this situation you would likely only see small detents/rippling of the hull which won't cause issues with pump actions, and would unlikely cause issues with an autoloader.

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u/therowdyirishman Dec 30 '23

It's never caused an issue for me. Cases of 250 are stacked on pallets putting a lot more weight on the bottom box than 8 rows of shells. It's really only 3 extra layers over the standard box.

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u/crouchingruger Dec 30 '23

don't ammo manufacturers sell bulk packs loose in box and bucket?

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u/[deleted] Dec 30 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/therowdyirishman Dec 30 '23

Range cans for the win! I have one for all my bulk pack calibres, 9mm, 22, 12g etc. I store my ammo in a closet with quite variable humidity so I like everything sealed away.

I'm also a big fan of the bag on can combo. Convenient and stable way to add height to your front rest.

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u/Norwest_Shooter on Dec 30 '23

I have a different take on ammo storage. For my pistol reloads, I use those Princess Auto 4x .30 cal plastic ammo cans that come in a tray. I load in batches of 500 for 9mm so two batches in ziplock bags fit perfectly in one. For 12 gauge target loads, I have those bigger Princess Auto crates. I want to leave the ammo in the factory boxes so 27 boxes fit in one.

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u/therowdyirishman Dec 30 '23

I hear a lot of guys talking about princess auto, sounds like I need to check it out! Sounds like a solid setup man. Good call on bagging the 9mm. Are the bigger boxes sturdy enough to lift when loaded with 12g and do they have a gasket seal?

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u/Norwest_Shooter on Dec 30 '23

They are very heavy but yes you can lift them. The 30 cal with tray and the crates all have a seal, loops for locks, and are stackable even with the tray so they’re pretty convenient.

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u/dontbeasnowflake123 Dec 30 '23

Get a girlfriend

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u/therowdyirishman Dec 30 '23

I've got a beautiful girl who helps load mags at the range and calls hits from the spotting scope.

Why don't you give your left hand a break and contribute something useful to this sub, eh hoser?

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u/[deleted] Dec 30 '23

I've got a beautiful girl who helps load mags at the range and calls hits from the spotting scope.

Based

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u/Substantial-Cash-834 on Dec 31 '23

TIL these existed. Lucky man

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u/RelativeFox1 Dec 30 '23

I don’t like carrying more than I need to the range, so I keep most of mine in a big Rubbermaid bin that could never be lifted. When I go shooting or hunting I toss as many as I think I’ll need in a backpack and go.

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u/therowdyirishman Dec 30 '23

Right on man, that's a good approach too! Like yourself my main concern is airtight storage at home. I'm a bit of a range rat so when I go out I'm bringing numerous guns, mags, ammo etc. and my range backpack is filled with gear already haha.

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u/peterpancan1 Dec 30 '23

So you’re saying I should remove all of my rounds from ammo cans now? This is for long term storage too.

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u/therowdyirishman Dec 30 '23 edited Dec 30 '23

Uhh no, this post was championing the usefulness of cans and drawing attention to how much more they can hold with unboxed ammo. For long term storage the standard advice is to add a few desiccant packs. Keep canning man!

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u/mwmwmwmwmmdw Dec 30 '23

i wouldent bother trying to stuff 12g into an ammo can since its so bulky. go but a larger storage tub if you want it to be in a container

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u/therowdyirishman Dec 30 '23

That was kind of my point to this whole post... I suspected most folks weren't aware that you could fit a flat of 12g into a can. I find the stackable storage and easy transport of the cans convenient but a massive main storage tub would work as well.

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u/bikerbob420 Dec 31 '23

I’d hate to find out you had a bad batch of rounds after you dump all your rounds into a can.

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u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

Nanuk or nothing.

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