The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Big Frank on April 18, 2025, 05:07:37 AM
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I ordered 3 Grade 1 Condition M2A1 .50 Cal Surplus Ammo Cans and 3 Grade 1 Condition .30 Cal Surplus Ammo Cans from Clean Ammo Cans. They have New cans, and Grades 1, 2, and 3. Grade 1 is like new with the ammo type stenciled on it, grade 3 is old beaters that need some TLC, like sanding and paint, and Grade 2 is in between. Besides M2A1 .50 Cal cans, they have the newer style M2A2 .50 Cal cans. Where the latch hooks under the bottom of the welded bracket, the A2 can has an extended lip at the top. It keeps the weight of cans stacked on top from pressing the lid down, compressing the seal. See video below. I don't plan on stacking mine more than 2 high, so I'm not worried about it. The 3 .50 cal cans were setting side by side in a cardboard box that fit them perfectly. Inside each one was a .30 cal can with the lid off lying on edge next to it.
Besides several sizes of ammo cans, they have Mil-Spec 4 Pocket Bandolier Ammo Repack Kits with Like New USGI Bandolier and Sleeves to Re-Pack 120rds of .223/5.56 Ammunition. Also stripper clips and guides, and New USA Made "No Glue" Mil-Spec .223 / 5.56 Cardboard Stripper Clip Insert Cartons with Self Closing Lower Flaps! I was emailing back and forth with the guy in the videos about these. He didn't know if they would hold plastic Thermold clips or not. I asked him to send me one with my order so I could find out, then I would let him know. I was surprised to see 25 of these in one of my cans, and they DO work with Thermold clips. I drop 2 clips in at a time facing the same way, then poke my finger between them near the shoulder, and drop the 3rd clip right down the middle. It works extremely well when I do it that way. I'll be ordering another 100 of these soon. It's easy to put up to 29 of these in a .50 cal can, 870 rounds. 28 of them is 840 rounds, just like you'd find in bandoliers. I haven't been able to get 30 of them in a can, so I won't have all 900 rounds of my bulk 52-grain JHP .223 ammo together, unless I drop the last 30 rounds in the can loose.
I cut pieces of cardboard to go in the bottoms of all 6 cans plus my old .50 cal can from Germany. If you trace the can on cardboard and cut it about 3/16" smaller it's a good fit after nipping the corners off. The cans don't NEED to have cardboard in them, but it's flat and level. I put it in the cans so I can dump bulk ammo in and not have it setting directly on the bottom of the can. It won't grind the paint off and have metal on metal contact between dissimilar metals. I have 900 rounds of .223 in a .50 cal can and 3,000 rounds on .22 LR in a .30 cal can. The small can of .22 ammo weighs about as much as the big can of .223. I thought it would, which is the main reason I ordered .30 cal cans. I put my .45 ACP ammo that was in a plastic ammo can into another .30 cal can and filled the plastic can with Trioxane and Hexamine fuel tabs, a few fire starters, and a snuff tin full of Ohio Blue Tip matches, with strike patches glued onto it. Two of my Trioxane bars evaporated, leaving only a bit of dust in the foil packets. I tore open the sides and clamped each one in my vise, one at a time, and burned them up with my propane torch. The stuff didn't even want to burn, it was just the outer coating of the fuel tabs. They're 41 years old this year and it's a wonder they haven't all disintegrated from handling over multiple trips up north and back. If I don't cook with them this year I might start campfires with them to use them up. They were made by some Auto Skate company. I don't know what else they made but was picturing roller skates with little hot-rod engines on them. :D
https://www.cleanammocans.com/3-pack-50cal-m2a1-ammo-cans.html
https://www.cleanammocans.com/3-pack-m19a1-30cal-ammo-cans.html
https://www.cleanammocans.com/50-no-glue-stripper-clip-inserts.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsJ1urMODWs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0DbHB48gms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2AI8CDWryg
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USPS is delivering 100 more Thermold stripper clips today from UniqueTek. They have the best prices I've found. Once my clip loader gets here later this month, I can load them, and I'll be getting more of the cardboard sleeves to put them in. I think my M855/SS109 ammo will fit in a .30 cal can, and maybe the M193 will fit in a couple .50 cal cans.
https://uniquetek.com/shop/ols/categories/mag-loaders
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I figured out how to get 900 rounds of .223 in a .50 cal can that normally holds 840 rounds. I took 6 clips out of their cardboard inserts and dropped them between the first 2 rows of 9. Then I laid the last 10 down on top. 900 rounds of bulk ammo from Detroit Ammo Co. Loose Federal .223 Remington 150-Round Bulk Pack. This bulk pack contains mixed loose rounds primarily featuring 50gr Hollow Point (HP) projectiles. However, please note that: Mixed Grains & Bullet Types: While most rounds are 50gr HP, there may be other grain weights and bullet types included. They all looked the same to me so I bought more until I ended up with 900 rounds, 2+2+2 packages.
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Two, Full. Two Empty (except for cardboard).
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Two Big. ;) My 120mm can with a .50 cal can setting on top for scale. The lid has latches on both sides and no hinges, like several other extra-large ammo cans. I just tried jamming 3 long guns in it and gave up. Then I stuck my VRF-14 in, with my 12.7" AR with the stock folded, and my 10/22 with the stock folded. I had all 3 categories covered in one can -- rimfire, centerfire, and scattergun. I wouldn't store them that way, or transport them without individual cases, but it gave me an idea what would fit in it. Probably 2 of the guns in soft cases, but I didn't even try it. I plan on buying an enclosed trailer big enough to transport my ATV, but parking it at my friend's cabin to camp in. The 120mm ammo can will make great rodent-proof storage for anything I want to leave there.
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Subpart C—Definitions, Classification and Packaging for Class 1
§ 173.50 Class 1—Definitions.
(a) Explosive. For the purposes of this subchapter, an explosive means any substance or article, including a device, which is designed to function by explosion (i.e., an extremely rapid release of gas and heat) or which, by chemical reaction within itself, is able to function in a similar manner even if not designed to function by explosion, unless the substance or article is otherwise classed under the provisions of this subchapter. The term includes a pyrotechnic substance or article, unless the substance or article is otherwise classed under the provisions of this subchapter.
Division 1.2 consists of explosives that have a projection hazard but not a mass explosion hazard.
Compatibility group G
Pyrotechnic substance or article containing a pyrotechnic substance, or article containing both an explosive substance and an illuminating, incendiary, tear-producing or smoke-producing substance (other than a water-activated article or one containing white phosphorus, phosphide or flammable liquid or gel or hypergolic liquid)
The mortar rounds that previously occupied the can were Willie Pete white phosphorus smoke rounds, not the usual High Explosive rounds (or illumination rounds they fire at night). That's why the label is more like that on fireworks than a package of explosives. The mortar that shoots these rounds only weighs 319 pounds. The 4.2" (107mm) mortar it replaced weighed 672.25 pounds. Have I mentioned lately how much I hated working on it? :D
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Not a big ammo can person myself, but had an interesting thought. As I was scanning the forum I misread the title as CLEAR ammo cans. The reason I think I did that is I had just read an article on the quest to create clear drink cans.
Either would be interesting.
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Not a big ammo can person myself, but had an interesting thought. As I was scanning the forum I misread the title as CLEAR ammo cans. The reason I think I did that is I had just read an article on the quest to create clear drink cans.
Either would be interesting.
costco right now has some that are kind of milky but see through. they have sold the same thing in the past that was green and tan. they come 4 to a tray and have an oring seal. i have 6 sets of them. they are all full, not broke open any cased ammo yet.
here is what i bought when they were $20 https://www.costco.com/greenmade-store-all-storage-crate%2c-4-pack.product.4000068019.html
I cant find the clear ones on their site, but they are the same only clear, just a little bit milky. you would not be able to read a lable thru them, but you would be able to see colors and sizes to get an idea whats in them.
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Nothing beats steel at avoiding warpage, especially when the house is on fire. ;) Seriously though, I've seen plastic cans that when they're full of ammo deform so much from the weight when you pick them up, the middle of the lid lifts away from the body. Those with the tray look like they'd be really good for stacking, but I'm sticking with what I have decades of familiarity with.
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They hold 480 rounds of 556 just fine. Not really had anything heavier I have taken to the range.
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Not a big ammo can person myself, but had an interesting thought. As I was scanning the forum I misread the title as CLEAR ammo cans. The reason I think I did that is I had just read an article on the quest to create clear drink cans.
Either would be interesting.
Do I read the quest for transparent aluminum? Star Trek fans unite. The future is here. Now those whales can be brought home!
Trekies will understand.
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I finished putting my ammo in clips and filling the cans yesterday. I switched the contents of 2 of them and labelled them today. I decided to write on them with a paint pen. It's easy enough to edit without sanding down and repainting the cans.
The .30 cal cans are filled with .45 ACP ball ammo, ~2,000 rounds of .22 LR, and 5.56mm/.223 Rem. tracers and blanks. I have 30 blanks in clips in some of the boxes that used to have Israeli-made M193 ball ammo. It almost fits right and I have little piece of Scotch tape holding them shut. I flattened all of my empty boxes and threw them in the trash before I found another 18 blanks in clips, so I stuck them in a Ziploc bag with a plastic divider between them.
The .50 cal cans are filled with 900 rounds of M193 ball, 900 rounds of .223 50 gr. JHPs, Mil-Spec and PMC X-TAC M855 ball, plus 2 boxes of 62 gr. FMJs, and a variety of .223 Rem. and 5.56mm 55 gr. FMJ ammo, mostly PMC Bronze .223. The 5.56mm is in boxes so I don't get it mixed up with the .223. When I use some 5.56mm M193 ball from another can I can use that to top it off. The black can isn't labelled because it isn't all one thing.
I stacked the cans on the bedroom floor where I used to have empty clothes baskets setting. After I took all the pics, I decided I didn't like how the 2 .30 cal cans in a stack were leaning. So I took a .50 cal can off the stack and have 2 .30 cal cans on top of .50 cal cans, and one on the floor by itself. Everything looks nice and stable now.
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This is the plastic ammo can the bulk .45 ACP ammo came in. It's full of hexamine fuel tabs and military surplus trioxane tabs, for my "pocket" stoves. Plus Coghlan's Fire Sticks made of fiberboard and wax broken in half, Coghlan's Fire Lighters you can strike like a match, and a snuff tin full of matches. The snuff tin has a striking surface on the side and the bottom, and more striking material from a match box inside. This ammo can is mainly to hold the fuel tabs for my stove. The rest of my fire starters, ferro rod and steel, lighter, Pyro Putty, etc. are in a cardboard box with the stoves. Some Coghlan's Fire Sticks and Fire Lighters are in a Witz Camo Keep It Safe inside the "stove" box I can grab and take with me anywhere.
https://coghlans.com/products/fire-sticks-12-pack
https://coghlans.com/products/fire-lighters
https://witzsportcases.com/
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I put 4 trioaxane fuel bars in both of my large pocket stoves. They're big enough to lay 2 bars side by side and stack them 2 bars high. Since there were 8 bars fewer, I put all 4 of the remaining bars in 1 box which, normally holds 3 bars, and freed up a lot of room in the ammo can. Three of the bars were 1/3 gone, so all 4 = 3 bars. The box is bulged out in the middle, but it closed just like a normal box. I added 3 dozen Coghlan's Fire Sticks to go with 8 half sticks that were already in the box. And I added a container that's about half full of Pyro Putty. The Winter Blend is good for -20ºF to 70ºF, and feels greasy like Vaseline in Summer. The Summer Blend is good for 40ºF to 110ºF, and feels waxy in Winter. The Spring/Fall Blend, which used to be the Ulta-Light Blend, is pliable in most temperatures and good for most of the year. If you only buy 1 kind, that would be a good choice. It shines brightly under UV light and little blobs of it can be used as trail markers at night if you have a UV flashlight. It comes in single use packs, and so do the other blends. Now they make Pyro Putty All Season Fire Balls in a 30 pack Ziploc Bag. That's what I plan on getting the next time.
https://phoneskope.com/product/pyro-putty-allseason-fireballs-waterproof-fire-starter/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Htbj6zNdBSg