1000 rounds

[mcmurry]

So for the first time, I've bought a thousand round case lot of .223 Federal American Eagle rifle cartridges. This appears to be brass cases so I'll presume they're re-loadable? And dummy me, I didn't know it would be individual shells in a large bag. What's the easiest way to store loose shells? I've heard a lot about mag springs going bad over time. I suppose if I wanted to box them up, then I have to buy those plastic shell boxes? Thanks.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

The easiest way is 30 ga ammo cans. Dump in until full. Use as many as needed.

I’ve heard both pros and cons on the mag spring. It seems use is more a factor than loaded, but that’s based on what I’ve read. I leave a few loaded and the rest unloaded. Get some extra springs and all is good.

The plastic boxes are nice and I use them for my reloads as I label the box so I know the load info, the date loaded etc.
But for factory bulk ammo they can get expensive fast. And they take up a bunch of space.

 

[OARNGESI]

10 ziplock freezer bags with a hundred rounds each

 

[Telekinesis]

Modern Springs wear out with use, not by just being compressed, so load up your mags and they should be fine.

I generally store my bulk ammo in either ammo cans or the boxes they came in. Like Hokie-PhD said, buying ammo boxes for bulk ammo gets expensive fast. I also find it's easier to load mags from loose rounds rather than dealing with boxes.

 

[Reloadron]

You can buy cardboard 20 round ammo boxes and on average 28 Boxes (840 Rounds) fit a .50 Caliber Ammo Can. You can get fancy and go with plastic 50 or 100 round boxes. Personally I just leave 1,000 rounds in an ammo can loose pack. I toss in a silica desiccant bag and throw on a shelf. Works for me. Then if I want to take maybe a few hundred to the range I move them to plastic 50 round boxes. Whatever trips your trigger but for bulk ammunition I do not treat it the same way I treat stuff I hand load for match shooting. A Google of cardboard ammo boxes will get you started. Again, for bulk ammo I really see no need.

Ron

 

[Browning]

Ammo cans




It helps if you label them and you can see what you actually have.

 

[Walkalong]

Another vote for ammo cans.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I like having my ammo in factory boxes so, when I buy by the thousand I make sure that it is not loose pack. It just makes it easy to keep count.
Don’t worry about the springs in your mags, they can stay loaded for a long time. I keep about 3 or 4 loaded all the time. It’s not like I’m gonna be going to war any time soon. The rest stay empty.
Ammo cans are the best for long term storage and labeling them help.

 

[1911 guy]

Yep. Ammo cans. Used cans work great, just make sure the seals are good.

 

[caribou]

Ammo cans......

Some folks throw in a bag of desiccant, if your in a very humid place, and dont know how long it'll take to shoot em....stores for years that way, oh ya, and if the gasket seal is OK on your can, and they generally are, just have a look first.

 

[Valkman]

Ammo can/s I live in the desert so no dessicant here and the ammo will last a long time.

 

[Snowdog]

https://www.brassworldeshop.com/repackammoboxes.aspx



I've been using these for 9mm, .40S&W, .38special/.357 magnum and 10mm.
They're far cheaper than reusable plastic boxes (these too are reusable if you don't tear it open at the range like a savage). It's also more convenient if you need to give a buddy some ammunition as you don't need to pester them to return your plastic box.

I've purchased some adhesive printing labels and a stamp kit to both seal the boxes and identify them for later use, listing the load date and load/component data.
They keep everything nice and tidy while providing a somewhat commercial/professional look (better than loose packed in sandwich bags without a doubt).

The website will show how to pack these in a standard .50 caliber ammo can to fit 840 rounds.

 

[Walkalong]

It's also more convenient if you need to give a buddy some ammunition as you don't need to pester them to return your plastic box.

Amen to that.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I usually put .223 reloads in cole slaw tubs or similar tupperware tubs and then store those in ammo cans.
A tub holds about 120 rounds - about right for a grab-and-go.
I don't like loose rounds rattling around with heavy weights on top of them.

 

[JONWILL]

Ammo cans......

Some folks throw in a bag of desiccant, if your in a very humid place, and dont know how long it'll take to shoot em....stores for years that way, oh ya, and if the gasket seal is OK on your can, and they generally are, just have a look first.

FYI. Yes you can reload them.

You can also reload steel case ammo as long as it is boxer primed. Just once though.

 

[GBExpat]

So for the first time, I've bought a thousand round case lot of .223 Federal American Eagle rifle cartridges.

Good for you! Reading that made me smile because almost exactly 30 years ago I took the same step (buying the same type of ammo, btw) and I found it to be ... liberating.

 

[mcmurry]

Thanks!

 

[BSA1]

We are on a roll here....

Military surplus ammo can.

The MTM plastic ammo box take up too room for long term storage. I only use them for taking my reloads to the range.

p.s I brought 5 ammo cans at a gunshow this past weekend but I still have a long way to go to catch up with GunnyUSMC.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

We are on a roll here....

Military surplus ammo can.

The MTM plastic ammo box take up too room for long term storage. I only use them for taking my reloads to the range.

p.s I brought 5 ammo cans at a gunshow this past weekend but I still have a long way to go to catch up with GunnyUSMC.

I'm always adding more cans, Last month I got in 13,500 rounds of 22 lr. I had to buy some more ammo cans to put them in.
Here is a great buy. 1000 rounds of PPU 5.56 in boxes, packed in an ammo can, shipped to your door for $320.
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/prv...bulk-1000-rounds-ammo-can-pp52mc-p-59070.aspx

 

[GBExpat]

I'm always adding more cans,

I forced myself to to stop at a little more than 100. 50 of those (35 .50cal/15 .30cal) are on a shelf under my original 8' gun bench. The extra weight helps to make that bench very stable but it can be a strain trying to lift out some of those loaded .50cal ammo cans.

Since ceasing my ammocan purchases, I just take care to root around in my ammocans for any open stock to use prior to opening any of my sealed cases or battle packs.

 

[Sniper66]

The ammo cans are hard to beat. For a lot of my stuff, mostly empty cartridges in the process of being reloaded, I went to Containers-N-More and picked up a dozen or so durable plastic containers, 6" square and 4" deep. Clear plastic allows me to see what's inside. I either label it with a sharpie or drop a note inside. They can be had in any size, stack easily, and wear like iron. I have used some for ammo storage. Catch them on the right day and they are cheap.

 

[GBExpat]

I have found the reusable plastic tubs (like the ones that pre-packaged, sliced meat/pot salad/etc come in at the grocery store) to be very handy when cranking out quantities of pistol cartridges.

As Sniper66 mentioned, the clear plastic makes it easy to see what they contain. I usually add a heavy ziplock bag to actually contain the ammo and then the bag goes in the tub.

===

EDIT:

At one point 10-12 years ago I bought a dozen of the large (~15"x13"x9") opaque-plastic ammocan-esque (IIRC, they are labeled as being Ammo Cans) Contico boxes (closeout sale ) but I ended up using them to help me to sort/store much of my magazines accumulation.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I reuse the plastic containers that I get.
I have a lot of flip-top baby formula to go with 3lb coffee cans.

 

[SamT1]

I like 30 cal cans with a Dessicant pack. You can buy the dessicant packs cheap off amazon.

I also use little jewelry boxes from this stuff the wife sales. I just turn them inside out so they are white and they stack nicely in an ammo can. They hold like 57 223 so that’s all but 2 Mags worth.

 

[GBExpat]

<sigh> Poor drive-by math skillz ...

Lesson Learn: Always put on the reading glasses ... that 57 looked like an 87. Time to increase the diopter at bit and make an appointment.