Scout21
Member
Can't find any figures online, so I'm asking here. Numbers for thirty or fifty cal cans would be appreciated.
How much loose .30 carbine fits into a surplus ammo can?
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BigBlue 94
Member
A 30 cal ammo can will hold 420 rounds of 7 62x39 packed in boxes... Thats the only reference i have
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Ive got 750 rounds of boxed S&B .30 Carb. pretty tightly packed in a .50 can right now. S&B boxes dont have any dividers, so not a lot of wasted space there. Minus the packaging, I would have to think 900-ish would be doable.
Just4FunOldGuns
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1080 on stripper clips with bandoliers, so figure 1250-1300 loose packed? Looks like a 50 cal. can.
https://mcclainammunition.com/product/30-carbine-surplus-ammo/
https://mcclainammunition.com/product/30-carbine-surplus-ammo/
BigBlue 94
Member
But you would need to calculus the dead space between round shapes too... And thats too much math for me!This is were calculus would be useful. Determine the volume of a single 30 cal round and then the volume of the can (non calculus)
I seem to remember something with a Grecian Urn,
View attachment 1078940
GBExpat
Member
I recall buying several thousands of .30Carbine reloads from GIBrass ~15 years ago. The old memory tells me that they came, loose in a plastic bag, 1500 per .50can. I have at least one (and I am pretty sure on having 2) untouched can down in the bunker ... I'll go now and see if I can find it so I can look inside.
********* Final Jeopardy Music ********
WHEW! I have WAY too much ammo
and those filled .50cal cans get heavier with every year that passes.
The 1500 bagged, loose .30Carbine cartridges come to within about an inch of the inside top of the USGI .50cal ammo can. You could probably get a few hundred more in if you wished to really PACK it.
HTH
********* Final Jeopardy Music ********
WHEW! I have WAY too much ammo
and those filled .50cal cans get heavier with every year that passes. The 1500 bagged, loose .30Carbine cartridges come to within about an inch of the inside top of the USGI .50cal ammo can. You could probably get a few hundred more in if you wished to really PACK it.
HTH
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Geez...1500 in a .50 can is dense! My shoulder hurts just thinking about humping that up out of the basement......I recall buying several thousands of .30Carbine reloads from GIBrass ~15 years ago. The old memory tells me that they came, loose in a plastic bag, 1500 per .50can. I have at least one (and I am pretty sure on having 2) untouched can down in the bunker ... I'll go now and see if I can find it so I can look inside.
********* Final Jeopardy Music ********
WHEW! I have WAY too much ammo
The 1500 bagged, loose .30Carbine cartridges come to within about an inch of the inside top of the USGI .50cal ammo can. You could probably get a few hundred more in if you wished to really PACK it.
HTH
OP
OP
Scout21
Member
Just what I'm looking for, thank you very much!I recall buying several thousands of .30Carbine reloads from GIBrass ~15 years ago. The old memory tells me that they came, loose in a plastic bag, 1500 per .50can. I have at least one (and I am pretty sure on having 2) untouched can down in the bunker ... I'll go now and see if I can find it so I can look inside.
********* Final Jeopardy Music ********
WHEW! I have WAY too much ammo
The 1500 bagged, loose .30Carbine cartridges come to within about an inch of the inside top of the USGI .50cal ammo can. You could probably get a few hundred more in if you wished to really PACK it.
HTH
GBExpat
Member
Tell me about it ... bloody thing was on the bottom of the stack (wouldntchaknow) so I first had to remove the top cans before pulling that one out. Felt like it was bolted down.Geez...1500 in a .50 can is dense! My shoulder hurts just thinking about humping that up out of the basement......
==== [ EDIT ]====
I found that second can among the pile of cans/cases in the back room. Opened it and the bagged 1500 .30carbine cartridges fill the can just the same.
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375supermag
Member
Geez...1500 in a .50 can is dense! My shoulder hurts just thinking about humping that up out of the basement......
That is why I let my 28 yr old son carry the ammo cans when we make trips to the gun club. Most trips we take 8-9 .30cal cans filled with loose handgun rounds...one caliber per can. We usually spend several hours at the club and he considers it a failed trip if we don't at least half empty the cans.
When I go by myself I usually take no more than 50 or 100 rounds per handgun and 20 per rifle
$3.25 AN HOUR.This is were calculus would be useful. Determine the volume of a single 30 cal round and then the volume of the can (non calculus)
I seem to remember something with a Grecian Urn,
View attachment 1078940
CapnMac
Member
Will be about a thousand in very round numbers. There are tow basic sizes of cal..30 cans, and at least three of cal..50 cans. A "fat fifty" might get close to 1100, and a "skinny thirty" perhaps 850 or 900.
Thirty cal can meant to hold 85mm long M2 ammo, so the 43mm long carbine ammo is going to only fit "sloppy."
50bmg is like 139mm, so, one could suppose stacking ammo nose-to-nose-to-nose and then in layers, but that will go sloppy eventually (and who would have the time to do that much fiddlework?
Thirty cal can meant to hold 85mm long M2 ammo, so the 43mm long carbine ammo is going to only fit "sloppy."
50bmg is like 139mm, so, one could suppose stacking ammo nose-to-nose-to-nose and then in layers, but that will go sloppy eventually (and who would have the time to do that much fiddlework?
Archie
Member
Easier than calculus or counting. However, it does take some special equipment - a postal scale which will weight up to fifty pounds.
1. Weigh the loaded - full of rounds - ammo can. Note the weight.
2. Empty the can and weigh the empty can. Subtract the empty ammo can from the full can. This will give you the weight of the rounds.
3. Weigh 10 random loaded rounds (as a group, but no container or anything). Divide that weight by 10 to get an average of a single round.
4. Divide the weight of total rounds (from 2.) by the average weight of one round (3.) The quotient will be the number of rounds within one or two rounds.
A bathroom scale is not sensitive enough. A reloading scale doesn't have the capacity.
1. Weigh the loaded - full of rounds - ammo can. Note the weight.
2. Empty the can and weigh the empty can. Subtract the empty ammo can from the full can. This will give you the weight of the rounds.
3. Weigh 10 random loaded rounds (as a group, but no container or anything). Divide that weight by 10 to get an average of a single round.
4. Divide the weight of total rounds (from 2.) by the average weight of one round (3.) The quotient will be the number of rounds within one or two rounds.
A bathroom scale is not sensitive enough. A reloading scale doesn't have the capacity.
Ironicaintit
Member
It can hold enough to convince me to use 30cal cans instead
sevt_chevelle
Member
A 50 cal can will hold about 2400 rds of loose 9mm, it's heavy enough that I won't make that mistake again.
A 30 cal of 9mm fits 1k almost to the top and doesn't break my back picking it up.
A 30 cal will also do roughly 700 rds of 223.
A 30 cal of 9mm fits 1k almost to the top and doesn't break my back picking it up.
A 30 cal will also do roughly 700 rds of 223.
Archie
Member
I found that out the hard way as well.
BushMaster-15
member
A M19A1 aka 7.62X51mm M80 #200 round 30 can ,will hold 1K 9mm with approximately 1.5" left leveled out . Don't have .30 carbine .
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