Organizing loaded cartridges

[AJC1]

To add, the MTMs stack nicely.
View attachment 1036139

I like the plastic bins and the steel. The plastic is nice because I dont also have to bag the ammo to prevent corrosion. The handles on the military cans are much better. A combination of both makes me happy.

 

[Charlie98]

Time is a funny thing. You spend hours yanking the handle to produce good quality ammos, but don't want to take a relative fraction of that time to organize it?

I've started using ammo cans for my bulk 9mm and 223, which I load several thousand rounds at a time in my Dillon. For everything else I don't load at enough of a volume to really care about taking the time to box it up. And to be honest, it's less about the time it takes, as it is about the added expense of dozens of extra ammo boxes.

That's kind of where I'm at. The majority of my handgun rounds go in 50rd boxes, but some, like my 9mm, just go into bigger plastic or cardboard boxes... I'm just going to dump it out on the tailgate or bench to load it into mags, anyway. Rifle ammo is a little different, because of what I shoot. I store some of my rifle range ammo in cardboard boxes, about 100-200rds each... it takes up much less space than the plastic boxes, and is largely unnecessary, but other rifle ammos get put in 50rd plastic boxes, or 100rd MTM boxes. Much of this is because of how I store my loaded ammos... limited space requires me to have it organized, and my OCD requires me to have it in like sized boxes or containers, not random bags or old coffee tubs, so I can keep track of quantities.

Recently, however, I have fallen in love with the small plastic 'ammo cans' available from MTM and the like, smaller, even, than the MTM's in KC's photo above, and a little smaller than a .30cal GI can. Those seem to be the Right Size for some bulk ammo, and aren't too heavy when loaded to capacity... because I don't inherently trust plastic boxes or latches. I have 1 as my range tool box, and 2 as bug out cans, loaded with ammo and magazines as appropriate.

 

[GW Staar]

I use plastic nut containers for brass and bullets.......and dutifully stack finished rounds into 25 and 50 factory or MTM boxes......but this thread is making me rethink that......Why not use the wide mouth nut boxes for finished ammo too? Anyone do that? We eat a lot of nuts for health....and I clean the empties and hoard them already....

Below is a bigger container that came with rice from the grocery store.....how many has your wife thrown out?....I've seen laundry product in bigger ones too.

 

[lightman]

I just take whatever time it takes to load my MTM boxes. I pick up 4 or 5 cartridges at a time and set them in the boxes. Its a sitting down job and its in the loading room. Win Win!!! I've gotten where if I buy new brass that I order enough MTM boxes to store them in at the same time. I probably should consider buying stock in MTM!

Back when I loaded and shot more I used ZipLoc bags in 50cal ammo cans.

Either way, there was a tag or label with the load info and date included.

 

[AJC1]

I think if were honest, not all ammunition is treated the same. We treat ammunition based on what we expect from it. If anyone has match 1000 yd loaded rounds tossed in a bulk can I would be very surprised. If someone had individual cases for steel 7.62×39 I would be equally surprised. There is a ton of middle ground that most would consider acceptable.

 

[bullseye308]

This is how I’m storing my 223 for my bolt rifle. I go to a tobacco shop and ask for empty cigar boxes and take them home and remove the stickers. They get whatever paint job I come up with at the time. Next I cut a piece of black walnut or cherry to snugly fit inside, determine the hole spacing for 50, 100, or 200 rounds depending on the size of the box. Drill appropriate sized holes, chamfer, then stain and or seal it. Place a couple pieces of double sided foam tape in the bottom, press in the block and add a piece of shipping foam inside the lid and it’s done.

 

[bcook4321]

Lots of great input. Thank you! I am surprised there isn’t a simple sorting tool out there for this, but it’s certainly not a critical thing, it seems like a lot of people prefer to just store bulk ammo I’m a bag or jar.

 

[cfullgraf]

I stopped using plastic ammo boxes eight or ten years ago. They are too inefficient on space.

I put ammo in ZipLoc bags then store them in ammo cans.

I prime off the press and use the primers to count the rounds. I put 50 or 100 primed cases in a bin and they stay together through the loading process until they are in the bag.

I generally use pint bags most if the time. Reload info is written on a card and placed in the bag. Then the bags can be re-used.

 

[AJC1]

I stopped using plastic ammo boxes eight or ten years ago. They are too inefficient on space.

I put ammo in ZipLoc bags then store them in ammo cans.

I prime off the press and use the primers to count the rounds. I put 50 or 100 primed cases in a bin and they stay together through the loading process until they are in the bag.

I generally use pint bags most if the time. Reload info is written on a card and placed in the bag. Then the bags can be re-used.

I only have one bulk load per caliber. Do you change because you ran out of a powder or just like different loads?

 

[kcofohio]

I use plastic nut containers for brass and bullets.......and dutifully stack finished rounds into 25 and 50 factory or MTM boxes......but this thread is making me rethink that......Why not use the wide mouth nut boxes for finished ammo too? Anyone do that? We eat a lot of nuts for health....and I clean the empties and hoard them already....
View attachment 1036152
Below is a bigger container that came with rice from the grocery store.....how many has your wife thrown out?....I've seen laundry product in bigger ones too.
View attachment 1036153

I can see where your canisters would make me want to eat after reloading.

 

[GravelRider]

I am fairly OCD and the idea of storing rounds in zip locks or other nonstandard containers just doesn't work for my brain!

My current storage/reloading area (in the middle of sorting brass by head stamp):

 

[Mark_Mark]

I am fairly OCD and the idea of storing rounds in zip locks or other nonstandard containers just doesn't work for my brain!

My current storage/reloading area (in the middle of sorting brass by head stamp):

View attachment 1036268

Jezz man! that’s very clean

 

[AJC1]

I am fairly OCD and the idea of storing rounds in zip locks or other nonstandard containers just doesn't work for my brain!

My current storage/reloading area (in the middle of sorting brass by head stamp):

View attachment 1036268

What no casting area.... rookie.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I stopped using plastic ammo boxes eight or ten years ago. They are too inefficient on space.

I put ammo in ZipLoc bags then store them in ammo cans.

I prime off the press and use the primers to count the rounds. I put 50 or 100 primed cases in a bin and they stay together through the loading process until they are in the bag.

I generally use pint bags most if the time. Reload info is written on a card and placed in the bag. Then the bags can be re-used.

I do something similar but with a Dymo label printer and address labels. I also use boxes for longer term storage and put the boxes in ammo carriers. Sometimes I use 12ga shotshell boxes and dump rounds in. It’s easier to not lose a box versus a baggie during reloads out where there are no benches or tables and the grass grows tall.

 

[whughett]

Midway and probably others sell foam tray cardboard Ammo boxes for a variety of calibers. Big blank white cardboard boxes. Write what ever on them, reuse for ever. For my self I’m not a fan of loose Ammo in plastic bags. I even got the dumb habit of putting the empties back into the same tray/box.

 

[Bosn Ski]

Someone sold a fork like device you scooped through a pile of loaded cartridges, picked them up in rows and let you slide them off into the box. Had one years ago but don't remember the maker. Box in fifteen seconds.

Interesting! Could you post a picture please? I use MTM boxes and this would come in handy. Thanks!

 

[Atavar]

I get these clear containers at Menards for less than $2 each. Very handy and I like some uniformity.
The milky tubs I got at Walmart for $20 the lot and was going to get more but they quit carrying them.

 

[cfullgraf]

I only have one bulk load per caliber. Do you change because you ran out of a powder or just like different loads?

I put a record card in each bag that includes the cartridge, date, lot number, powder charge, and bullet type and weight. I change loads on some cartridges and I have some cartridges that I have not changed loads in decades. Besides powder and bullet info, the label tells me when the rounds were reloaded. I use the lot number to link the ammo to any other testing that I do such as groups and velocity.

By including a record card with each bag of ammo, each bag of ammo is linked to other data and it takes the dreaded "assume" out of the equation.

I'm still old school and my reloading records are done on paper, but lots of folks use computer spreadsheets or data bases and much of the information to be stored can be saved in one place.

For the record card, I have used small printed label blanks where I fill in the information, but I usually cut a 3x5 index card into 4 or 5 strips and write the info on them. I've used the small Post-it-notes as well when I use boxes of some sort.

 

[cfullgraf]

Sometimes I use 12ga shotshell boxes and dump rounds in. It’s easier to not lose a box versus a baggie during reloads out where there are no benches or tables and the grass grows tall.

12 ga shot shell boxes are a good idea for collecting spent cases.

I have some small canvass type material bags for the purpose. They are available from several sources. I collect the spent cases and drop them and the empty ZipLoc bags in the canvass bags at the range. I have enough canvass bags that I do not have to mix cartridges at the range which I then have to sort later at home.

When I get home, I transfer the cases to Akro bins for storage until I begin the reloading process.

But, there are any number of ways to skin this cat, so the system that works for you is the best.

 

[Akula69]

We have cats....so we also have 40lb plastic cat litter cannisters. I can get about 5K pistol cases in each, or about 4K rifle. Throw in about 6 desiccant packs and they are good to go. They stack well and have a sturdy handle and, at the rate our cats, uh...go, I have more cannisters then I can use.

Best part? The Glade-scented litter makes the cases smell....nice?

 

[bullseye308]

Someone sold a fork like device you scooped through a pile of loaded cartridges, picked them up in rows and let you slide them off into the box. Had one years ago but don't remember the maker. Box in fifteen seconds.

I’m no metal worker, and don’t have any thin enough to try this with, but I’m sure you could find someone locally through Craigslist or similar to make it. This should work for scooping them out of an ammo can to load mtm boxes. I have some 1/8” polycarbonate and tried it and it mostly works, but steel or possibly aluminum would work much better.

 

[Akula69]

Loaded range cartridges in 1K quantities get placed in a small plastic (non-biodegradable) garbage bag inserted into an 8x8 cardboard box with 6 desiccant packs and sealed with a zip tie, then the box is sealed on all seams with box tape. Load label is taped to the outside top and two sides.

Loaded three gun competition cartridges get stored in a factory box for that caliber, with a load label taped to the outside

 

[Varminterror]

How are you loading the ammo? Are you autokicking out of a progressive press (or LCT), or handling the finished round out of the press after seating? If handling out of the press, obviously box it at the time of seating. If autokicking, then you could pretty easily develop either a gravity or motorized cartridge collator to align cases, then have them roll or gravity feed into a box feeder.

Or just store them loose bulk packed in bags. That can work too.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

How are you loading the ammo? Are you autokicking out of a progressive press (or LCT), or handling the finished round out of the press after seating? If handling out of the press, obviously box it at the time of seating. If autokicking, then you could pretty easily develop either a gravity or motorized cartridge collator to align cases, then have them roll or gravity feed into a box feeder.

Or just store them loose bulk packed in bags. That can work too.

Aha!
If you don’t write to Dillan suggesting a collator/boxer as their next accessory, I will steal that idea straight from you.

 

[Akula69]

How are you loading the ammo? Are you autokicking out of a progressive press (or LCT), or handling the finished round out of the press after seating? If handling out of the press, obviously box it at the time of seating. If autokicking, then you could pretty easily develop either a gravity or motorized cartridge collator to align cases, then have them roll or gravity feed into a box feeder.

Or just store them loose bulk packed in bags. That can work too.

In my case, once the press is dialed in and the quality of the rounds are confirmed, the range rounds are dropped (autokicked?) out of the progressive into the storage box. Once the count reaches 1K (or close to) it gets the desiccant and sealed. The competition rounds are hand loaded into the boxes from the collection bin.