When you get into shooting one of the things you have to think about is ammo storage and ammo transport. Before I started shooting more than once or twice a year on my own I would just head to the store buy the ammo I wanted to shoot and keep it in the store bag until I got to the range.
LEFTOVER LOOSE AMMO
If I didn’t shoot up all my ammo, the leftover loose ammo would just get thrown in my range bag and I’d be on my merry way. Now that I shoot more, I have bulk ammo that I buy months before a range day and keep it locked up in storage until I need it.
I have seen people use everything from plastic bags to cardboard boxes to ammo cans to 10 gallon Rubbermaid containers filled with loose .223 as storage. But in my opinion, one of the best and most common loose ammo containers is the ammo can.
ARMY SURPLUS STORES
Army surplus stores use to sell them on the cheap for under $5 for a .50 BMG can. Not to depress anyone reading this but 10 years ago when wolf ammo was $45 for 500 rounds of 7.62x39mm they even sold them to you in .30 caliber ammo cans.
Now we are seeing them for about $10-$20 per can for metal or plastic cans.
PROS AND CONS
There are two types of cans. The metal “Army Surplus” cans and the plastic ammo storage cans. Both have their place but they also have their own downfalls.
When we started Gearsofguns.com we were using the plastic cans which worked fine for a few months but the weight would get to them and break the handles. I switched over to the metal cans which are clearly harder to “break”. I like the plastics for the simple reason that they can’t rust or corrode and destroy the ammo. So, as I said each has its pros and cons.
MOISTURE CONTROL
If you are looking at ammo storage and thinking about ammo cans something you need to be mindful of is moisture. I have parents who take vitamins and most of the vitamins come with little desiccant packs. I have asked them to save them for me. You can fill your ammo cans with about 1 or 2 boxes of ammo and throw in one or two desiccant packs between the layers of ammo to keep your ammo dry and fresh.
If you are more of the hobby type you can go to your local hobby store and pick up silica gel beads used for drying flowers. Fill coffee filters with the silica gel with just enough to be able to close and staple the filler shut. Just keep one on top of your ammo under the sealed lid.
