No More Ammo Cans? - The Firearms Forum

gaowlpoop · 02-14-2009, 04:44 PM

I read someplace that the military was no longer going to use the old metal ammo cans. Can anyone confirm this? If the cans are not going to be used any more, what is going to be used?

Mosin_Nagant_Fan · 02-14-2009, 04:52 PM

I've seen some plastic or polymer-like ammo cans floating around.

armedandsafe · 02-14-2009, 08:33 PM

There are a number of manufacturers making replicas. It will not surprise me to see the old metal ones disappear, sooner or later. The newer plastic ones are strong enough, cheaper and weigh less. (That is, they are cheaper for .gov, but not for us peons.

)

Pops

Mosin_Nagant_Fan · 02-14-2009, 09:04 PM

I have two metal ones, one fairly old, probably a mid-late Vietnam War can (was rusty in a few places, which I cleaned as well as I could, then primed and painted it gold, and another, newer, one, probably Desert Storm or Desert Fox (had a bullet outdent and, I think, said 7.62 (didn't say 5.56 or .50) and looked pretty clean, before I repainted it cameo).

I kinda want a plastic one to put some of my shooting gear, the metal ones I keep ammo and clips.

Shellback · 02-14-2009, 09:43 PM

UV rays will break down plastics, I like the old steel ones.
Tim

1shot1k · 02-15-2009, 12:27 AM

Thersa lot of good buys on cans now and the lock kits
for em if you want...to stock up

There IS planning concerning future non issue or order of GOV Ammunition via encased in Metal cans as type we are familiar with...however I cannot talk about this contingency at this time......

Mosin_Nagant_Fan · 02-15-2009, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shellback

UV rays will break down plastics, I like the old steel ones.
Tim

UV rays can break down anything, with time. Nothing lasts forever.

GMFWoodchuck · 02-15-2009, 08:07 AM

They will always have something to carry ammo with. Just not metal anymore. No biggie. Metal, plastic, keflar, whatever. A box is a box. I don't imagine that the metal ones will disappear. We can still find springfield and krag rifles that haven't been made for a 100 years. I can't imagine metal cases produced in the hudreds of millions will disappear any time soon.

Mosin_Nagant_Fan · 02-15-2009, 08:23 AM

Just depends on how many aren't half ar**d rusted to unusable or used in geocaching.

Shellback · 02-15-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mosin_Nagant_Fan

UV rays can break down anything, with time. Nothing lasts forever.

Not everything, not metal.
Tim

delta13soultaker · 02-15-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gaowlpoop

I read someplace that the military was no longer going to use the old metal ammo cans. Can anyone confirm this? If the cans are not going to be used any more, what is going to be used?

Which branch? Each one does things different.

Just speaking for the Army, 5.56mm ball in cardboard 1,800 rnd case with 2 x 900 rnd cardboard boxes full of little boxes of 3 x 10 rnd stripper clips have been the norm for several years. It's been a long time since I've seen ammo cans with 180 rnd bandoleers turn up in much quantity, but they do still show up. So I would probably say for rifle ammo, yeah looks like we stopped doing the ammo can thing. (The only negative impact I see from that though is the bandoleers came with the little metal speed loaders but the carboard boxes don't. Rain/moisture doesn't hurt the cardboard in storage/transport because each case is sealed in plastic wrap.)

Now, be advised I didn't say 5.56mm ball in ammo cans/bandoleers is all gone. I'm convinced that so much was made and is stored by the US Army around the world that it will be around way after our time is passed. The reason I say that is even now occasionally in training we get ammo drops that contain M193 with crates dated in the 1970's...as late as 2008. (That's just the US...no telling what our allies have warehoused around the globe.)

5.56mm linked (200 rnd SAW drums), 7.62mm linked, .50 BMG linked, 9mm ball and tracer, M127 flares, 40mm Mk19, 25mm linked...all still show up in both new or reused ammo cans.

I'm betting ammo cans will still be around after we are long gone to the big shooting bench in the sky.

Mosin_Nagant_Fan · 02-15-2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shellback

Not everything, not metal.
Tim

Probably not, but my last statement is true, nothing lasts forever. Steel can rust away, if allowed to. Even if it lasted for billions of years it'll still be destroyed by our star's supernova death.

graehaven · 02-15-2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mosin_Nagant_Fan

Probably not, but my last statement is true, nothing lasts forever. Steel can rust away, if allowed to. Even if it lasted for billions of years it'll still be destroyed by our star's supernova death.

That would be, like, the ULTIMATE Global Warming fiasco.

Mosin_Nagant_Fan · 02-15-2009, 05:53 PM

And the Dems would blame it on poor little ol' us.

Brian48 · 02-15-2009, 09:09 PM

I still got about 4 of them laying around. When I got of the USMC, I think I walked off with about 10 or so. Gave them out to anyone who wanted them. I was shocked that for the most part, these boxes are discarded once the munitions has been expended. They're ususually used to store all the spent brass that's picked up after whatever exercise has completed and just chucked.

02-14-2009, 04:44 PM	#1
gaowlpoop V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 162	No More Ammo Cans? I read someplace that the military was no longer going to use the old metal ammo cans. Can anyone confirm this? If the cans are not going to be used any more, what is going to be used? __________________ Steven The "news media" has ceased being the watch dog of the people and has become the apologist for an irresponsible government. -->

02-14-2009, 04:52 PM	#2
Mosin_Nagant_Fan Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Montgomery, AL Posts: 1,833	Re: No More Ammo Cans? I've seen some plastic or polymer-like ammo cans floating around. __________________ Long Gun Collection: M38 Mosin-Nagant Carbine Russian 1950 SKS Winchester 1300 20Ga Western Field Single-Shot 16Ga Sears Ranger .22S-L-LR Bolt-Action Rifle Marlin 795 Semi-Auto (Brother's) Handgun Collection: Springfield Armory XD9 Service

02-14-2009, 08:33 PM	#3
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: No More Ammo Cans? There are a number of manufacturers making replicas. It will not surprise me to see the old metal ones disappear, sooner or later. The newer plastic ones are strong enough, cheaper and weigh less. (That is, they are cheaper for .gov, but not for us peons. ) Pops

02-14-2009, 09:04 PM	#4
Mosin_Nagant_Fan Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Montgomery, AL Posts: 1,833	Re: No More Ammo Cans? I have two metal ones, one fairly old, probably a mid-late Vietnam War can (was rusty in a few places, which I cleaned as well as I could, then primed and painted it gold, and another, newer, one, probably Desert Storm or Desert Fox (had a bullet outdent and, I think, said 7.62 (didn't say 5.56 or .50) and looked pretty clean, before I repainted it cameo). I kinda want a plastic one to put some of my shooting gear, the metal ones I keep ammo and clips. __________________ Long Gun Collection: M38 Mosin-Nagant Carbine Russian 1950 SKS Winchester 1300 20Ga Western Field Single-Shot 16Ga Sears Ranger .22S-L-LR Bolt-Action Rifle Marlin 795 Semi-Auto (Brother's) Handgun Collection: Springfield Armory XD9 Service

02-14-2009, 09:43 PM	#5
Shellback Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Broken Arrow Ok Posts: 950	Re: No More Ammo Cans? UV rays will break down plastics, I like the old steel ones. Tim __________________ The Plumber Protects The Health of the Nation New World Order never, Sovreignty Forever

02-15-2009, 12:27 AM	#6
1shot1k Former Guest Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 904	Re: No More Ammo Cans? Thersa lot of good buys on cans now and the lock kits for em if you want...to stock up There IS planning concerning future non issue or order of GOV Ammunition via encased in Metal cans as type we are familiar with...however I cannot talk about this contingency at this time......

02-15-2009, 08:07 AM	#8
GMFWoodchuck Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Binghamton, NY Posts: 1,369	Re: No More Ammo Cans? They will always have something to carry ammo with. Just not metal anymore. No biggie. Metal, plastic, keflar, whatever. A box is a box. I don't imagine that the metal ones will disappear. We can still find springfield and krag rifles that haven't been made for a 100 years. I can't imagine metal cases produced in the hudreds of millions will disappear any time soon.

02-15-2009, 08:23 AM	#9
Mosin_Nagant_Fan Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Montgomery, AL Posts: 1,833	Re: No More Ammo Cans? Just depends on how many aren't half ar**d rusted to unusable or used in geocaching. __________________ Long Gun Collection: M38 Mosin-Nagant Carbine Russian 1950 SKS Winchester 1300 20Ga Western Field Single-Shot 16Ga Sears Ranger .22S-L-LR Bolt-Action Rifle Marlin 795 Semi-Auto (Brother's) Handgun Collection: Springfield Armory XD9 Service

02-15-2009, 05:53 PM	#14
Mosin_Nagant_Fan Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Montgomery, AL Posts: 1,833	Re: No More Ammo Cans? And the Dems would blame it on poor little ol' us. __________________ Long Gun Collection: M38 Mosin-Nagant Carbine Russian 1950 SKS Winchester 1300 20Ga Western Field Single-Shot 16Ga Sears Ranger .22S-L-LR Bolt-Action Rifle Marlin 795 Semi-Auto (Brother's) Handgun Collection: Springfield Armory XD9 Service

02-15-2009, 09:09 PM	#15
Brian48 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 133	Re: No More Ammo Cans? I still got about 4 of them laying around. When I got of the USMC, I think I walked off with about 10 or so. Gave them out to anyone who wanted them. I was shocked that for the most part, these boxes are discarded once the munitions has been expended. They're ususually used to store all the spent brass that's picked up after whatever exercise has completed and just chucked.