Bullet boxes?

[currahee1911]

Howdy,
Back in the day before I came here, I would get bullets in thick cardboard boxes from various manufacturers. Would be nice to have some for storage. Any idea where these can be bought>

Thanks for any help.

C. :)

[ku4hx]

I know exactly what you mean, but the last time I saw any was the mid '90s or so. Georgia Arms sold their cast boolits in them at gun shows.

Today I use 40 oz. peanut butter jars and coffee creamer jugs for cast boolits and mechanic tools bags for loaded rounds. I also use milsurp ammo cans but the bags are cheaper, heavy duty and will reliably handle more loaded rounds than I can comfortably carry when completely full.

http://www.thefind.com/apparel/info-black-mechanics-tool-bag

Some are better quality than others and I favor the ones with large brass zippers. Prices can vary wildly for the same exact bag.

[MT Gianni]

I keep my bullets in quart zip locks with the date, alloy and hardness on a piece of paper in the bag. If lubed the lube is written also. They go in an old USPS flate rate box per caliber. I store them in a basement that is heated to 68 in the winter and doesn't get over 75 in the summer.

[geargnasher]

JD Gabbard has a thread here somewhere on patterns for making boolit storage boxes, might be worth a look up.

I use cigar boxes and layer with spacers made of waxed backer board.

Gear

[fatelk]

http://www.uline.com/BL_1351/Indestructo-Mailers

We use these at work. Uline is a great company- super fast.

[fredj338]

http://www.uline.com/BL_1351/Indestructo-Mailers

We use these at work. Uline is a great company- super fast.

^^THIS^^ They have all kinds of sizes & various box closures. You have to buy like 50 toget a decent price w/ shipping, but better tyhan buying the cheap light cardboard ones form Midway.

[wcp4570]

Currahee1911
Here is a link for a neat online application to create your own box of any size. I've made a few to store 100 sized and lubed boolits ready for loading using this link.

http://www.cpforbes.net/tuckbox/

Found that it was just too much trouble to make boxes and just went back to my old reliable peanut butter jar as shown by ku4hx. They cost nothing (if you eat peanut butter) keeps contents safe if dropped, keep boolits clean, you can instantly see what you have and don't weigh that much even for a full jar of your favorite boolit. I also found a Pizza place that place out back of their business 1 gallon glass jars and plastic jars with lids for anyone that wants to take them. Word is getting around and they are harder to catch any free containers now. I use the gallon plastic jars for cleaned brass for the same reason I use PB jars for boolits. Here are 80 pounds of lee 120TC 9mm boolits recently cast.

wcp

[John Boy]

http://www.midwayusa.com/Find?userSearchQuery=card+board+ammo+boxes

[Harter66]

I use miricle whip jars mostly . The USPS FRB sound good too.

[376Steyr]

I bought a 100-pack of 5x5x5 cardboard mailing boxes at Staples.com at a reasonable cost. You can get a LOT of bullets into a 5x5x5 box. If you go this route, you might want to get the next size down. Some self-adhesive mailing labels are good for recording your information on, and lots of clear mailing tape will make a storage container that will survive multiple uses and much moving about. Downside is you can't see what's in the box, but that's what the label is for.

[Cherokee]

I have enough of the old commercial CB boxes to use for myself, plus boxes from stuff my wife buys. They are similar to the ULINE boxes in the above link and will last a long time. If I did not have the boxes, ULINE would be on my list.

[**oneshot**]

I found the dollar store storage boxes to work great. I got the ones with the locking lid. So far so good. The only thing I added is cardboard between the layers.

[williamwaco]

There are many sources.

Google

cardboard boxes

chip board boxes.

I personally prefer the chipboard but the cardboard are stronger.


.

[hydraulic]

Velveta chees boxes.

[41mag]

Well several years ago I purchased a bunch of the white boxes from Midway while they were on sale to put up a bunch of M1 Carbine rounds. They will hold around 100 or so of the Lee 452-300 Rf's.

Besides those which I know are a bit more pricey now than when I picked mine up, I have the Warehouse fellow set me aside some boxes we get instrumentation components in. They are what I use for bulk pours. They run 6x6x3" tall and are very good for about 2 full pots from my Lee 4-20.

Then I also have some of the following which I kept back when the wife was having to do allergy shots,
Mailmaster - Item: P46 (https://www.masonbox.com/welcome/product/307)
This is only one size of plenty, and the price for the boxes aren't too awful depending on if you can split them up with a friend. This particular type has the little wire loops on the ends which alloy you to secure the lids.

Here is the main product page,
Mailmaster Products (https://www.masonbox.com/welcome/line/50)

They are great for general storage of dies, molds, and lots of other things besides boolits too. The only drawback, like the others mentioned above if the minimum quantity.

[Junior1942]

http://www.uline.com/BL_1351/Indestructo-Mailers

We use these at work. Uline is a great company- super fast. While you're at uline ordering cardboard boxes, order some of the best labels I've ever used. They're great address labels--won't come off easily--and are useful for labeling powder cans, die boxes, loaded round boxes, etc., around the reloading bench. I use 2"x3" bright yellow for mailing, and I cut strips off one for making smaller labels. They stick!

See http://www.uline.com/BL_1224/Inventory-Control-Label

PS: I don't know if flat-sheet Avery or regular roll labels are cheaper than the above uline labels, and I don't care. The uline labels are so much better I'd use them if the others were free.

[softpoint]

I use the tins that are sold to put cookies and candy in (mostly at Christmas) They come in different sizes, have metal lids, and I stack bullets in them in layers, separated by a sheet of wax paper cut to size. I have thousands stored this way, already lubed with Felix lube and sized[smilie=s:

[DHurtig]

My favorite has always been " Chinese Tupperware ". You know, the plastic containers that Chinese restaurants use for take out soup. You can see through them, they're very durable and they are airtight. For left overs, they are better than anything you can buy. Only one size lid because they are all the same diameter and they all stack neatly when empty.

I also like the boxes that opticians get eye glasses in. They're pretty durable and maybe a bit big for bullets, but they are free. I make and sell predator calls and old style wooden fishing lures and these boxes are the perfect size for mailing these smaller items in. Dale

[ku4hx]

My favorite has always been " Chinese Tupperware "

Ah-yep. Cheap, work well and last a long time. If I didn't like peanut butter so much I'd use these almost exclusively.

Where we get Chinese takeout, entrees come in rather shallow round and rectangular covered plastic containers. Pretty heavy plastic, too shallow for storage maybe, but great for holding a quantity of boolits and cases while loading. Each reliably holds about 500 boolits or cases (depending on caliber of course) but that's about all my back can stand at one time anyway.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

If you can stand the initial hit, the plastic 50 and 100 round boxes Dillon (and others) sell are a lifetime solution.

I have only been able to break one, and it cost me three cracked ribs! Fell off a ladder stuffing stuff in the attic, and landed flat on my left side on top of the full box. Broke the hings, and really hurt my feelings (and the ribs).

Rich

[David2011]

The 4x4x4 200lb test boxes are only $0.17 each in multiples of 25 at uline.com. Most of my commercially produced boolits came in that size box. It looks like shipping is the same whether you order 25 or 100, though, so at that price you might as well stock up or split an order with a friend.

David

[bamacisa]

Plastic peanut jars or plastic mayonnaise jars work fine for me...sturdy, not too heavy and you can see the what is inside and how much is there. Also they are fairly water proof.

[huntrick64]

Veral Smith turned me on to a great source. Go to the post office and pick up a few of the smallest "flat rate" boxes they have. The ones that ship anything that can fit inside for something like $6.00. The boxes are "free"! OK, not really because someone has to pay for them, but they do not charge you for them because you pay for it when you pay the postage to mail the thing. However, you are never going to mail it, so do the math however you want.

The boxes are about 8" X 4" and about 1 1/2 tall. You can stand the bullets up on their bases next to each other. This keeps the lube grooves all lined up so lube doesnt get all over the bullet. Fill the bottom layer and cut a piece of cardboard to lay on top of the bottom layer and put a top layer in there. I can get something like 500 - 600 45 ACP bullets in there. I put sticky Velcro on the flap so I can get into the box again and again.

I also put packing tape around the perimeter of the box (before I close the flap) to make sure it stays together through all of my abuse. You all let me get a few more before everyone rushes down there and they put a stop to it.

They stack nicely and work PERFECTLY.

I promise you, once you go postal, you'll never go back!

[dromia]

I use the plastic business card boxes, for me they are the perfect boolit storage containers. Cheap too.

http://www.boxplanet.co.uk/businesscardbox125.html

[MikeS]

Veral Smith turned me on to a great source. Go to the post office and pick up a few of the smallest "flat rate" boxes they have. The ones that ship anything that can fit inside for something like $6.00. The boxes are "free"! OK, not really because someone has to pay for them, but they do not charge you for them because you pay for it when you pay the postage to mail the thing. However, you are never going to mail it, so do the math however you want.

The boxes are about 8" X 4" and about 1 1/2 tall. You can stand the bullets up on their bases next to each other. This keeps the lube grooves all lined up so lube doesnt get all over the bullet. Fill the bottom layer and cut a piece of cardboard to lay on top of the bottom layer and put a top layer in there. I can get something like 500 - 600 45 ACP bullets in there. I put sticky Velcro on the flap so I can get into the box again and again.

I also put packing tape around the perimeter of the box (before I close the flap) to make sure it stays together through all of my abuse. You all let me get a few more before everyone rushes down there and they put a stop to it.

They stack nicely and work PERFECTLY.

I promise you, once you go postal, you'll never go back!

One minor technicality, I believe it's against the law to use those boxes for anything other than mailing stuff in. I doubt you'd get caught if you use them, but there's always a chance, however slim it might be.

[Sasquatch-1]

I went to Big Lots a couple of months ago and found some plastic boxes that were made for blocks of cream cheese. They look kind of like the soap box that you would use when traveling but are much more squared off. One of the boxes will hold about 103 240 grn 44 bullets and you can see what's in them. They were $1.00 each

[huntrick64]

Mike S.

I would hate to think the gubment took the time to pass a law restricting the use of the little boxes; OK, on second thought they probably did! I do realize though that it is not the correct thing to do, and I choose to do it anyway. Sorry. I am more worried about the number of primers I have at my home or a couple of the containers I have used in the past to store powder. Anyway, point taken.

[1Shirt]

All good ideas. In addition, I pick up all of the plastic (w/slide top) boxes that rimfire ctgs come in when I find them at the range. They are excellent for storage of 30 cal and smaller, good for 45-70 blts, etc., and the price is right.
1Shirt!

[Sasquatch-1]

All good ideas. In addition, I pick up all of the plastic (w/slide top) boxes that rimfire ctgs come in when I find them at the range. They are excellent for storage of 30 cal and smaller, good for 45-70 blts, etc., and the price is right.
1Shirt!

The CCI long boxes for 22's are great for my Corbin "S" dies.

[zuke]

I cast for 3 caliber's, and only 1 type boolit for each caliber.
I use 50 cal can's to store them in.
When the can get's full it's time to stop casting.

[gnoahhh]

A note regarding wooden cigar boxes. I tried a couple for long term storage and found the lead bullets had taken on big chunks of lead oxide after a relatively short while, I suppose from the tobacco trace or from the Spanish Cedar they're made of? I honestly don't know if that was an isolated incident, but I stopped using them.

I mentioned before that I like to use empty cardboard oatmeal tubes. I cut them down to a short height and re-install the plastic lid. (A table saw or chop saw is handy for doing that.) I eat a lot of oatmeal (heart reasons) and found myself looking for a way to re-purpose the piles of the darn things I was generating, and voilà!

[CGT80]

I used to buy berry's plated bullets. I saved the little black plastic boxes that were packed with 250 bullets. I put my cast, lubed bullets in those. I just got back into casting, so I only cast for 45lc/460 right now, and I only have a few hundred bullets right now. For my bulk copper plated or J words, I use dillon akro bins. I also have some factory cast bullets in plastic bags that are stored in akro bins.

[500MAG]

I have used tupperware and those newer style Glad plastic tubs with the lid and then I found these at the Dollar Tree and I have about 20 of them. They are 1 gallon buckets that look just like the 5 gallon ones with handle. I store brass, boolits, lead, ww's, whatever... I even carry one to the range with me to put the spent brass in.

http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad256/cagowans/0807121328.jpg

[Dale53]

I used cigar boxes to store bullets for years but they don't last long and I lost my supplier. I have replaced them with a MUCH more satisfactory box - plastic from the various dollar stores. Here is my favorite style:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/BulletBoxes-3722.jpg

I use "cut to size" file card stock to separate the layers. These are strong enough to be used over and over ad finitum...

The cost is minimal.

Dale53

[randyrat]

I bought a pack of 3x4x3 corrugated boxes for about $0.50-$0.75 each shipped thru one of the auction sites. At the time I had a choice between 3X4x3 or 3x5X3.

I like them because they all are consistent size and easy to write on, easy to store on the shelf, easy to find what I need.
Now I absolutely hate 50 different kinds of containers with boolits in them. I had boolits stored in butter,Cool whip, round, square,you name it containers all over the place.

[Sasquatch-1]

These are what I use. They hold 100, 240 grn .429's. They were purchased at Big Lots for $1.00 apiece.

[41 mag fan]

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n569/91msd92/Photo06131200.jpg

These boxes I get at work for free. They are very sturdy. The 45ACP loads, between the 3 boxes, theres 6k loaded.
I use them for my casts too. Put a paper towel on the bottom and fill it up.

[Texasflyboy]

For smaller quantities I used the commercial plastic inserts for 40S&W, 45ACP and similar sized calibers.

The plastic ammo trays hold exactly 50 bullets, which takes care of the counting. They are always the same size, and they stack up neatly inside an ammo can. Or, they can be stored neatly on a shelf.

For tumble lubed or sized bullets, the trays hold the bullets separate. I store the bullets in the trays nose down. When I am ready to load I simply flip the tray over onto my loading table and voila! I have 50 sized/lubed bullets ready to load right side up, bases down. When they get dirty I toss them.

I stopped using the Styrofoam ones because the bullets tend to stick to the Styrofoam.

When I go to the range I can usually get 10 or more trays from folks shooting that day.

I have over 100 stored in 20mm ammo can. And if I need to mail bullets to a pal for testing, I simply wrap packing tape around the trays and cover the top tray with a sheet of cardboard. Instant packing container. Drop in a shipping box with packing and you are ready to go.

For small quantities of pistol bullets, (like Hollow Points if you don't cast much of a given design at a time) it's a great way to standardize storage.

And the best part is that they are free....:-D

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSioCr9-IW0Jo9HMx6_R-3Pcd8NKLQ5ZGpfK_Aw-ZBi5WSm4STpAVpPLrcbPQ


I also use AKRO bins which are darn good for holding bullets and other odds and ends. You can get the AKRO Bin Rail (4 feet long) for about $20 each from Amazon:

AKRO Bin Rail (http://www.amazon.com/Akro-Mils-30148-48-Inch-Mounting-AkroBins/dp/B000EFPI94)

http://i.pgcdn.com/pi/72/20/22/722022819_640.jpg

although Betty Mills Supply has the best price + Shipping:

Betty Mills AKRO Bin Rail (http://www.bettymills.com/shop/product/view/Akro-Mils/AKR30148.html)

[paul edward]

I use Costco nut jars. These square or round clear plastic jars have screw on lids. Takes a bit of patience removing the labels. They are also good for storing brass.

Mayonnaise, yogurt and peanut butter jars also work well and only cost you the time to clean them.

We live in a container rich world today. Paying for storage containers makes no sense.

[Junior1942]

I use Costco nut jars. These square or round clear plastic jars have screw on lids. Takes a bit of patience removing the labels. ...WD-40 will remove both label and glue. Wash the jar afterwards.

[huntrick64]

OK, there are a bunch of great alternatives posted here.

Although the "covert USPS flat-rate shipping boxes" are great in my opinion, (even if it is criminal to use them), I really like the looks and stability of those boxes Dale53 is using. Headed to the dollar store to find some! The fact that they latch on all four sides looks like they can handle the weight of filling them up. In the beginning I was using plastic jars with screw-top lids. I still use them to store my bullets that have been cast and not lubed. Once they are lubed though, I like to take the time to stack them in a square container in layers to keep the lube grooves lines up so the lube doesn't get on the other parts of the bullet in storage. This step alone has sped up my reloading quite a bit because I don't have to wipe each bullet off after I crimp it.

[sirgknight]

there are a lot of great suggestions on this thread and each of us have our own favorite uses. for me, I like these little storage boxes from wallyworld. they have a reinforced bottom to support the weight of lead and as you can see they stack very easily. my favorite part is that they are cheap! several in a pack for a couple of bucks. these boxes come in different sizes, but the size that i use holds about 500 bullets without any problems. a couple of buddies and I order our powder in large quantities and then divide it up, so I order plastic "oil" bottles by the case from uline. these make great powder bottles.

[Sasquatch-1]

a couple of buddies and I order our powder in large quantities and then divide it up, so I order plastic "oil" bottles by the case from uline. these make great powder bottles.

I saw the oil bottles and was wonder HOW you could have gotten all the oil out. Now I know, there was never any oil in them to begin with.