Lets talk storage!

[jdgabbard]

Ok, if any of you are anything like me, then you prefer that when you sit down at the reloading bench you have your components stocked up and ready to load. And I know that I hate it when I decide I need to load up some ammo, I sit down at the bench only to figure out that I'm out of boolits. Which necessitates firing up the pot instead of loading up ammo.

The obvious solution to this would be to have a good supply of boolits already cast up. And that in most cases is not an issue. However, storing and keeping track of how many you have and of what alloy, ect, is another issue altogether!

So I sat down yesterday and did some brain storming. I thought to myself, what do they come in when you buy them? BOXES! Then I thought to myself how I could cheaply come up with some boxes to neatly story boolits in, write the info on the box and stack them away for later use. So I sat down with a calculator, a piece of paper, a pencil and my computer. Withing about 30 minutes I came up with a PDF file that I could print off on a thin cardboard type paper. Note: I used the cardboard paper folders. The ones that fold in half and have the two little slots to hold papers in. I used these because I have a box of about 200. And they yield two boxes a piece.

The box I came up with is much like a shoe box. Once the pattern is cut out and taped, glued, or stapled together (use your discretion. I stapled the bottom portion and taped the lid with office tape) You have a nice little box that stacks 100 boolits of 9mm or 38 cal boolits 50 on top of 50 with a cardboard divider between the two levels. The lid simply slips on the the top. Afterwards I can wrap the boxes up with a piece of copy paper in a christmas gift type fashion and write the information on top of it. (When wrapping with copy paper with this size of box cutting about a 1/4 inch off of the left and right sides and cutting the sheet horizontally yields two sheets to wrap with. Perfectly sized.)

So I will attach a copy of the pdf to this post, for any of you that would like to give it a try. Be advised, as it is unclear in the pattern, that the square that says "inside piece" should be cut out and be by itself. It is the divider that goes inside of the box.

10184

So now that I've given you my solution to this problem, and given you my recipe as well. Lets hear some of the other stuff that you guys have done to store these things without buying lots of already made up boxes.

[osage]

Your solution is neater then mine. I have my boolits in misc. containers, coffee cans metal and plastic, plastic tubes that sugar free 2qt drink mix comes in and akro bins. I just started using clear plastic shoe boxes to store brass in. Its working out fine. So I thought once that is done I'd move on to boolits [smilie=1:

[357maximum]

WOW, you really thought this out.


I use styrofoam vaucu-tainer packages for my rifle boolits and my need to be accurate pistol boolits. These containers get thrown out by just about every hospital and clinic. The little vacumed vial that sucky your blood out when affixed to a needle comes in them. My wife is a nurse and she brings home about 10 a week. They come in three sizes and all sizes hold exactly 100 boolits. the three sizes are dependant on whether it is for pedes, adults or big adults I guess. The big ones have a home for 100 45-50 caliber boolits, the middle size (most common) will do 100 35-40 cal right nicely, and the pedes sized ones work good for short 30's and short 35's.

I use cool whip containers and butter dishes for everything else. i do not want no dust on me boolits so I like the plastic containers and the vacutainers stack nicely and keep out dust....it is the system that works for me.

[randyrat]

I like it a lot! Mine are all stored in whatever container i could scrounge from the kitchen. None of them fit on my shelves. I hate my storage containers.

If i can muster enough patients to make containers like yours life would be better.

[INDENT] I made a corrigated board chair(cardboard) in collage and got an B with it. I would have had an A, but i had to cut the arms off it to fit it in my Volkswagon (Beetle) so i could bring to school. I used it for a few years until someone spilled beer all over it. Wish i remembered some of that, i'm terrible at designing things like boxes ect..

[uncle joe]

I had the same problem. My dad had all his boolits lined up neatly in a very short cardboard box standing on their bottoms 1 layer deep. Looked neat but would not work for multiple style boolits.
I bought two index card boxes at wallyworld $1.25 each. I put lubed boolits in one and right out of the water boolits in the other stacked on top of each other.

[Green Frog]

The bulk of my important bullets are cast for Schuetzen and are shot in the order cast. I line them up on the cloth pad to cool when the come out of my mould, then hand inspect each round and put it (in order) in a plastic liner from commercial pistol cartridge boxes. The full plastic liners are then either returned to their original cardboard sleeves which can be marked with appropriate data, or placed in wooden cigar boxes that hold the 300 or so "matched" rounds I like to take to a match. For my BPCS bullets, I do the cardboard sleeve thing mentioned above until those rounds are loaded at home or at the range.

Green Frog

[Shiloh]

My brass is in 5 qt. ice cream buckets. 9mm and .38 in empty yellow plastic Kitty Litter jugs because there is a lot. Heavy duty.

Once fired range pick-up brass goes in separate boxes until there is enough to clean, mild acid bath, and process. Boolits are in coffee cans and empty plastic industrial soap cake containers with lids from work.

Shiloh

[Tonto]

I store cast and sized/lubed bullets in the frozen food containers sized in pint, pint and a half, quart and gallon sizes found on the home canning section of most stores. They are somewhat clear, take a sharpie marker for the contents and stack nice. And I have way too many now as ballast for the reloading bench. A recent move reminded me how heavy the inventory and ingot stash are. These containers hold from a couple of hundred to a thousand or so depending on caliber and weight. Dirt and dust is the enemy.

[opentop]

I buy small zip lock bags from the craft section at walmart. I then place them in 30 cal, or 50 cal ammo cans.

I store all my empty brass in coffee cans.

[jnovotny]

I store all my brass and boolits in the plastic coffee cans. They stack well and a 1gal. Can holds about 2000 158 gr 357 boolits. You can even get different sizes of cans, they all work well in the reloading room and the casting room.

[Cloudpeak]

Wow, I didn't realize we ate so many peanuts until I looked around my shop:?

I store my bullets in 3# Planter's peanuts cans with lids. I write on them with Sharpies info on bullet size and style, sized only, sized & lubed and date cast. The cans stack well and are a bit sturdier than cardboard boxes.

I've got around 5,000 9mm's and 2,000 45 SWC's stored and am fixin' to cast some more because it's 8 below and there isn't much else to do.

Cloudpeak

[mooman76]

I did store mine in empty powder containers but soon had more bullets than containers and switched to coffee cans. Lately I have switched to tose sort of new disposable plastic containers that you can microwave and freeze in. They are strong enough and I can see though them to see the bullets. I can write on top with a majic marker the bullet size and weight and if they get too messed up or broken they are cheap enough I can just throw them away and get more. They also come in a good variety of sizes.

[cohutt]

I keep most in quart or gallon zip locks labeled by date cast; these are stored in the clear plastic split lid storage bins from wally world.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/misc014.jpg


My 440g Ohaus 45-70s fit nicely into MTM 45acp cartridge cases:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/misc020.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/misc018.jpg

[copdills]

I use coffee cans myself:cbpour:

[wheelgunner]

I use new boxes from Uline ( http://www.uline.com/ ) I order them by the 100 (the 4X4X4 boxes I lke are only .16 ea), they hold 4-500 depending on the size. I fill em up just like the cast boolits you buy in the store and place them on a shelf where I can easily determine the quantity on hand and what size I might need to cast next. I save the empties and refill em next time I cast. I have about 70 boxes filled up on the shelf. They also have a miriad of different style boxes at Uline, I'm sure they'll have what you're looking for. BTW, if I order before 2pm, I have them the next day UPS from PA to MA!

I have no connection to Uline, just very happy with their product and service!

[beagle]

I use the 100 round .22 packs salvaged from the range for bullet storage. Label with bullet number and sized diameter. They stack easy, they're free and keep your bullets dust free./beagle

[MT Gianni]

I keep unsized bullets in baggies with their date cast and alloy in cardboard boxes per caliber. Sized and lubed are also stored in quart zip lock baggies where temp does not exceed 70 degrees.

[jdgabbard]

Yeah, I use the plastic Folger's Coffee Cans for Brass storage too. I will say that one of the big cans can hold about 7-800 38spl brass, or about a 1000 9mm. And their stackable. Which makes them perfect for my setup.

Yeah, on these boxes once I cut them out and fold them up, and fill 'em up, I just wrap them up in paper and put their info including alloy, date, and lube on the paper wrapper. I did it this way as to let me reuse the boxes whenever I use up the boolits. This way you don't have to fold up 30,000 boxes in your boolit casting career.

NOTE: I also started working up a design for a box for loaded boolits. Similar to what you would have seen a hundred years ago. However, I thought to myself that you can actually purchase ammo boxes a fairly reasonable price from places like Midway. But if anybody is interested in something like this just gimme a PM. May be a day or two before I get back to you though.

[opentop]

Hey jdgabbard

I'd like to see some pictures of your boxes made up and packed.

[jdgabbard]

Hey jdgabbard

I'd like to see some pictures of your boxes made up and packed.

Here you go. Not a great picture. But should give you an Idea.

1019110192

[Tom Herman]

They are essentially free, as we go through two or three a week.
Each one will hold 200-250 big bore 240-265 grain bullets, or about 350-400 .38 SPL's...

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[opentop]

Thanks for sharing the pictures!

[Fixxah]

I have just been using new milsurp ammo cans. I cast a few thousand and put them in box then lube desired number. I do like the box idea though. Well done.

[Swamprat1052]

jdgabbard, you are a man of talent, and no doubt much patience. I have been folding cardstock for an hour now and all I got was frustration and almost a divorce. My wife teaches first grade and when she saw the pdf file on your box she told me she has done that in arts and crafts with her students. OK I AM NOT SMARTER THAN A FIRST GRADER!!!!!! My boxes were whap-sided, crooked and a genuine mess. My hat is off to you, I really like the idea but I'll stick to casting bullets and using freezer boxes to store them in. Its just more enjoyable than sitting around in a straight jacket.

Not making fun of your idea. I wish I had the patience.

Swamprat

[mtgrs737]

I store my rifle boolits and pistol boolits that I consider match quality in metal film cans, 35mm x 200' for rifle and 16mm x 700' for pistol. I short term store misc. boolits in metal pie pans that have paper plates for lids to keep the dust off them. Recently I have been storing lubed misc. bullets in cookie and fruit cake tins that I get at the second hand store for ten to twentyfive cents each. these work well. My brass is stored in ziplock gallon bags inside of 5 gallon plastic buckets with lids that stack nicely, I ran out of buckets at nine, so will have to wait till a friend of mine collects more.

[Echo]

Coffee cans (3 lb), Instant Breakfast containers, and Costco Mixed Nut comtainers. My liking for Costco Mixed nuts is obvious...

[Patrick L]

I utilize whatever I can scrounge from the household to use for storage of components. Baby products yield an especially useful assortment.

I store unsized bullets in coffee cans, either 3 lb for bullets I use a lot of or 1lb for bullets I use fewer of

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Storage/GunStuff085.jpg

Tumble lubed bullets get stored in plastic tubs, as well as some brass.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Storage/GunStuff088.jpg

Conventionally sized bullets get stacked a bit more orderly, usually in whatever boxes I can find that are a convenient size. I particularly like half pound candy boxes, the one in the picture in the upper right being full of .30 carbine slugs in two levels. The cardboard box on the left holds about 600 .45 slugs (four levels of about 150 each.) I really like the plastic 100pk .22 LR boxes on the bottom of the picture for .30 cal rifle bullets. They hold 80 apiece.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Storage/GunStuff089.jpg



These all go on shelves under my loading bench. All these bullets, plus the jacketed bullets, the M2 ball, and the bags of shot for shotshell loading, ensure my bench is very stable.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Storage/GunStuff090.jpg

[Kraschenbirn]

My finished boolits are stored in 6 1/2"x 11" wood trays which hold from 150 to 300 pieces each, depending upon caliber. Cabinet shelves are solid 7/8 oak.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr217/kraschenbirn/20081220_01.jpg

Unsized/unlubed boolits are stored in cardboard boxes until needed. Those 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 4" boxes were originally used to ship electronic parts...resistors, capacitors, card sockets, etc...a friend whose company manufactures test equipment brings them to me by the dozen.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr217/kraschenbirn/20081220_03.jpg

Bill

Please excuse quality of pics. Haven't quite got the hang of close-up settings yet.

[Junior1942]

I use new boxes from Uline ( http://www.uline.com/ ) I order them by the 100 (the 4X4X4 boxes I lke are only .16 ea), they hold 4-500 depending on the size. I fill em up just like the cast boolits you buy in the store and place them on a shelf where I can easily determine the quantity on hand and what size I might need to cast next. I save the empties and refill em next time I cast. I have about 70 boxes filled up on the shelf. They also have a miriad of different style boxes at Uline, I'm sure they'll have what you're looking for. BTW, if I order before 2pm, I have them the next day UPS from PA to MA!

I have no connection to Uline, just very happy with their product and service!Thanks for the link to Uline!!! They're about 1/3 to 1/2 the prices elsewhere!!!

[Russel Nash]

Milsurp ammo cans here too.

They are strong, have a good handle that folds flat, and the bottom of the next can is indented so that it locks into the top of the one below it... kinda like lego blocks.

[testhop]

in wenter i cast
i use ammo cans for unsized with mould #and alloy
on sized i use the plaltsic tubs i get from the dollar store

[part_timer]

My kids eat peanutbutter like it is going out of style so I use them for boolits/brass/woodscrews/nuts/bolts............

[Silicon Wolverine]

http://www.quantumstorage.com/

i use these mostly because we have a PILE of them at worj that arent being used and we are alllowed to help ourselves. they arent cheap to buy yourself but they are extremly durable and will hold as much as you can put in them for weight. they stack neatly on the back of the bench and hold thoudsands of bullets.

SW

[jdgabbard]

I have some of those Wolverine. However, I only use them for odds and ends of equipment. Boolits and brass I use the above mentioned containers.

[hammerhead357]

I used to sell 4 sizes of boxes that I had made of really heavy material each size held 100 boolits. One size for 32 cal. and 30 cal. boolits another for 9mm and 38 cal. another for 10mm-41 cal. and finally one size for 44 and 45 cal. They came with a flat divider for placing between layer of boolits. These were neat for storing boolits in but at the time I was also casting boolits commercially and shipping some in these boxes. They didn't ship very well alot of them would burst at the seams from rough handling. I eventually went to the 4X4X4 corrigated boxes and the 5X5 corrigated. These shipped a lot better. Some I would seal with tape and then went to using a hot glue gun to seal the boxes. The hot glue sealed boxes seemed to survive shipping best of all........Wes

Mine were of about the same material as the lower picture in kraschenbirn's post. The ones with the orange lids......

[LeadThrower]

Awesome pics!
I cut the tops off soda or beer cans with a can opener (this leaves the rolled lip on top for strength) and throw my boolits in there. They stack very nicely, with the bottom of one can nesting into the top of the can below.

[Chunky Monkey]

I pass by an army & navy store every once in a while. I stop in a grab a few can when I got extra $$. 30's for $4.00 and 50's for $6.00. I think those are good prices. I'm now marking them and storing boolits and ammo in them.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee267/Metzy84/Casting/cans04.jpg

[Sailman]

I eat a lot of Apple Sauce. I buy apple sauce in GLASS 50 OZ jars. When the glass jar is empty, it is washed out and I use it to store the cast lead bullets.

The advantage to using glass jars is as follows:
1. You can see when you are running out of bullets
2. The 50 OZ jar will hold only so many bullets and the weight of a full jar is manageable.
3. You can put a lable on the glass jar and write down the type of bullet etc.


Sailman

[Jbar4Ranch]

Pencil boxes with a piece of file folder material between layers works well. The boxes are under a buck apiece, and sometimes two or even three for a buck after school starts.

[Hang Fire]

I am not that neat, but I do know where it is when I need it, plastic shoe boxes are my preferred storage containers for most all related things, with coffee cans a close second.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/TANSTAAFL-2/P1010003-6.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/TANSTAAFL-2/P1010002-1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/TANSTAAFL-2/P1010001-7.jpg

[putteral]

I'm jealous of all your molds. :drinks: I use the plastic coffee containers and Sam's Club potatoe salad containers. Their 4 pounders and I do like their potatoe salad. Have about 8 and counting

[tomf52]

5 gal buckets for brass and Ocean Spray juice bottles for cast bullets.

[C1PNR]

I use my empty cigar boxes with a slip of paper inside identifying the boolit mould, date of birth, and ethnicity (alloy).:wink:

[Three44s]

I bought a BUNCH of hand cast bullets that are stored in cigar boxes ....... very good boxes that those cigars come in!!! But as I am not a smoker ......... well, that sort of "cooks" that idea!

For me, it's coffee cans for brass and many bullets. Five gallon cans ....... I have TONS of them! And to break down to smaller batches ....... ZIP LOCK bags .........

A plug for U-Line: They have treated my just fine on my first transaction (unrelated to guns and shooting) and would not hesitate to do business with them again!!!

Three 44s

[snaggdit]

I choose to combine hobbies. The empty cans from my Mr. Beer mixes come with plastic lids (size of soup cans). I put my cast boolits in them with 1x2 5/8 labels on the lids. Holds several hundred 40 S&W, more 9mm, less 45. I like the Ocean Spray bottle idea, though! Gotta think on a bigger scale!

[sleeper1428]

I use new boxes from Uline ( http://www.uline.com/ ) I order them by the 100 (the 4X4X4 boxes I lke are only .16 ea), they hold 4-500 depending on the size. I fill em up just like the cast boolits you buy in the store and place them on a shelf where I can easily determine the quantity on hand and what size I might need to cast next. I save the empties and refill em next time I cast. I have about 70 boxes filled up on the shelf. They also have a miriad of different style boxes at Uline, I'm sure they'll have what you're looking for. BTW, if I order before 2pm, I have them the next day UPS from PA to MA!

I have no connection to Uline, just very happy with their product and service!

I wish I'd have read your message before I began redoing my storage system! I used to keep my cast boolits in the cardboard boxes that bottles of local anesthetic came in at the hospital (a dozen or so bottles to a box that was about 4X4X6 in size). But due to the fact that I'm retired and my supply of these boxes was beginning to wear out after 15-20 years of use, I decided to go to all new boxes (4X4X4) which I got from a Pakmail store for about a buck and a half each. If/when I need more I'm sure going to order from Uline but the Pakmail boxes can be an alternative source if you only need a few since Uline requires a minimum purchase of 25.

[TCLouis]

I try to cast 25 lbs or so in a session so I have a bunch to store. I simply lube and put in old metal tobacco cans. Lube stays in the grooves for all of the boolits except the 250 RNFP GB boolit.

It is relatively shallow and rounded and the lube comes out easily. I am going to change lube formula soon (running out of the GB FWFWL) and will see if it is an issue with 50/50.

[sleeper1428]

I try to cast 25 lbs or so in a session so I have a bunch to store. I simply lube and put in old metal tobacco cans. Lube stays in the grooves for all of the boolits except the 250 RNFP GB boolit.

It is relatively shallow and rounded and the lube comes out easily. I am going to change lube formula soon (running out of the GB FWFWL) and will see if it is an issue with 50/50.

I doubt that you'll have much problem with 50/50 lube as regards loss of lubricant. I've been sizing, lubing and storing boolits, lots and lots of boolits, for years, some as long as 12-15 years, and all are lubed with 50/50. I do add one more step to my lubing sequence and that is to lightly tumble my lubed and sized boolits, 50 at a time, with a small amount of microfine mica dry lubricant before I box and store them. This dry lubricant keeps the boolits from sticking together and provided that you don't subject them to extremes of heat, they will very likely be as good 10 years from now as they are on the day you lube and size them.

[geargnasher]

FWIW I use the sturdy cardboard boxes that a certain brand of brake pads come in (most all pads come in one size of box) and I usually stack them base-down with waxed paper and a layer of cardboard between, up to 3 high in each box. Unlubed or unchecked boolits go in plastic 3lb coffee cans until I can get to them to finish.

Like most of you, I use what is handy due to my profession and free.
Gear

[Dale53]

We have a town full of "Dollar Stores". I make a run from time to time and buy the inexpensive plastic boxes of various and useful sizes. Typical price is two for #1.00. Some go for $1.00 each. They get recycled and end up being MOST inexpensive.

I lube and size my bullets shortly after casting. When I want/need to load a particular caliber I do NOT wish to have to cast bullets before I can load. I line them up carefully in the box (standing on their bases) and layer them two to three layers deep. I keep them in a climate controlled storage area (my a/c basement) on shelves carefully labeled with a label maker. My boxes will hold from 500 to a thousand bullets (a thousand 200 gr .45 SWC weigh close to thirty pounds). Thirty pounds is enough for one box.

I used to use cigar boxes but my source dried up. Plastic is more durable. Plastic is also dust tight. I have shot bullets stored for ten years without issue.

Dale53

[j20owner]

I decided to try jdgabbard's box design, even though I have more .45s than .358s. I like the design. I'm able to get 64 .45s in one box. Here's a pic of some of mine, with fancy labels. The unlabeled box is some un-lubed .358-158-RF boolits just to see how they fit; 100 fit very well. Thanks for the design, jdgabbard!
http://xaclan.com/Heinrich/heinrich/Casting/484%20boolits.JPG

[jdgabbard]

j20owner, looks great!!! Glad you like the design. Here is another tip, just take some copy paper cut in half, it should be the right size for two wrappers when done right, and wrap those boxes up like a christmas present for long term storage. It keeps the lids from coming off, and makes them stack a bit nicer too!!!

[smaj100]

I store all my reloading supplies, powder, primers and ammo that I have made and am just waiting for a trip to the range in the big 30mm ammo cans. I place a can of moisture absorbant material in each can. I live in lower AL and the humidity here sucks. It helps that I fly apache helicopters and have access to the big 30mm cans. You can put about 1k each 40 and 380 rnds of ammo in 50 rnds boxes in a can. I've just started casting so I haven't worked out a good system for storing them yet, but I like the ideas i'm seeing.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I have seven friends saving those neat Folgers 2 and 3 lb plastic coffee cans for me. Once they are visually inspected then sized and lubed they go into the opaque 50 and 100 round pistol boxes. A bit of upfront expense, but Dillon and Berry make a good bulk buy price. The only spendy ones are the 50 Express at $3 apiece for 50 rounders to store my 505 and 550 Gibbs bullets.

Rich

[Jim_Fleming]

It's interesting, my shop where I work is saving those same 3 lb. cans for me, but we go thru the cans to the tune of 1 can about every 6-8 days, but they make great bulk storage containers, fo' shure'. Both for ammo and for storing cast bloo pills...

[XWrench3]

i use old gatorade cans, the ones that the mix it yourself powder comes in to store my cast boolits in. the only real problem with them, is that they get heavy by the time they get 1/2 way full. i have also been saving my cast boolit boxes from when i was buying cast boolits. i prefer to have a bulk quanity on hand all dumped into one container. if i do a small lot of something, to test it, i usually make only 20-50 of them. and keep them in a ziplock bag with the info written on the bag. if i like it, i cast a bunch of them. if not, i make notes, and re-melt what is left. swome of you guys go to extreemes organizing your boolits!

[blaser.306]

I have found the best storage for my gun/reloading room to be a pair of large bolt bins for brass , and coffee cans for lubed / sized , and large ziplocks for as cast boolits.

[jdgabbard]

Who would have thought that a simple idea, while I was pretty new to casting, would end up in a thread that has stirred up this many ideas on boolit storage. And the fact that others have actually used, and liked, my original design. I'm going to be going to commercial made boxes, similar to the ones you buy boolits in, for pre lubed soon. But when I was too cheap to buy the boxes made theses were mighty nice to be able to make at home on the cheap side!!!

[Dale53]

I do everything in bulk. I cast a minimum of 20 lbs of bullets at each sitting (on occasion, I do 40 lbs - that's two RCBS pots full). When I was younger and casting for others, I would do thousands at a sitting. No more.

At any rate, 20 lbs of 200 gr .45 Caliber SWC, as an example, amount to 700 bullets. This takes me about an hour to hour and a half to cast using my Mihec six cavity mould (WONDERFUL mould) not counting warm up time (I do other things while the pot is getting hot, etc).

I keep one batch together. I generally size/lube them right after and store them in neat plastic containers from the Dollar Store or my Super Market. The best ones I have seen came from my Super Market. They cost about $2.00 each and will hold close to a 1000 bullets. At any rate, they easily hold a batch and have a gasketed lid with four snap locks (one on each side of the box). They keep all dust and dirt from the lubed bullets. There are other refrigerator types that work well also and are cheaper. Watch when you buy as some of them have irregular inside bottoms - I prefer flat bottoms on my boxes. I used to use cigar boxes but they were not completely dust tight and I lost my source. I now prefer the good plastic boxes.

I label them with my Brothers hand held label maker (be careful when buying a label maker - often the tool is relatively affordable but the tape is "not so affordable") so I can read them easily stacked up on sturdy shelves.

Incidentally, they are now making STURDY powder coated, welded wire shelves that are rated at 350 lbs per shelf, require NO tools to assemble (but a helper is useful) and are not terribly expensive - available from Lowe's. You have to look for them and be sure you get the "heavy rated" ones as there are some "look-a-likes" that won't stand up to heavy loads. Bullet storage, with the weight involved, is not as simple as it seems...

Dale53

[JSnover]

You guys have covered bulk storage pretty well. For small lots or for a small load session I like to use the plastic trays that come in a box of factory handgun ammo. Every time I go to the range I pick up a few discarded ones. They stack nice and there's enough space on the side for a label.

[Cloudpeak]

Wow, some of you guys are really neat and tidy:)

I'll second the Ocean Spray 3 liter plastic containers. When full of bullets, I seal the opening I cut with clear packing tape to keep dust & bugs out. They have really sturdy handles. I also use 3# metal peanut cans.

In the rows, left to right: Lee 105gr SWC, Lee 124gr RN, Lyman 200gr SWC. I'm set for awhile;) (But, that won't stop casting, I suppose. Winter's almost here and there won't be much else to do.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v620/WyoBob/Guns/DSCN2100.jpg

[Ricochet]

I use a lot of the resealable plastic boxes lunch meat comes packed in.

(Don't tell that single action gunwriter I just used a preposition to end a sentence with.)

[MT Gianni]

BTT for a good read.

[Harter66]

I snag the 40and 45 trays from the range too for my loaded ammo. Boolits are currently in peanutbutter jars and miricalwhip jars (plastic). It works for now since I'm only casting 7 boolits designs. Each jar holds around 500. My cases go in freezer bags and a roll around plastic kitchen caddi intended for potatoes and onions.

[Down South]

I use the plastic food storage containers with sealable lids from the dollar store. I buy a few at the time. For just a few bucks you can sometimes get a set of five. I use masking or duck tape on the lid to identify what's in the container, lube used and date casted.

[John Guedry]

Clear plastic containers that peanuts come in for brass. Cast boolits, sized and lubed go in Altoids tins which are light enough to pick up when full, but heavy enough when stacked to use as a bookend for your manuals.

[largom]

+1 on the U-Line boxes. I use Them for bulk brass and boolit storage. After casting I sort my boolits by weight. Selected weights go into zip lock bags with a small tag listing date cast, caliber, mold No.,alloy and weight. Bags then go in U-Line box. I usually don't lube until I am ready to load.

Larry

[Crash_Corrigan]

I have a decent collection of surplus ammo cans from 30 cal up thru 40 MM. These along with pretty much any decent plastic container with a good top and zip lock bags are what I use.

I try to keep at least one 30 cal ammo can full of .45 acp, ditto for 9 MM and .38 Special. These are ready to shoot rounds.

The components I keep in a different area. I have a surplus navy metal filing cabinet with tiny drawers of about 8" x 12" and 2" high. In this I keep brass sorted to maker and caliber. Also boolits sorted to cal, weight, alloy, date etc and if I have only a small amount then they go into a zip lock bag and few go into the drawer. I also keep primers stored therin. This is kept in my kitchen.

The Powder is kept on shelves in my bedroom and living room. The dies and molds are also stored in the same area. Small tools and reloading stuff are kept in the reloading bench drawers. If I had a SWMBO still around she would have a coronary thrombosis.....however since she is still recovering from the heart attack when I bought a Motorcycle after she divorced me......I really do not give a damn!

I cannot believe the amount of stuff that I have accumulated over the last 16 years which is all connected in some manner to shooting and casting. It has taken over.

[a.squibload]

Old thread, new guy...

Peanut brittle cans, big ones. Keep a couple of 'em full of boolits in my gun box for ballast,
nobody can pick that thing up. I know, replace cans with guns, working on that.

[WILCO]

Old thread, new guy....

Welcome aboard!!!

[Meatco1]

Wheelgunner:

Thanks man, that was good information you just shared!!!

Richard

PS: Just place an order for 100 4x4 & 50 5x5 boxes. Beats the heck out of scrounging around for different sized boxes!!!!!!!!!!!

[BeeMan]

Clear plastic peanut butter jars are a good 'zero cost' option. They are sturdy and have nice screw on lids. The larger ones hold decent size lots of brass or as-cast boolits. I've also used the small ammo cans for castings, but I prefer to see at a glance what inventory I have on hand. I size only as needed for loading so small lots of lubed bullets are conveniently held in Cool Whip or similar containers. Loaded ammo goes in Midway's plastic ammo boxes.

[a.squibload]

Welcome aboard!!!

Thanks, already seen lots of good info here.

Love your avatar, is that a Cubana? No, I mean the cigar...

I need to upload my Meprolight pic...ah, there it is!

[Daves1]

I use the plastic tubs lunch meat comes in also, resealable and you can write on the top.:idea:

[Mephisto]

Coolwhip containers plastic freezer tubs for peserving fruit, or what ever is about in the way of a convenient container. powder primers and molds have their own shelf

[Jim_Fleming]

I *used* to use 3lb. metal coffee cans, years ago... They were/are tough as nails and of a convenient size to hold boolits. Sure they're heavy but they were free, (I used to drink coffee by the gallon, etc...)

Now, 20 years later, I don't drink coffee, but I still need storage containers after I got back in the hobby. The shop I work in has a coffee fund, etc... I now am using their empty, plastic, 3lb. cans. I get the empties about 1 every 6-8 days,.

Sure they're not transparent, but I use a Dymo Paper Label Maker and I know what's inside, and the cans, when full, are sturdy enough to stack only one canister on top of another, but my shelves/cabinets I made are spaced just tall enough for only one, so there's not room to stack them anyway.

Best of all the plastic cans have a nice molded in handle the empty metal cans didn't have.

[shdwlkr]

I have my stuff in plastic containers and having just moved I just might look at some other way of doing stuff.
Right now it is all stacked all over the place just to get to the real stuff clothes, food, furniture and what ever the wife decides is first.
The only good thing is that I now have a place for my stuff a two car garage and a place to cast that is away from the house if I can find a long enough electric cord. Which I like as that way the kids.

[grumman581]

If it is something that I want a fairly airtight seal on, I'll use the delitainers that I pick up from a local restaurant supply store. They make them in quite a few sizes.

http://www.instawares.com/products/l/l2508ns.jpg
http://www.instawares.com/products/l/l2508ns.jpg

The oriental restaurants use these for their takeout containers for soups and such, so if you eat at those restaurants, you can just recycle them from your takeout. Usually they poke a small air hole in them though, so if you want it to be more airtight, you'll have to buy new ones. They're fairly cheap though... Best I remember, they were something like $10 for 50 of them. I believe that I'm using the 12-oz size. This size will hold a bit more than 200 230 grain .45 bullets. As such, it's a pretty manageable number for reloading.

I've currently got a 5 kg electronic scale on order from DealExtreme. I'm planning on using it for a rough counting of my bullets so that I know approximately how many I have on hand instead of counting them and putting them in the plastic containers. I figure I'll just calculate how many grams would be necessary to reach a nice even count for each bullet type for that size container and weigh them out plus a couple extra just to be on the safe side.

After Hurricane Ike came through here, I ended up with a lot of spare cedar fence pickets when my fence was blown down. As such, I've used that quite a bit to create bins for nails, bolts, screws, brass, and other things around the garage and my reloading room. I first pressure wash the pickets and then let them sit out in the sun for a day or so to dry out. Then I cut them into whatever sizes I need for storage bins. I use 3 small nails and glue on every joint to hold them together. No fancy joinery, just butt joints. For most things, I just cut five 7" sections and those work well to hold a 5# box of nails and such. Here's what it looks like from the front without the end pieces installed:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=302&pictureid=2082

The end pieces are exactly the same size as the side and bottom pieces. The grain of the wood is running horizontally around the sides and end pieces.

Quick and dirty box... I probably have enough cedar pickets for a couple hundred of these... I have no idea how many bullets one of these would hold... Assuming 50% bullet to air space, it would be around 44 lbs by my calculation... A solid chunk of lead would be around 88 lbs...

Plus, I can use the cedar saw dust as flux when I'm smelting...

I dumped a bunch of 158 gr .358 RN bullets in on of these boxes last night. A box of 1000 fills it up about halfway.

[jdgabbard]

Wow, this thread amazes even me! 2 Years old and still going strong...

[torker]

FWIW, What I do is stop by my local Post Office and for " Free " grab several priority boxes. They work just fine. sturdy cardboard, They also have free lables that have a large blank space for information on boolits. just place a square piece of cardboard between layers.

[Fly-guy]

Wow, I feel really "cheap & dirty". I use paper lunch sacks per 100 boolits, then roll the excess sack around the boolits, "seal" the sack with masking tape and then use a sharpie marker for caliber, boolit type, alloy & date cast. The sacks of boolits are then stored under my bench in heavy cardboard boxes.

[Adam10mm]

I use the Uline "indestructo mailers" boxes for my commercial ammunition packaging and also some when I cast up a run of bullets to sell. I've got a bunch of different sizes but am trying to consolidate to a few.

[JesseCJC]

I use the small flat rate boxes to store my boolits. USPS shoe boxes for brass by caliber and ammo cans for loaded ammunition/mags.

[captain-03]

http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss241/captain-03/IMG_2249.jpg

http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss241/captain-03/IMG_2250.jpg

[Jim_Fleming]

After seeing Captain-03's posting... I'm not sure if I should turn bright green with jealousy... Or bright blue with envy! :kidding: :kidding:

[paul edward]

We live in a container rich environment. Just look at the containers that go in your trash or recycle bin and you will find all the materials for a storage system.

Before plastic, jelly jars were used for storage. I remember an uncle who had about fifty jars hanging from the the shelf in his garage. Lids were screwed to the bottom of the shelf. He sorted fasteners by type and size and could see the contents.

I have been lucky, as the other shooters that use the same range, tend to leave their empty brass and the boxes. Most considerate.

[Bullwolf]

I am cheap enough to clean out my empty clear plastic peanut butter containers with screw on lids, to use them for storage.
http://www.seedman.com/image/plasjar.jpg
For the larger stuff, I will re-use clear plastic 2 quart, or 1 gallon mayonnaise containers.
http://www.smokeysticksbeefjerky.com/images/jar.jpg
I can tumble lube in the smaller plastic peanut butter containers, and I find the larger clear plastic containers with screw on lids nice for storing bulkier items. I also use them to hold hulls, brass, nuts, bolts, and screws in too.

A really handy tip is that you can use good old Hoppe's No.9 solvent to remove the glue and labels from the containers too.

I also find myself using small Ziploc® sandwich bags and the larger 1 gallon size bags to separate and store brass, small batches of loaded boolits, and lubed boolits in.
http://i723.photobucket.com/albums/ww237/JohnH131313/bagged1.jpg
You can write on them easily with a permanent marker.

I really like using the plastic Dillon plastic AkroBins, but I am a bit to cheap to buy them.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/uimages//13839_m.jpg
Sometimes I even re-use the plastic inserts that come with a box of factory ammunition.
http://www.ammunitionstore.com/product_images/v/649/aguila_380_ammo_open__32361_zoom.jpg
I also have bought a few of the 50 and 100 round plastic holding boxes for specific loaded calibers.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/uimages/ammo_boxes_and_bins/ammo_boxes_m.jpg
While they can be pricey, they are often just too convenient not to use them.

I use 5 Gallon buckets for wheel weights, but it seems like every garage does too.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?pictureid=3828&albumid=539&dl=1304738316&thumb=1

I normally store my ingots in the open square plastic milk crates. They have nice handles to hang onto too.
http://d1ykyt2zngb6w1.cloudfront.net/cdn/image.aspx/media/images/products/85055_BLK.jpg-312x312?MjAxMDEwMTQwMzY0OTc0

I like using the 30, and 50 caliber ammo cans for airtight storage.
http://www.nexternal.com/armynavy/images/50-caliber-ammo-cans1.gif
I also like the larger 20mm and 30mm boxes for the big stuff.
https://www.mysticarmynavy.com/images/20mmCan.jpg
The airtight sealing lids sure are really nice if you have something you want to keep dry inside. (like a boolit mold)

- Bullwolf

[midnight]

Maybe I missed it but doesn't any one use 5qt ice cream pails? That's where most of my brass is stored. I've got an 11 course basement so I built two layer storage shelf units using 1x4s & 1x10 planks and hung them from the floor joists. Make them high enough so you don't bump your head. Vast anounts of storage space that doesn't use any floor space. I pity the 6'6" guy who buys my place when I'm gone.

Bob

[alamogunr]

Maybe I missed it but doesn't any one use 5qt ice cream pails? That's where most of my brass is stored. I've got an 11 course basement so I built two layer storage shelf units using 1x4s & 1x10 planks and hung them from the floor joists. Make them high enough so you don't bump your head. Vast anounts of storage space that doesn't use any floor space. I pity the 6'6" guy who buys my place when I'm gone.

Bob

I use the ice cream buckets for brass. I also use coffee containers, both plastic and metal. I use empty peanut butter jars and other plastic containers for boolets.

I'm a pack rat when it comes to books and magazines. I made one layer cases that I hung each side of the shop against the ceiling. I couldn't see taking up floor space since it was limited. One side has everything gun related, the other side is woodworking and shop.

John
W.TN

[Vinne]

Powder like 231 used to come in 3 lb cans with a screw tops (don't think they still do). After all if it keeps powder dry, why not any thing else. When empty, I could put about 1000 9mm 125 gr cast in each. It took me 5 months to get back to the house after Katrina with 7 foot of water in my area but when the can was opened the 9s looked like new, the can however, was shot on the outside and was not reuseable. For now I use 3 lb coffee cans and for loaded rounds ammo cans work great thanks to the seal. The 50 cal for 38s and 9s and the large cans with 2 handles for shotshells. All my ammo cans I recovered after the storm were a rusted mess on the outside but like new on the inside and saved everything inside them. They were well worth the price I paid for each one!!!!

[rbertalotto]

Aluminum , drop ceiling , ventilation / light box grills.............

http://images47.fotki.com/v1472/photos/3/36012/76857/CartridgeHolderFullView-vi.jpg

Put two pieces together and you have a reloading tray / bullet storage tray.....And since it is wide open at the bottom, no crud collets.

http://images50.fotki.com/v1523/photos/3/36012/76857/CartridgeHolderCornerView-vi.jpg

I used simple duck tape to hold them together.

http://images50.fotki.com/v1523/photos/3/36012/76857/CartridgeHolderDetail-vi.jpg

[Cerberus]

JD,
I use your boxes to store 30 cal. rifle bullets. I can get 65 into a box.

[Sonnypie]

I "dumpster dive" at the range.
People toss the plastic racks and boxes in the cans.
I use them for my reloading bench.
I got 3 - S&W 40 boxes last trip and the plastic racks fits my 45's and '06 brass just fine.
I use them for racking, stacking, sortin, and snortin.
I have been using them to collate my 45 boolits. I put the boolits in a tray nose down (or nose first, if you will), then put a small piece of oak board on it and hold the whole works together and turn it right side up.
When I take the rack off, I have a bunch of soldiers standing at attention in rows of 5's. Works like rackin pool balls.

I'm about to embark on tumble cleaning my brass with SS media. Since it is a wet method of cleaning, I figured I'd rack the cases mouth down in the cool Federal box racks I got standing on my head in the trash can. The racks are perfect in that they have a cross bar bottom that will allow air to circulate to dry the brass.
I'm going to use the R/O filtered water as a final rinse. So I expect no spots.

[dromia]

I use the little plastic boxes that business card come in, easy to get or cheap to buy and holds nigh on 100 30 calibre boolits. See through and stack easy.

[HiVelocity]

Being retired; money is tight. When it comes to storing brass, loaded ammo, you name it, I have a tendency to look at everything.

1- For all of you that load 45 ACP and just can't find the boxes you would like. Contact the training/range officer of your local police/sheriff's department and find out when they're qualifying. The .40 caliber ammo boxes with inserts that NO ONE wants? Well, they'll hold 45 ACP Just fine, try it. I buy the cheap peel and stick 1 1/4" X 2 1/4" address labels and place them over the 40S&W info on each end.

Also, ask for the shotshell empties. Many departments use only high brass 12ga buckshot and normally throw all the boxes and spent shells in the garbage. I have a 25 gallon bag full, once fired.

2. Check your sandwich shops for small and mid-sized pails. Deli's and sandwich shops get everything you can imagine in an assortment of containers. Normally, I get them just for the asking. 2qt, 3qt oddballs work great if you decide to water quench your CB's with a piece of carpet or terrycloth in the bottom.

I'm always interested if anyone has any more thrifty idea's.

HV in SC

[Just Duke]

Had some scraps left over from the tool cabinets we made from Baltic Birch.
Sealed, sanded and 2 part laquered.
Pictured are 500 grain S&W's that get double stacked in the taller boxes post adding cardboard spacers.


http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad54/LEVERACTIONSHOOTERS/BULLETBOXES1.jpg


http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad54/LEVERACTIONSHOOTERS/BULLETBOXES2.jpg

[MRsmalltalk]

http://www.seedman.com/image/plasjar.jpg
For the larger stuff, I will re-use clear plastic 2 quart, or 1 gallon mayonnaise containers.
hi where did u get 2 quart, or 1 gallon mayonnaise containers. thanks
http://www.smokeysticksbeefjerky.com/images/jar.jpg
I can tumble lube in the smaller plastic peanut butter containers, and I find the larger clear plastic containers with screw on lids nice for storing bulkier items. I also use them to hold hulls, brass, nuts, bolts, and screws in too.

A really handy tip is that you can use good old Hoppe's No.9 solvent to remove the glue and labels from the containers too.

I also find myself using small Ziploc® sandwich bags and the larger 1 gallon size bags to separate and store brass, small batches of loaded boolits, and lubed boolits in.
http://i723.photobucket.com/albums/ww237/JohnH131313/bagged1.jpg
You can write on them easily with a permanent marker.

I really like using the plastic Dillon plastic AkroBins, but I am a bit to cheap to buy them.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/uimages//13839_m.jpg
Sometimes I even re-use the plastic inserts that come with a box of factory ammunition.
http://www.ammunitionstore.com/product_images/v/649/aguila_380_ammo_open__32361_zoom.jpg
I also have bought a few of the 50 and 100 round plastic holding boxes for specific loaded calibers.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/uimages/ammo_boxes_and_bins/ammo_boxes_m.jpg
While they can be pricey, they are often just too convenient not to use them.

I use 5 Gallon buckets for wheel weights, but it seems like every garage does too.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?pictureid=3828&albumid=539&dl=1304738316&thumb=1

I normally store my ingots in the open square plastic milk crates. They have nice handles to hang onto too.
http://d1ykyt2zngb6w1.cloudfront.net/cdn/image.aspx/media/images/products/85055_BLK.jpg-312x312?MjAxMDEwMTQwMzY0OTc0

I like using the 30, and 50 caliber ammo cans for airtight storage.
http://www.nexternal.com/armynavy/images/50-caliber-ammo-cans1.gif
I also like the larger 20mm and 30mm boxes for the big stuff.
https://www.mysticarmynavy.com/images/20mmCan.jpg
The airtight sealing lids sure are really nice if you have something you want to keep dry inside. (like a boolit mold)

- Bullwolf[/QUOTE]

[Bullwolf]

Hi where did u get 2 quart, or 1 gallon mayonnaise containers. Thanks


Most grocery stores carry mayonnaise in large containers. You can try a bulk foods store if there's one is close by like Costco. Your local Walmart or Grocery Outlet may even carry them.

The catch is you have to eat (use up) whats inside the plastic jars first, then clean it out and reuse it.

Many of my friends do the same thing (clean and re-use) mixed nut containers as well as peanut butter, and mayonnaise plastic containers.


- Bullwolf

[Jtarm]

Whatever I can find: plastic buckets, coffee cans, zip lock bags, margerine tubs.

My dad was in the dairy packaging business and gave me a big bunch of rectangular one-quart plastic tubs about 30 years ago,. The few that have stayed indoors are still with me, though the lids are cracked.

[1eyedjack]

I like to use brewed tea bottles with the 30mm screw on lids .I powder coat bullets and size on my APP press have a shelf that the tea bottle sits on under the sizing die with the die inside the neck of the bottle. Bottles are clear, free and resealable hold about 200 9mm 125grain bullets .just about all I want to pull off that back shelf .Gatorade bottles have the same 30mm cap

[lightman]

A friends wife uses some kind of fancy coffee creamer that comes in 1/2 gallon wide mouth heavy plastic jugs with a side handle. He saves them for me. I only cast about 4 times a year, with a couple of buddies and I try to cast more than a years supply evertime we cast. I've managed to get ahead of the game. I store these on the shelf under my loading bench with the info written on the front of the jug.

You guys talking about Uline; We recently moved and I scored a whole bedroom for my loading room. I bought 2 butcher block work bench tops, several shelves and some other stuff from them. Its a good company. They sell lots of good stuff. Warehouse stuff, office stuff, packaging and shipping stuff, ect.

[GregLaROCHE]

If you drink box wine, the empty cardboard boxes can be cut down to whatever size you want. Very practical and cheap if you drink wine.

[Rich/WIS]

I also make boxes for my cast and sized/lubed bullets, usually 100 per layer several layers deep with cardboard between layers. Bullets not sized/lubed are loose in cigar boxes until processed. Brass is in plastic coffee cans before processing and then bagged and labeled and stored in a plastic tub. A lot of my 45 brass is in the discarded boxes and trays people toss at the range. Do have some "store bought" plastic boxes for rifle ammo, stored in the "fat" 50 cans, and loaded 45 ACP in factory boxes in a regular 50 cal can. The standard 50 cal cans are useful for storing miscellaneous ammo.

[jdgabbard]

14 years and this thread keeps popping up. Hot topic, I suppose!

Since I moved onto PC'ing my boolits, I'm a little less caring about the nature of their storage. Now I throw them loose into a 4x4 Uline box after they've been PC'd and sized. I shoot so many these days it doesn't seem worth it to package them up in 100x boxes. And the Uline 4x4 boxes also are great for loose ammo storage. A box will hold 300 loaded 9mm cartridges, or 200 38spl with 358311s. I haven't counted others because I mostly shoot 9mm and 38 these days.

[fredj338]

You can buy cardboard boxes on any size pretty cheap in bulk. Really cheap, ask your buddies that reload commercial bullets to give you their boxes. There are several apps for your phone that you can track your components with. I like simple solutions.

[Brassmonkey]

Dunno if it was mentioned but if you want a bunch of similar containers make nicey nice with a restaurant or deli. Unfortunately, the number 10 cans won't have lids, but they can be sourced or made.

[TXTad]

I'm glad this thread came alive again. I still have a few of the old Midway USA blue boxes, but they do not make them any more. MTM has a "Cast Bullet Box". It's a green-tinted clear plastic box. Same live hinge that will fail eventually. Something like 3x3x3".

The small cardboard box was a good idea. I went to Amazon and searched for 4x4x4" carboard box and found those and many other small sizes. This one is intriguing, being something approximately like a commercial jacketed bullet box, which someone in the older part of this thread had suggested:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FDCQCQD/

Another interesting size: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072TVFQ2J/

[35 Rem]

I'm always on the lookout for smallish boxes to use for bullets or brass. Car parts boxes are some of the best since they are made to contain heavy items. Brake pad boxes are one of my favorites. I also have been known to glue pieces of cardboard into cardboard boxes that aren't quite strong enough to beef them up. I want boxes that are stackable since I have more stuff to store than I do space to put it. For small quantities of bullets - like 100 or so - I use boxes my spouse brings home from work that held all sorts of electronics components. She brought me multiple huge garbage bags of these boxes so I have more than a lifetime supply.

[elmacgyver0]

I use peanut butter jars and Miracle Whip jars.
The square plastic spice containers from Sam's Club make better use of space.
I don't go with glass because of the danger of breakage if dropped.

[samari46]

I have a bunch of the blue plastic boxes as well as cookie tins. Store bought cast bullets stay in their respective heavy cardboard shipping boxes. Frank

[jednorris]

I have been casting for quite a while and do NOT see why I would want to separate bullets by different lead mixtures. My experiences have shown that maintaining the exact same ratio of lead/tin or any other metal to be very important. If I shoot two different ratios, I end up with two different results and void my accuracy load. Whatever bullet lead I produce, I do with about 100 -150# of ALL THE EXACT SAME MIXTURE. I then pour it into molds and have a consistent supply. I do not mean to sound simplistic or a know it all, I just believe that gives me a better product.

[pull the trigger]

I'm all about the peanut butter jars, my wife tries to throw them away without me knowing it. Also use the small ammo cans.

[bruce381]

I use new boxes from Uline ( http://www.uline.com/ ) I order them by the 100 (the 4X4X4 boxes I lke are only .16 ea), they hold 4-500 depending on the size. I fill em up just like the cast boolits you buy in the store and place them on a shelf where I can easily determine the quantity on hand and what size I might need to cast next. I save the empties and refill em next time I cast. I have about 70 boxes filled up on the shelf. They also have a miriad of different style boxes at Uline, I'm sure they'll have what you're looking for. BTW, if I order before 2pm, I have them the next day UPS from PA to MA!

I have no connection to Uline, just very happy with their product and service!

LOL me too but I get the 2x4x8 holds like 500 as I used to buy at gun shows till i started casting

[bruce381]

FWIW, What I do is stop by my local Post Office and for " Free " grab several priority boxes. They work just fine. sturdy cardboard, They also have free lables that have a large blank space for information on boolits. just place a square piece of cardboard between layers.


thease are where i store my brass

[jdgabbard]

LOL me too but I get the 2x4x8 holds like 500 as I used to buy at gun shows till i started casting

That's what I have been doing since I started PCing boolits. But I also use them for loaded ammo, 300rds of 9mm will fit in one. Which makes it quite convenient for breaking down into two range sessions.

[Daver7]

I might be showing my age. Heres some I saved from the 70s

319341

[fredj338]

I het nice boxes from my friends that buy plated Extreme bullets. Holds 1000/9-38 or 500/40-45.