Endangered Containers

[NVcurmudgeon]

For too long there has been a determined assault on the reuseable containers that once filled our shooting boxes and shops. The hardware stores and gun shops are infested with plastic bubbles holding our purchases to a piece of cardboard, replacing a myriad of small cardboard boxes, cloth bags, and tins. Wooden boxes? Get real, Grandpa! The paper bag that once stood proudly in our cars so that our groceries arrived home safely is still available, but if you ask for them you risk being scowled and laughed at, or ignored. This from checkers who instead of knowing prices and the adding machine keyboard, now push your groceries across a sensor and deposit them in a plastic bag. The "improved" plastic bag holds less,fallls over in the car emptying itself, and is made from $2.50 a gallon petroleum. The latest blow stricken by the devotees of economy to the point of uselessness has eliminated the Folger's coffee can. For about a year, Folger's has discontinued the traditional three pound coffee can, (which now contains a mere 39 ounces) in favor of plastic. This monstrosity not only is made from precious petroleum, but won't stack and is of lesser capacity than the honest tin can it has replaced. It is only a matter of time until the rest of the coffee companies follow Folgers down the polymer road to perdition. A desperate America has two questions: Where then can we store our bulk brass, and where is Mrs. Olsen, who proudly announced, "Ja, I olvays haf a tree pound can of Folger's in my purse."

[shooter575]

NVcurmudgeon, I see your problem.You need to buy coffee to get a tin can.Maxwell house is in a can.I think it is the only coffee made aint it?

Sorry,I couldnt resist :]

[BLTsandwedge1]

A desperate America has two questions: Where then can we store our bulk brass, and where is Mrs. Olsen, who proudly announced, "Ja, I olvays haf a tree pound can of Folger's in my purse."

Well written NV. Indeed the cry for spent round containers resonates through the US but "where can we store our bulk brass" has substantial differences in meaning in the town of Winslow, AZ compared to San Francisco, CA..........

[carpetman]

Crumudgeon(NV variety)----Ever notice at the supermarket they ask paper or plastic? You know why? Back in the 70's the New Orleans Saints fans started calling them the "Aints" and wearing a sack over their head to avoid the embarrassment of being seen on TV rooting for them. Give a Saints fan plastic and they will suffocate.

[Scrounger]

Obviously this is a problem requiring the attention of the CarpetMan. He has a way of getting right to the heart of the problem. Perhaps when he takes a break from his cat hunting activities, he will enlighten us... When I moved up here from California, one of the things that went to the trash was a ten year collection of beautiful, clean, airtight, Folgers coffee cans. Dozens of them. My nephew constantly criticized me for saving them, and good cardboard boxes and plastic containers. There wasn't a week went by that he didn't have to get one or the other from me for something he needed, but he never remembered that when I saved one...

[Paul B]

If you have one of those ubiquitous "dollar" stores in your neighborhood, try checking them out. I found plastic containers with lids running about 12-14" long, maybe 6 or 7" wide and about 5" deep. One will hold a lot of brass and they stack beautifully. I bought 50 of them and need to get more. The only problem is there isn't any more shelf space. At last estimate, there's probably 20,000 plus pieces of brass in various calibers. I need a bigger shed. My reloading and casting shop is in that shed.
Paul B.

[9.3X62AL]

The arrival of the grandson not quite a year ago produced a boon in the form of formula cans after breast-feeding got old a few months ago. I still have Enfamil all-metal cans from my kids, and now a second generation of formula cans is arriving on scene. These are some sort of spiral-wound paper, and they held up the other day to a lame-*** unplanned drop test completely full of just-cast #358429's. Hell, the top didn't even come off.

Them Folger's 1#'ers are to boolit containers what Glocks are to service pistols--they work, but are soulless artificial replacements for the impliments they seek to supersede (unsuccessfully).

[Buckshot]

................I have found the new Folgers plastic containers to actually be kinda neat for storing brass. However, the majority of our coffee continues to be bought in the form of store brands which is "Still in Steel". I do not believe the new Folgers deal seals very well tho'.

Donna likes that Foo-Foo coffee and most all of that comes in the 1 lb contianers. On occasion it will come in rather oddly shaped steel cans, I suppose this 'cutsie' can is to entice the consumer into thinking it's something special? I do know from my college days in business merchandising that the 2 most important things for selling something is container color (red is #1) and it's position on the shelf. Basicly from knee to shoulder height and in the middle of the shelf.

I have discovered the inexpensive plastic container made by Glad and several other outfits, but I sure wish they'd standardize their lids. These are used for storing cast boolits mainly and are really great IMHO. They do require some thought in stacking. One that is only partially full cannot stand a couple full ones sitting on top of it without becoming hors d' combat.

I recall once Dean Grennell mentioning that he'd found an absolutely wizard place to store cast bullets and brass, that was otherwise unused space. That was to construct a heavy shelf that was attached to the header beam over his garage door. I have cast an eyeball or two in that direction myownself. However he also tells of the time they had a bit of an earthquake (he lived in So. Calif) and all the boxes and cans made a trip to the floor. HE said it was a memorable mess! I'd put a lip on it I think.

..............Buckshot

[NVcurmudgeon]

BLTsandwedge, Writing Mrs. Olsen's speech phoneticly comes easy to me. For some unknown reason I could do a near-perfect Mrs.Olsen impression and a passable Darth Vader. These, along with impressions of ALL the vendors at the Oakland Colliseum, kept my son highly amused until he got old enough to go to school and be ruined by the other kids.

Carpetman, Not being a football fan I always wondered why plastic bags have a warning label saying, "Keep away from children, not legal in Louisiana."

Scrounger, Yes, a lot of good stuff was sacrificed in my move, too. I am greatly comforted by my new and growing Hills Brothers coffee can collection.
When the world all goes to plastic, I will be King, or at least nine of clubs.