Fixed a pet peeve with plastic ammo boxes

[anothernewb]

personal pet peeve. Love those 50 and 100 round ammo boxes but hate that the lid always wants to stay closed. mostly due to the plastic webbing on the back. Better boxes have hinges, but I've got a ton of these cheap ones.

Happened to have the heat gun handy for another project, and got to thinking maybe I can change the memory of the plastic to an open position. as you can see, initial results are promising.
We will see how things work after they've been closed for awhile.

Before:



After:

[Omega]

My problem with those things is they eventually break. I've started buying boxes from Midsouth with hinges, and they're as cheap or cheaper than the MTM brand. But in the mean time this will come in handy for the ones I haven't replaced yet.

[dikman]

I liked the nice neat look of those boxes, but now just fill plastic bags with boolits! Simple, cheap and practical (particularly when one uses a lot with Single Action shooting).

A good idea, though, about the hinges.

[RogerDat]

My problem with those things is they eventually break. I've started buying boxes from Midsouth with hinges, and they're as cheap or cheaper than the MTM brand. But in the mean time this will come in handy for the ones I haven't replaced yet.

I bookmarked that link those are nice boxes at a good price. I use the cheap ones and the top always wanting to be closed is sort of annoying will try the blow dryer to see if that can be changed but eventually those ones from Midsouth look like a better product and a good deal.

I tend to dump loaded rounds in plastic zip lock bags and put those in caliber specific plastic ammo "cans" from Harbor Freight. Things are all wrong for most boxed ammo but work really well for several hundred stored in baggies. They stack, don't hold enough to break their handles (so far), are a manageable weight. On sale less than $5 https://www.harborfreight.com/ammo-box-61451.html

Exception is when it is something such as laddered rounds of a new powder, odd load, different gas check or weight which go in smaller plastic boxes.

[JMax]

I like back of the bench with all the tool heads lined up except mine are for my 550s with dedicated powder measures mounted.

[Omega]

I bookmarked that link those are nice boxes at a good price. I use the cheap ones and the top always wanting to be closed is sort of annoying will try the blow dryer to see if that can be changed but eventually those ones from Midsouth look like a better product and a good deal.

I tend to dump loaded rounds in plastic zip lock bags and put those in caliber specific plastic ammo "cans" from Harbor Freight. Things are all wrong for most boxed ammo but work really well for several hundred stored in baggies. They stack, don't hold enough to break their handles (so far), are a manageable weight. On sale less than $5 https://www.harborfreight.com/ammo-box-61451.html

Exception is when it is something such as laddered rounds of a new powder, odd load, different gas check or weight which go in smaller plastic boxes.

I do the same for bulk ammo storage, except that I vacuum pack them into flat packages for easier stacking, and to fit better in the ammo can I plan on storing them in.

[JBinMN]

I vacuum pack them into flat packages for easier stacking[/B].

Excellent idea! Thanks for sharing it!

[Walter Laich]

put you up for the Nobel Shooting Prize (if only)

great find--off to melt all of mine while trying to copy your success

[ReloaderFred]

Berry's Manufacturing has changed all their ammo boxes over to hinges now. I just ordered 100 of them at the SHOT Show, and they're a huge improvement over the old fixed hinge boxes. They also have a lifetime warranty.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[dikman]

I bookmarked that link those are nice boxes at a good price. I use the cheap ones and the top always wanting to be closed is sort of annoying will try the blow dryer to see if that can be changed but eventually those ones from Midsouth look like a better product and a good deal.

I tend to dump loaded rounds in plastic zip lock bags and put those in caliber specific plastic ammo "cans" from Harbor Freight. Things are all wrong for most boxed ammo but work really well for several hundred stored in baggies. They stack, don't hold enough to break their handles (so far), are a manageable weight. On sale less than $5 https://www.harborfreight.com/ammo-box-61451.html

Exception is when it is something such as laddered rounds of a new powder, odd load, different gas check or weight which go in smaller plastic boxes.

RogerDat, those boxes look really good for the money! I can't find anything like that here, unfortunately..

[HangFireW8]

Thanks anothernewb, I have to try that. Maybe I can salvage some older or newer ammo boxes.

Like Omega, when buying I have switched to buying MidSouth's US-made, true hinge boxes. Got a bunch in 2011 and still keep buying them. So far, so good.

Probably the best made boxes were MTM. I didn't know they tried the "living hinge" for a while. I have some hinged MTM's from the 80's that are still going strong. They are a too pricey for buying in bulk.

I still have have many mid-1990's Midway blue boxes that still have a good "living hinge", but the living hinge splits and overall attrition rate is growing. I have gotten my money's worth.

My experience with Midway's (uh, "Frankford Arsenal") newer Chinese made boxes is that they are JUNK. Not because of country of origin per se, but the product itself. I ordered a bunch in 2011 and was horrified. When dropped, they crack or even shatter. They came warped, the lids have gaps where they meet the bottoms, and the "living hinge" starts splitting the moment you start using it. Right now they are sitting up on a shelf. I guess it's a little late to return them. Maybe the heat gun can salvage a few for use.

[GhostHawk]

Our local Mill's Fleet farm has been stocking Plano 100 round hinged boxes with two catch's to hold them closed. Under 4$ each, mostly in the 3.59$ area. I have been stocking and filling and stocking for a bit now. Ammo table is starting to groan. They come with sticky labels. But often I just write caliber, load info with black sharpie.

Then if I want to change caliber, load, a piece of paper towel and a squirt of goo-gone erases it.

Beats the heck out of the 50 round flip top boxes IMO. Although I have a few places where I prefer those due to space, weight considerations.

[retread]

Our local Mill's Fleet farm has been stocking Plano 100 round hinged boxes with two catch's to hold them closed. Under 4$ each, mostly in the 3.59$ area. I have been stocking and filling and stocking for a bit now. Ammo table is starting to groan. They come with sticky labels. But often I just write caliber, load info with black sharpie.

Then if I want to change caliber, load, a piece of paper towel and a squirt of goo-gone erases it.

Beats the heck out of the 50 round flip top boxes IMO. Although I have a few places where I prefer those due to space, weight considerations.

Hoppes #9 will take it right off also. I am amazed at all the uses I have found for Hoppes. Good tapping fluid in a pinch. Removes label glue, etc. [I] even use it for cleaning guns! LOL

[dverna]

I need to try some. Gave up on the living hinge boxes. Some of MY favorite boxes are the slip top boxes I got from Herters 40+ years ago. None have ever failed although one row was a bit snug. I think they were $.27 ea IIRC.

[Bmi48219]

I went with the Plano hinged boxes. Out of 50 I have one failure. One has a broken catch (the other one holds it closed) after being dropped 4 feet. The load labels they give you are a joke.
Before I bought them I called Plano, they said these were made in USA. FOR 9mm I pick up Federal 9 mm boxes & trays at the range. Spray the boxes w/ white paint & use dollar store file labels on all boxes for load data.

[winelover]

Those semi transparent MTM boxes, that the OP pictured are the ones to avoid....they will crack when dropped. However, the MTM opaque ones with the more rounded corners (similar to Omega's), will take a "licking and keep on ticking". I have some that are over 40 years old and still in service. I've tried many of the off brands and keep coming back to MTM. RCBS made some nice ones but they were prohibitively expensive. Another brand, that I can't recall, would only accept 44 magnum J-words.......couldn't close the lid when rounds were loaded with 240 SWC cast.

Winelover

[Hardcast416taylor]

I liked the nice neat look of those boxes, but now just fill plastic bags with boolits! Simple, cheap and practical (particularly when one uses a lot with Single Action shooting).

A good idea, though, about the hinges.

I`ve been doing the ziplock bag route for about 20 or more years for loaded ammo and lube/sized boolets. I finally got tired of buying ammo boxes or boxes with no seperators. Friends or other people I knew would get either ammo or loose bullets from me in those nice boxes, and then never think to return them - even if I told them I wanted them returned!Robert

[Walter Laich]

and then never think to return them - even if I told them I wanted them returned!Robert

+1 on that!
though I finally get them back when they want more ammo

same with empty brass--they hold it forever and then wonder why I don't have it loaded for them at a moment's notice