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Thread: Favorite Cartridge/Ammo Tray

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Favorite Cartridge/Ammo Tray

    I’ve been getting by using a 9mm cartridge tray from a Remington factory ammo box as a reloading tray for my 223 and 300 BLK. Wanting to get a dedicated reloading tray and looking for suggestions. Must be fairly inexpensive, stackable when not using, easily washable and prefer to not be red. Never cared for the color much.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Czech_too's Avatar
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    I make 'em up of scrap 3/4" pine roughly 6" wide with the length of 8"
    A Forstner bit in the drill press is what's used to drill the holes. Some of the blocks/holes are cartridge specific i.e. Hornet & .223

    A friend though has been making gang blocks out of the cartridge trays from the factory boxes.
    I'm not sure if he's glueing them together, how he's securing them.

    Actual dimensions turn out to be 4 1/4" x 8 1/2"
    Last edited by Czech_too; 01-09-2019 at 10:34 AM.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I also make my own. I don't have Forstner bits in all the sizes I need, so I just use regular twist bits and drill holes the whole way through the block Then, simply glue a thin piece of plywood or pressboard to the bottom.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    I make my own but also rout an edge on the bottom so I can pick them up and spray glue (77 spray glue) a piece of carpet backing (router hold down is the same thing) on the bottom so they don't slide around.
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master Handloader109's Avatar
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    Yep, Pine would be the cheapest wood. Kind of wish I had a CNC, I've a large stack of 1/2" mdf that is 6" wide x 96" long. This would be good project for use and might even could sell a few. But I'm not drilling thousands of holes with my drill press. (couldn't wash them, but don't know why you need to. Spray with a couple of coats of clear lacquer or acrylic and they won't stain easily, and tap out loose powder. Or spray with your favorite color that isn't RED

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I’ve bought the caliber specific wooden blocks from Midway... a little pricey compared to free from factory boxes, but nicely spaced out for use when charging by hand (powder measure or dipper.). Brownell’s sells some similar, even more expensive blocks in some sort of heavy white poly stuff. The few of these I own are my absolute favorites, but I don’t have those for all calibers I load.

    Truth to tell, I still use a lot of the plastic liners from factory ammo boxes... free from the trash barrel at the range!

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  7. #7
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    I make mine from oak scraps. I use the cheap Forstner bit set from harbor freight.
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  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I have made a few, out of scrap oak and or mahogany. Some, I drilled all the way through and glued a thin bottom, some I drilled partially. I grind my own flat bottom drill bits.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    I have two of the Midway blue plastic trays for 45 ACP, as well as a wood tray of the same size I got from an estate sale. These work well with 30/06 also. For 30/40 I use a yellow tray from Flambeau that I bought new back around 1970 that is two sided, one side for larger cases like the 30/40 and the other size fits 06 size cases. For spray lubing 06 size cases I took several of the 45 ACP plastic trays from ammo boxes and sliced them to half height and stagger the cases to get good coverage. For the 30/40 I used a spade bit and drilled a piece of structural nylon board to hold 50 for lubing.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Handgun rounds I like the MTM Red ones the best so far, but I also use some I have made myself. I do have a green RCBS, but I am not too fond of it.

    For rifle rounds, I just made my own by drilling out 2x4 and 2x6 chunks.

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  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    I use "universal" from FA (they have 2 set of holes with "steps") it covers a wide range of calibers. For my 25 acp reloads I've just made one from a piece of scrap wood.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy


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    I have 2 of the old style RCBS universal blocks, and I don’t care for them at all. I also have 4 of the new style and they work great. I only need 4 because I don’t use blocks on runs of more than 200.
    L.E.C.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I have and have used several over the years. Grandpa made them from scrap pine 2 X 6's. Other woods would make an attractive block. I have a really nice one made from aluminum by a guy that goes by the name CNC Shooter that advertises on the Accurate Shooter site. I have a few from Sinclair machined from polyethylene that are really nice. I have a dozen from RCBS that I found at a gunshow for a dollar each. These have 2 different size holes that are both nice and annoying and hold 80 cases. I have a few from C-H that have 60 holes which makes it a little easier to maneuver charged cases around without spilling powder. Probably have another one or two laying around! I guess all of mine will stack.

    The aluminum ones are really nice if money is not an issue and if you like really nice stuff. The C-H ones are narrow enough to fit under a powder measure stand and are probably my favorites. I use the RCBS ones mostly for counting/sorting cases. Lyman makes one where the different rows are elevated like bleachers that looks interesting. Sinclair and Midway both have several different ones for sale and their online catalogs have decent pictures.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master


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    I really like the old Flambeau twin-60, one side fits .06 or smaller, the other belted mag. Have 6 and one for shotgun. Find on fleabay.
    I also use the old style wood blocks from Midway #2s to reload .32S&W.

    And the poly blocks from Sinclair Int'l are just the thing for spray lubes. Washable too. And MANY different sizes & configurations.
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  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    Im a woodworker and save all of my scraps then glue them together like cutting boards are. Then I round over the edges, drill the holes, and glue velvet on the bottoms. Makes some purdy ammo trays.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master Boolit_Head's Avatar
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    I made mine too but wanted something a tad bit nicer than pine so I used poplar with some Danish oil for a finish.
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  17. #17
    Boolit Master


    Walter Laich's Avatar
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    since I hit my empty cases with spray lube before sizing I like the kind the non-wood kind. Wife isn't crazy about having them in dishwasher about twice a year.

    have some wooden ones I made as well as a couple my Dad made in late 50s.
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  18. #18
    Banned
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    Most of mine are made by cutting the top portion off from old MTM cartridge boxes after the old hinges gave out. I just set the fence on the bandsaw and cut them to the height I need, then drop them on the belt sander for a second. I cannot believe how long it took them plastic box makers to put a real hinge on cartridge boxes. Thank God they finally did though.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I had a gent make me a pair of oak trays for 45/70 and have cherished those but don’t let sprays or anything get near them. May have to look into making some oak ones myself. Gonna price some tonight and poke around the net. Thanks for the suggestions everyone

  20. #20
    Boolit Master

    lefty o's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Walter Laich View Post
    since I hit my empty cases with spray lube before sizing I like the kind the non-wood kind. Wife isn't crazy about having them in dishwasher about twice a year.

    have some wooden ones I made as well as a couple my Dad made in late 50s.
    me too, and why i like the cheap blue plastic ones midway sells. also have older wood ones which are nice, and the nicest is the plastic one from sinclair i have for the wsm cases.

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