Sunday, December 7, 2008

Simple Survival Tips - Ammo Cans

Just curious to see if there are a lot of people out there who use ammo cans for storing "stuff" besides ammo. If the seals are good, they are pretty much dust-proof and water-proof. They're usually pretty sturdy and are good for storing lots of different "stuff".

Here are some of the different items I've stored in ammo boxes:

1.) Nail, bolts, screws, etc. - they don't get rusty

2.) Sandwiches and drinks - sort of a survival lunchbox

3.) Tow chains - sturdy ehough to hold the heavy ones

4.) Misc. tools - whatever I could stuff in there

5.) Ammo and gun cleaning kits ( I think this is the intended use!)

What have you used your ammo cans for other than ammo?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Another item to consider stocking up on is milk crate's.They can be used for anything,have 2 handle's for easy hauling,and can be used for darn near anything when empty too! Trap's,chair's,lined with a garbage bag to catch rain,anything you can imagine! I recall another post about an apartment dweller wondering about where to store supplie's in a small space. I took 8 plastic milk crate's,stocked with canned food,made a plywood cover,similar to a waterbed. I set my box spring and mattress over it. I have a small truckload of food right under my bed! And should I need to bug out,it's already packed and ready to load.

Sam said...

Pretty much the same as you listed. Here are some additions:

First Aid kits and our medical stuff storage in our preps.

Faraday cage for extra FRS/ GMRS radios, batteries and the like.

In the BOV I have one just for flares, extra flashlights and such to assist in an auto accident.

We always add desiccant to combat moisture. We paint and label them different colors to identify their contents.
Sam

Anonymous said...

Major Surplus sells plastic organizer bins that fit 3 deep in a 50 cal can. This great for smaller stuff, fishing gear etc.

I also use a 50 cal can for extra medical/First aid stuff.

Rawles got me storing rolls of coins, esspecially nickels. they fit perfect in a 30 cal. A bit heavy bit a perfect fit. About $300 to a can of nickels

I keep a 50 cal with all of our importatnt papers in it, with a LED shaker flash light.

Geez, I even havae ammo in some.


Old Fart

vlad said...

A 50 cal ammo can will hold a Classic Lee Loader or Lyman 310 tool, RCBS hand priming tool; and powder, primers and bullets for 500 reloads.

I have 50 cal kits for 30-30, 30-06 and 45-70.

vlad said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
vlad said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeEl9wZyabc

Reload a round in about 40 seconds
with Lee Loader.

gott_cha said...

Well first I use them for ammo storage,...and Black Powder acc's.

I also have several I use for camping.

Coin storage

I have 2 .50 cal boxes I have mounted to my Jeep for Straps,..shackles,...spare parts,..bottle jack.... and a tool kit directly related to 4x4.

There are so many uses for them that the only limit is your creativity.

Another good container I use are wooden shell and rifle crates,...get them at the Surplus store,..they usually are cheap.

Mayberry said...

Yoosta have an ammo can "toolbox" in the trunk of my old Chevy II... Funny, I just ordered an ammo can, along with 40 more rounds of 7.62 to "play" with in my mosin. Couldn't pass it up for 4 bucks!

QDman said...

Ammo cans are the container of choice for Geocachers.

riverwalker said...

To:

Anonymous #1
Milk crates - this is a good thing.

SAM
Faraday cage - this is a good thing.

Old Fart
Extra med kits - great idea!

vlad
Reload stuff - WOW!

gott_cha
Coin storage - money is a good thing to have stored!Use wooden chasts- have to remember that!

Mayberry
Never enough tools or boxes to put them in.

QDman
Heard about them being used for geocaching - they work really good for this.

Glad to see I'm not the only person putting something besides ammo in ammo cans. Thanks.

RW

Ken said...

...you mean those things are actually meant for 'ammo'...

riverwalker said...

To: Ken

You crack me up guy! Put ammo in ammo cans....I wonder if anybody else knows or should we keep it a secret for a little while longer.

RW

Shy Wolf said...

LOL, Ken- now why would someone actually use a can for the original purpose? Sounds like you're defeating the whole idea of a can! LOL- good one, Buddy.
For years and years and eons upon decades, I've used a .50 cal ammo can to carry my camera gear in during canoe trips: aside from being waterproof, the dang thing even floats with the camera, lenses and flash inside. Shucks, it don't come much better!
Shy

riverwalker said...

To: shy wolf

Floating camera case....
This is a good thing.

RW

Anonymous said...

I think Ranger Rick even had an idea about making a small bar-b-que grill out of an ammunition box.

http://tinyurl.com/5dj28v

riverwalker said...

To: anonymous

BBQ grill...

And the list grows!

Thanks.

RW

Anonymous said...

i use a .50cal ammo can for a first-aid kit/survival kit, i have another that i use to keep knife sharpeners and the like in, another one i have pellet gun ammo and cleaning supplys

riverwalker said...

To: anonymous 3:19

That's a great idea keeping your stuff organize, especially the sharpehing stuff. Thanks.

RW

Anonymous said...

Just found this blog, great stuff you guys. As an added twist, I use my ammo can for extra diaper and wipe storage in the trunk of my car, you never know when you may run out of the important stuff :)

riverwalker said...

To: divineoubliette

Great idea for taking care of the little ones!

RW

Yosef said...

Along those lines, you got any idea where to get or how to make a grill that will fit over the top or preferably just inside a 200-cartridge 7.62 mm ammo can?

Seems like, with the handle on the top and all, it would make the ideal mini-BBQ. Load the base with all sorts of ignitable goodies, lay some charcoal on top, drop in the grill, clamp on the lid, and carry it to wherever you plan to do some sweet, sweet cookin'.

Or go one-stop shopping. Do some shooting and then cook what you caught in the can the ammo came in. What could be more perfect?

In any case, I fully intend to shove one into the middle of a campfire and use it to cook in without getting ash in the food. Clamp on the lid and trap in the moisture.

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