Just curious as to how many of you keep your reloads in the original or non original paper boxes versus plastic boxes like the MTM Ammo Guard.

Personally, since I am a brass scrounger and I have more brass than boxes, I have been buying the 100 count plastic MTM boxes. Since my 2 CCW's are S&W model 59's in 9mm, I have accumulated over 2,000 empty cases over the last 10 years. Just wondered what the rest of you are doing?

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James Redfield
LM #497

MTM cases for me. I don't like their case for 9mm though, the rounds rattle around and don't sit up straight in the holes. But I haven't found anything else better out there.

I use the MTM or whatever brand, I have a miss mash of kinds. I also use empty Berrys plated boxes and those clear Glad storage containers. After received the Midway Flyer I was thinking about get 10 or those plain cardboard boxes just to try out.

My reloading box collection is getting to look like the kitchen cabinet with all different kinds of storage containers.

I must have order and consistency in my life!

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Still Running Against the Wind

MTM 100-round plastic boxes for loaded rounds for me. I use the "correct" caliber-marked box for everything except .38 Special flush-seated wadcutters -- I use 9mm boxes for those. I just discovered that MTM's making them in two pieces now, with an actual mechanical hinge (instead of a flexible bit of plastic between the two halves) which I'm happy about, since I use ammo nearly as fast as I reload it.

For brass storage, I use metal coffee cans and plastic jars and other re-purposed bulk-food storage containers.

I don't like the bullets rubbing against anything, but there's not many options for rimless rounds. For those I prefer pressed styrofoam inserts and reuse OEM or Reloader's boxes that have them. I cross out the original info printed on the boxes with a black marker and stick on labels I've printed with my reloading info.

For rimmed ammo, I reuse the OEM boxes with the plastic inserts that suspend the bullets above the bottom of the box. Or at least that is what I use to transport it to the range in. At home, while awaiting free space in the limited number of boxes I use for transport, they reside in clear plastic, air tight, canisters with Spanish Cedar bottom inserts that Victor Sincair Oscuro cigars come in.

John

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Age + Treachery = JohnnieB

MTM for the past 38-40 years...sometimes Berry

You can only drop a full Berry's once- MTMs last forever.

You get what you pay for!

Good shooting.

Paper or Plastic? I'm all about saving a tree. Most of my brass is sorted in ammo cans (thanks dad) my loaded stuff is in plastic 50 rounders.

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Eric

For empty brass I have found that a plastic 3lb coffee can works really well.Had about 880 rounds of .38 spec brass in one not long ago.When I take rounds to the local reloader I just subtract what I'm taking,write the new count on a piece of paper and drop it in.Always have a running count of what I have left.For loaded rounds I use both Berry's and MTM.

I use MTM or Frankfort 50 round plastic boxes.

Older gentlemen next to me at the range was pulling his rounds out of a ziplock bag. ( quart lookin' size and it was full)

Neither. I had a bunch of MTMs. They wouldn't fit well in the .50 cal cans I use for storage. So I gave away all the MTM boxes I had and went to ZipLock 1 Pint freezer bags. Fast to get cartridges in and out and I label them with homemade reload labels I did on my PC. They pack right in the cans now and snuggle in my range bag, too.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

I can't seem to warm up to the plastic boxes. I use either the original cardboard box or if I have alot of reloads w/no container I've been putting them into empty canvas shot bags. I've got plenty of those.

I use MTM boxes when I'm load testing so I can segregate the rounds. Otherwise, I like the disposable Ziplok containers (not bags).

I use MTM's for selected ammo. For most of my ammo I use quart ziplock storage bags.

Plastic, Ziplock freezer bags and ammo cans, works for me.

100 round MTM's in different colors for various calibers. I too use the 9mm box for the flush seated 38 wadcutters....little rattling.

Quart and gallon Zip Loc bags for me. I note all loading data on a 3x5 card and it goes in the bag with the ammo. I mark the outside of the bag with a fat magic marker with caliber. I put the fired brass in another zip loc at the range.

I use old ammo boxes (I like some brands more than others, anything with a plastic tray) and some plastic storage boxes. I also use some bulk stroage boxes from wally world (1.2 qrt.). They hold about 400 9mm rounds. I have also discovered that the plastic containers that Nestles NesQuick comes in work pretty well for storing stuff in too.

1 gallon milk jugs work great for brass storeage. 50 caliber or larger ammo cans work great for bulk ammo storage. The white plastic ammo box inserts work great for range ammo. Four inserts fill 1 layer in a 50 cal ammo can. Zip lock bags work ok for 9 mm / 35 caliber ammo.

Life is too short to buy MTM boxs for 30 years of brassitis. How many boxes do you need for 30 gallons of sorted brass -- acquired 1 piece at a time at the range freom non-reloaders?

What do you do with 1,800 44 mag rounds and 5,000 rounds of 45 ACP? Set the five ammo cans on the floor out of the way of foot traffic!

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S&WHF 366

Hey, I resemble that remark! Except maybe the older part.

I use the factory box until it gets 'ratty', then go to plastic.

OK, looks like the MTM's are very popular. I was buying them at various stores until I found them right on MTM's web site in their factory store. Order online and they show up on my door step in 3-4 days.


Now for part 2 of the question. Since I have ADD or OCD or whatever the correct accronym is, do you only put like headstamp brass in the same box or container or do you mix headstamps? My living room floor in now covered with umpteen plastic food saver containers, MTM 100 round boxes and a few plastic bags full of brass being sorted by headstamps. Wife says it better be gone by Thanksgiving when the family comes to visit or she's leaving. Boy, I'm gonna miss her!!!

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James Redfield
LM #497

Choice - figure out how to clean up your reloading process and stay married or not. I am still married after 48 years and I load and shoot a lot.

I like Zip loc bags with a card inside - cheap and easy.

Does anybody have any used .44 Special paper boxes they don't need anymore.

I prefer MTM or Berry's boxes, with heavy emphasis on MTM. I do reuse some of the factory boxes when I run out of plastic ones, so I keep some under the reloading bench for that purpose.

Empty brass gets stored in large coffee cans, since it would cost hundreds of dollars to get enough plastic boxes to handle my brass.

You guys have this all wrong.

True reloaders/handloads would make their own cartridge holders out of hardwood, with a nice stained and varnished finish like the precision 22 LR Target shooters do.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I actually have one of those that is made from two pieces of 1" wood stacked on top of each other. There are slots in the top piece that allows it to move back and forth over the bottom piece held in line by large headed roof nails. When you slide it one way, the holes in the top board line up with the holes in the bottom board and it is deep enough for rifle cases. Slide it back the other way and only the holes in the top board are used and it works for pistol cases.

There are only 50 holes so this is used only during the reloading process and not for storage.

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James Redfield
LM #497

I use 3x5 or 4x6 ziplocks from Hobby Lobby. They hold between 50 and 100 loaded rounds, depending on caliber, so it's easy to grab a couple of bags to take to the range. I label them with address labels (by hand). I keep the loaded ziplocks in GI ammo cans.

For brass scrounging I use Wal-Mart bags or whatever's handy. I can usually fill up such a bag every session if I want. I have so much brass now I just get the good stuff. This morning I found 100 new looking Starline .44 SPL.

I bought dozens of boxes 40 years ago from Herters and still use them. They don't wear out. I switched to MTMs when they were no longer available until I saw the J&J product at a gun show for less than a buck each! Couldn't believe the price so I bought a whole sack full. When that old guy didn't show up at the shows any more i found the J&J web site and now I order direct. They doubled in price in the last 5 years, but they're still a bargain.

I've had failures with the flip top boxes from any of the manufacturers, so I only use slip top boxes now.

I have some MTM but mainly I use the few factory boxes I have. I taped them up with clear tape so they are more rigid and the flaps don't fall off and taped on a credit card sleeve to put the load data into.

EDIT: I mean a BUSINESS card sleeve - that probably makes more sense.

I know this is an older thread but timely. I've been messing with a few dozen plastic Mtm, J&J etc box's for various calibers for years. Needing more 9mm size these days so I decided to try the paper & foam "factory" box's from midway. $16/25 box's and they seem to work real nice. It's good to loose the rattle too :-)

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Dave

For moon clipped .45ACP I've found a pint freezer bag holds 8 clips just right. Load data goes on the bag in the space provided.

Loose rounds go in cardboard if I've been able to scrounge any out of the range trash. Or loose in freezer bags. Or in plastic cases. Whatever I have at the time.

.357 go in plastic cases. I don't really have the volume of those as I do the .45......... Yet!

I use both the MTM and Berry's 100 and 50 rd. boxes as well as any original factory packaging that is still in good condition all loading details included inside.

Bulk blasting rifle ammo for my surplus rifles I bag and tag and keep in ammo cans. Reloadable brass is cleaned and prepped separated by headstamp stored in Ziplock bags and stored in plastic coffee cans.

I keep a few different types of ammo in Bandoliers on stripper clips some guy at the range was going to throw in the trash for quick access.

Jim,
Since there wasn't any turkey - what did you end up eating for Thanksgiving?

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Doug

Same here!!

Got a little of everything to be honest. Never felt the need to be that organized with loaded ammo seeing as it is supposed to go right into a firearm and downrange!

I use the plastic ones when I have empty ones. Hate Styrofoam. Like fingernails on a chalkboard.

For short runs though, I use ziplock baggies. Sandwich ones mostly. I write on them with a Sharpie to tell me what the load is. 30 rounds or less.

I also use empty powder containers, best use of recycling that I have found, and empty coffee cans (plastic).

I haven't gotten to the 5 gallon bucket yet but some of my competition rounds might fit in them better!

I have had MTM and Flambeau plastic boxes for years. I have recently fired some that was loaded in 1970 that has been stored in every possible condition. No dings, nicks, etc. Recently bought some Plano 100 round for 357 and 45LC. The 45's are probably going to be pretty heavy when loaded.
This summer my grandson and I reloaded about 400 rounds of 9mm and reused the American Eagle boxes. The plastic inserts were handy to use even as reloading trays. Probably should use the clear tape mentioned above on the paper boxes though.
Extra emptys go in plastic coffee cans.

My higher volume ammo, 38Sp and 45acp, lives in the boxes that 500 bullets came in. I cut off the flaps and use them for fired brass and for the loaded ammo. Also use the bullet boxes for other brass in various stages of reloading, calibers from 223, 308, 357 and 41. They hold a workable quantity of brass, are free and just keep piling up around the loading bench.

MTM all the way for me...

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I prefer ziplock bags. If not full they squash down nicely into whatever you want to put them in.

Berry's clear or color coded

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Fe Feo Fuerte

I am frugal - some would say "cheap". After buying a dozen plastic boxes and listening to my wallet whine, I got the inspiration to go dumpster-diving at the range and rescued a bunch of empty boxes.
I slit them at the seam, turned them inside out, then glued and taped the seam back up. I had some old address labels I print on the computer and use to tag the ammo.

I store my ammo in an old wall cabinet I made for VHS tapes way back when. It hadn't been used in a decade and was gathering dust in the basement so I "repurposed" it.

Well Sir, you got me on the bandwagon of saving the planet, one box at a time. Of course I am spewing lead all over.

Guy at the range I know shoots a box of 38's and then plinks his 22 once a week. He gave me two boxes of Federal American Eagle 38 spl.

I used your idea, glued the box seam with contact cement, warped them in clear packing tape for structural support, added a piece of Blue painters tape which I normally use to label plastic boxes as it always comes off easy. (I can call it a Dillion box)

These are the first and only boxes I have that all have the same headstamp. I am going to keep them this way. I did not even clean this brass.
These are gonna be my target 38's only. See how long they last.

Even added an official load label. Probably spent more money on tape and time but hey it was fun!

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Still Running Against the Wind