.50 Cal Ammo Can ID

[Faulkner]

I had to make a round trip to the capital in Little Rock today and on my way back to the Ozarks on US Highway 65 I stopped by Pool's Army Surplus store in Greenbrier, Arkansas. Unbeknownst to me the store was having a 4th of July 50% off store wide sale, which may or may not be a good thing for my credit card.

Turns out as I browsed through the store there were a few things I picked up on the cheap. I got a couple of brand new issue plastic canteens, several bundles of different colored para cord, and two M16 mag pouches for a project I've been thinking about (more on that in a later post).

Towards the back of the store I came upon several pallets of different sized ammo cans. I figure a fellow can always use one or two more bargain priced ammo cans. As I was looking through the different sizes I noticed one pallet was stacked full of a different kind of 50 caliber ammo can, the lid was hinged on the long side of the can instead of the short side that I typically have see. Hmm, I decided I had a used for those long hinged cans on my reloading bench so I picked through them and found a couple.

I'm no ammo can aficionado but after I got them home and took a closer look I'm wondering if they are WWII era cans. Anyone familiar with them?

 

[Puller]

Yep, that looks like a WWII era 50 cal ammo can to me.

 

[wreckville]

& in great condition also!

 

[ordnanceguy]

Yes, it is a WW2 era M2 ammunition can. They were made from 1942 until 1950 when it was replaced by the M2A1 can.

It may have been repainted as these cans will typically have yellow stenciled markings to identify the specific type of ammo contained therein, ie, AP, Ball, Incendiary, Tracer, etc. These are designed to hold 105 cartridges in linked belts.

Regards,
Charlie

 

[DWalt]

I picked up several of the same type about 40 years ago at an Army surplus store in Midland TX. They were a dollar each, but not in very good condition, some had rust. I still have some, donated one to a military museum. It had the yellow lettering. They are WWII era. I used to have several wood and metal .30 MG ammo boxes, I think from somewhat before WWII. Donated them to the same military museum. I think the idea was that the wood and metal boxes were supposed to be re-used, not disposable. They were very well made.

 

[ACORN]

I rescued the exact can from a dumpster.
No telling what other treasures lurked underneath.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I've had a can just like that for years. For the past 25 or so years it's held my soldering, swaging, flaring & tube cutting tools. Good, solid can.

 

[max]

I bought one several years ago at a garage sale. It had been painted red, surrounded with insulation and turned into a "fire proof" lock box.

It is now under my reloading bench and full of primers.

 

[Faulkner]

I'm thinking now I should have picked up several more since they were in such good condition.

 

[2tall79]

Looks like a bottle opener on the bottom right hand corner of the latch handle.

 

[handejector]

What does the gasket look like? Some I've seen used red rubber. Remember red inner tubes?
I am pretty certain it is repainted. That is just not quite the shade of OD I have seen on known originals.

 

[Golddollar]

I was at a funeral service north of Frederick, MD a few years ago for an old friend. During the service, there was a big metal box and an Air Force ball cap at the front of the chapel. It took me a little while but then I realized that the family was using a .50 caliber ammunition box as a burial urn!

 

[smoothshooter]

They are cleaned up and repainted WWII cans. I have a couple of them myself that still have the markings on the side.
In some ways those older ones are better because when you open one and it doesn’t have much in it, it does not want to tip over from the weight of the lid, which then acts like a cantilever.

 

[lihpster]

I have a couple of them myself that still have the markings on the side.
In some ways those older ones are better because when you open one and it doesn’t have much in it, it does not want to tip over from the weight of the lid, which then acts like a cantilever.

I have a couple of those myself. One, my dad used for his small archery gear. With sharp things inside, he used it for the same reason you mentioned. A newer one could tip and put a broadhead into his hand.
The other one was my uncle's. He was in WWII, so, it could be a bringback, but maybe it was surplus. He stored his war mementos in it. Also the outside is covered in stickers and pieces of newspapers in French, that kinda shows where he was.


Neither is for sale or trade. Period.

 

[Greyman50]

WWII M-2 50 Cal. can thats been repainted. Used them many times firing blanks from M-2 50 Cal. on buddies half track.

 

[Faulkner]

What does the gasket look like? Some I've seen used red rubber. Remember red inner tubes?
I am pretty certain it is repainted. That is just not quite the shade of OD I have seen on known originals.

The gasket is black rubber and looks just like a typical modern ammo can gasket.

No doubt it's been repainted. They all looked like someone had cleaned them up (pressure washed or sanded or something of the like) and then repainted. The insides were all very clean and obviously a somewhat darker shade of OD

 

[DWalt]

In some ways those older ones are better because when you open one and it doesn’t have much in it, it does not want to tip over from the weight of the lid, which then acts like a cantilever.

I think he side hinge on the old .50 cans is a better design, also easier to open.

I prefer the new M249 ammo cans, somewhat larger than the .50 cans and hold more, but they are difficult to come by. I don't think they were ever surplussed out. I have a few of them. And one lower body with no lid.

 

[Ματθιας]

I think he side hinge on the old .50 cans is a better design, also easier to open.

I prefer the new M249 ammo cans, somewhat larger than the .50 cans and hold more, but they are difficult to come by. I don't think they were ever surplussed out. I have a few of them. And one lower body with no lid.

Those are called PA108 AKA Fat .50.