In terms of ammo packaging, there really isn’t a lot of choice out there. Once you get past ammo that is packed in an ammo can at the factory, you really don’t see much other than the usual cardboard boxes.
Fiocchi had their ‘Canned Heat’, a pull-top can that held loose ammo (which has been adopted as packaging by a couple small outfits) but it isn’t something you find very easily. For durability and environmental protection, nothing seems to beat the ubiquitous green GI ammo can.
However…..
There is what is colloquially referred to as the ‘battle pack’. This is a heavy plastic or vinyl pouch, very similar to what MRE’s come in, that holds several boxes of ammo. The idea is that you dont have the weight or bulk of an ammo can, but you do get the environmental protection. Here’s some military ones I picked up a while back:
It’s not a bad way to store ammo for run-out-the-door use. I’d store it in an ammo can for transit between locations, but for ‘grab a rifle and pack and run out the door’ situation it’s quite handy. And you can just tuck it on a shelf somewhere and it’s pretty much good to go as long as you protect it from crush damage.
Unfortunately, this kind of packaging of ammo is usually (not always) seen only on military ammo. However, PMC has brought us this:
PMC has their own version of the battle pack, and being a curious survivalist I picked some up to examine. First off, I like PMC ammo. About thirty or forty years ago they were a somewhat unknown brand and often relegated as ‘cheap foreign ammo of dubious quality’. Nowadays, its a different story. The South Koreans live a SCUD’s launch away from some crazy North Koreans….as a result, they take their ammoand weapons manufacturing pretty seriously. I mean, technically they’re still at war since the 1950’s. I’ve been very happy with the quality of their ammo and regard it as same or better quality that Rem. or Win.
They offer their battle packs in the usual military rifle calibers and all the common pistol calibers. The packaging isn’t as durable as, say, a steel ammo can, but they are pretty handy for packing away in a bugout bag.
I’ll probably toss a pack of this stuff in 9mm with the Ruger pistol/carbines I’ve stowed away. Sort of a ‘Post Apocalypse Party Pak’.
GO to wally world, buy a food vacuum sealer and make your own to suit ya.
That is not without its drawbacks. Drawing a vacuum might cause problems since the interior of the cartridge case has air in it. Draw a hard enough vacuum and that air has to escape somehow…loosening a primer or loosening a bullet, perhaps.
I remember reading that you should vacuum seal ammo at 80% rather than all the way. Supposedly that avoids problems.
Food grade vacuum seal material is gas permeable also. The vinyl battle packs are not. I opened and used a pack of .40 S&W that had been in my trunk for several years in Florida. So subject to our hot humid summers. Shot just fine though I did not test for any velocity variation.
Additionally, bullets are pointy metal objects. They have a tendency to pop through vacuum packed plastics. It might be possible to vacuum pack inside a cardboard container, but I couldn’t figure out a good way to avoid popped packages.
I have some 9mm and 5.56 from PMC in battle packs. Very handy. Also, never had any issues with PMC ammo in any caliber I’ve purchased.
If you find some of the old German DAG or MEN 7.62 x 51 ammo from the ’90s in battlepacks, use caution before buying. Apparently, the packaging material inside of the battlepack was causing corrosion due to it being acidic. I bought many cases of these two brands before hearing about the corrosion issues. I opened all of the packs and was happy to discover they were all bright and shiny with beautiful nickel plated bullets. Inspect before you buy to be safe.
Unless you are using a heavy duty vacuum pump, it is unlikely that you would cause a problem. I personally have vacuum sealed many thousands of 25 round boxes of M781 40mm practice rounds inside a mylar foil bag. The vacuum is sufficient that you can see the ribs in the corrugated cardboard box that the rounds are in. The vacuum sealing is a requirement of the DoD contract. Any level of vacuum sufficient to cause a problem with the ammo would crush the packaging first.
So…ummmm……youre in the business of 40mm? I might know someone who could use some of that action.
Sorry! Left that company ten years ago after working there for 12 years. Made M781 & M1110 40mm training rounds, M81 Igniters and a variant used for non-electric command mode claymores (used shock tube), M79 electric match, SMAW spotter cartridges (9mm trace) used for the old style aiming system, and various rifle cartridges for the civilian market. Started in production and moved into quality. I was interim QA manager on multiple occasions. The company also did packaging for ATK & Winchester for massive amounts of civilian ammo consisting of ammo lots that failed the DoD LAT (lot acceptance test) but still met SAAMI specs. Also involved as a subcontractor doing the actual manufacture and testing of 5.56 telescoped plastic case cartridges for a possible SAW replacement.
I remember reading an old post by Ol’ Remus where he would put .22 ammo in canning jars and throw in a small O2 absorber. The packet would pull a vacuum and seal the lid. Great for sealing ammo from moisture.
I miss Ol’ Remus.
I have vacuum sealed ammo with the run of the mill sealer mealer, you don’t have to let the vacuum run the full cycle. I usually let the bag start to barely deform the factory packaging and stop the cycle with the “seal” button. I also add a small desiccant pack to each. I have never had any troubles with either rimfire or center fire rifle or shotgun ammo. Last summer I pulled out a bottom row back stack of .22 LR that had been sealed over a decade ago, other than the usual one or slight few misfires out of a brick, no worries. I no longer hunt waterfowl, but it sure was nice to know your steel shot stayed dry all sealed up in the bottom of a wet canoe.
I’ve made a bunch of home made battle packs with my vacuum sealer. I put the ammo on stripper clips, then put 100 rounds in mylar and seal it. I don’t try to draw a hard vacuum, I just try to get enough air out that it’s not poofy.
Sir,
Just a note regarding PMC ammunition…. I have a Remington 700 BDL in .308 set up as a Scout rifle, and it absolutely loves PMC .308 168gr OTM ammo. The bullets are Sierra MatchKings, and I can get three rounds into one hole at 100 yards or so (a friend has a Remington 600 in .308, and it will deliver a similar result with this ammo).
The best part, is that this ammo is among the cheapest stuff around. For all it’s economy, it performs like a champ.
and unlike winchester or remington, i have yet to see any recall notices from pmc.
Has anyone had any experience with the Survivor Ammo Can by MTM? Let’s say for hypotesis that someone lives in a country that has a limit set by law on the amount of ammo they can have in his house (the bane of every survivalist, I know), and that this certain someone has an idea of burying some extra ammo on their property. Any tips?
Thanks from Europe,
Daniele
Greetings. Whether you use those “mtm” brand or similar gasket seal plastic ammo can or a steel military type, it would be wise to use some form of outer wrapping waterproofing as an extra measure. (Multi layers of heavy gauged plastic, old time tar over cloth wrapping etc) Bury and forget strategy must account for any weather extremes, such as flood submersion scenarios, freeze conditions etc. Ground compaction pressure depending on depth buried should be factored in. Will that location be disturbed, built upon later on? Maybe stash such items in house walls, behind a foundation wall, under floors etc so as to still have somewhat rapid access, control over that location, and opsec stealth whenever retrieving those items. Happy storage adventures!
I’ve had indifferent results using the MTM ‘dry boxes’ as dry boxes on small boats…Seems some don’t seal any better than a Harbor Freight knockoff. But the edges and corners on a real GI (not a made in China special from HF or Costco) ammo can are unsuited to being on a boat. I’m trying coating them with bedliner, see if that helps a bit.
Thank you!
Daniele
“….Maybe stash such items in house walls, behind a foundation wall, under floors etc so as to still have somewhat rapid access, control over that location, and opsec stealth whenever retrieving those items….”
The effectiveness of this particular strategy is evidenced by the fascinating number of WW2 caches that pop up in Europe when someone is renovating an old house or tearing down a barn.
https://www.commanderzero.com/?p=4477
It happened a few years ago in a small town next to mine. Construction workers were tearing up the floor of an old house and found a crate with a bunch of Sten submachine guns in it, provided to the Italian Resistance by the British in 1944-45.
Many Italian partisans refused to surrender their weapons at the end of WWII because they thought a civil war would erupt between American and Soviet sympathizers, and stashed arm caches everywhere.
If you have an old functional bolt rifle that is really looking for a place in the world, one of those along with a 200 round battle pack would make a great ‘Patriot Kit’ to keep for handing out to trusted neighbors / friends. Many people have their own personal firearms, but keep only a box or two on hand.
Yes, apocalypse party pack. Either the factory wrapped battle packs or your home built kitchen vacuum packaging is a great mode of storage for an ammo load. I have and done both as well with great results. I use a zip up type of generic non descript gym bag type of carrier for a web belt, mag pouches or other load out equipment for a particular rifle/handgun combination and put in additional battle packed ammo for those gun / calibers to supplement what is pre loaded in the magazines. This way I have added ammo to reload up with if an extended problem occurs and am away from home base supplies. More opsec orientated for movements between house to truck, or into motels, etc. In public versus carrying an o.d. green ammo can looking like a dog faced pony soldier drawing unneeded attention.
Keep it wrapped up and under wraps in public.
Stay frosty.
My TEOTEAWKI loadout has both loaded mags, and a battle pack or two…handy form factor.
Plus, I’ve been able to find such ~200 round packs in 7.62×39, which makes it perfect for the SKS and AK militia rifles I’ve collected over the years…
Commander:
The Banking Collapse (long expected) has begun. Silicon Valley will not be alone.
The dominoes have started falling. It will not end soon….
When it does, there will be little left!
Ceejay
battlepacks of $50 bills may be part of the arsenal.
be careful stashing sensitive items at home or place of business. .gov has been known to show up with metal detectors and ground penetrating radar to clean folks out.
In 9mm the PMC ammo works. For reloading I start getting case failures on the 6th or 7th reload. I keep track of my PMC reloads and leave them behind on the fifth reload. In contrast I have reloaded Remington whitebox over 50 times without a failure.