Choosing an ammo can

[kroger23]

I'm planning out my first ammo can hide. The Walmart in my area has just started stocking metal ammo cans (brand Strategy, with an O-ring). They're quite large and cheap, but the label only says "moisture resistant", which makes me question whether they'd hold up to the elements. 

How variable is ammo can quality? Will these work just as well as, say, military surplus? If not, what/where do you recommend me purchase?

*I am only interested in the metal ones.

[+MNTA]

Gallon size ziplock bags for the log and swag do well for a time.

[+colleda]

I have a few ammo can caches. I put log book and pen in one baggie and swag in another. "Belts and braces".

Never had one leak yet.

[+chasclifton]

Those Walmart containers sound OK to me.  Military surplus sellers have them too, if you want to be old-school.

 

LIke this: https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/us-military-surplus-m19a1-30-caliber-ammo-can-used?a=1586609

 

 

[+cerberus1]

On 8/21/2023 at 10:30 PM, kroger23 said:

I'm planning out my first ammo can hide. The Walmart in my area has just started stocking metal ammo cans (brand Strategy, with an O-ring). They're quite large and cheap, but the label only says "moisture resistant", which makes me question whether they'd hold up to the elements. 

How variable is ammo can quality? Will these work just as well as, say, military surplus? If not, what/where do you recommend me purchase?

*I am only interested in the metal ones.

 

I believe a company called stout stuff ships those for Walmart. Size and metal thickness a bit different, so maybe a military "copy" thing.

We bought one at a mega once and the seals fell out before we even placed it. 

 - YRMV. and edited to add much of their stuff comes from china.

We bought 30 and 50cals by the pallet at military auctions and shared with other cachers to cut cost.  Most needed to be painted.

You'd probably find real ammo cans if heading to army/navy stores in your area...  

 

Edited August 24 by cerberus1

[+kunarion]

On 8/21/2023 at 10:30 PM, kroger23 said:

I'm planning out my first ammo can hide. The Walmart in my area has just started stocking metal ammo cans (brand Strategy, with an O-ring). They're quite large and cheap, but the label only says "moisture resistant", which makes me question whether they'd hold up to the elements. 

How variable is ammo can quality? Will these work just as well as, say, military surplus? If not, what/where do you recommend me purchase?

*I am only interested in the metal ones.

 

The Walmart kind is brand new, but with cheaper materials, not built to military specifications.

 

Military surplus is always sold used, and they tend to be less expensive than the "new" kind.  Sometimes they still have the cardboard dividers inside, which means the ammo was removed, but other than that, it's basically new.  But these tend to sit outside on pallets, and may get rusty.  I've found some with a lot of sand inside, but they otherwise cleaned up great.  Maybe blot out any "ammunition" info before you place the cache.

 

Whatever you decide, look at the rubber seal, and test the latch.  Be sure it feels like a latch that cachers will be able to smoothly open and close without issue.  If it's very hard to open (and especially, to close and latch properly), there will be issues.  They're all a little different, so try them out.

 

Either style may seal and at least be weatherproof.  If it's situated with the lid up, rain runs off.  Some of mine were smaller cans designed to lie on the side, but they seem to be wet inside more often that way.  Cachers close ziplock bags in the lid seal, which can then allow a lot of water inside, so if you use ziplock bags, be sure the bags are always in great shape, and that everything is bagged.

 

Edited August 24 by kunarion

[+paleolith]

I've used actual mil surplus ammo cans. They work great in SoCal. In Florida, most of them get wet inside. How much is flaws in the seal, how much is just changes in atmospheric pressure and numidity driving moisture past the seal, how much is a tiny bit of debris getting caught in the seal and wicking moisture in, how much is moisture getting in when finders open them ... I don't know. A dry cache in Florida is a wonder indeed.

 

It's made worse by the many people who think it helps to add a plastic bag, any plastic bag, even one with no seal mechanism and with holes. As most readers of this forum know, the purpose of a plastic bag is to identify the log book and to prevent it from drying out.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Ammo cans are great......I always put the log inside a separate container ( BSB, match holder ) .

[Johannis10]

In my area I have made in recent years the experience that many cachers are now overwhelmed to close a Munibox again properly. Therefore, I would recommend an inner plastic box as water protection if the hiding place can get wet.