Took Ammo-box, Replaced With Crappy Coffee Can

[+Zartimus]

A Local cache was somewhat plundered recently, but the cache items and logbook were left intact. The nice ammo can that used to be the cache was taken and a replacement container in the form of a crappy bright red coffee can was left by the taker and the cache-items tranferred in.

 

Not sure if it was a local cacher just wanting a nice ammo-can, or a muggle with similar designs, but crap, the cacher took the time to put a nice ammo can out there and look what sometimes happens. It was far enough in the bush not to be stumbled upon by just anyone.

 

Ahh well(at least they put everything back, but still..).

Edited August 18, 2004 by Zartimus

[+Robespierre]

Might be interesting to stamp our cans with a serial #, so we can check any new caches in the area??? Don't wanna believe a cacher would be that low! I had a local girl who wanted one of my ammo cans this week, but I told her where to buy one.

Sorry about your loss.

[+SixDogTeam]

Bizzare that they would steal the ammo can, but take the trouble to provide a replacement container--a thief with a conscience?

[+Zartimus]

Might be interesting to stamp our cans with a serial #, so we can check any new caches in the area???

 

Sorry about your loss.

Actually It wasn't my cache (I edited my post to reflect that more). There is a serial number on ammo boxes, some ammo lot number or something (IVI - xxxxx) that I only learned about recently from a log on that very cache.

[Black Mage]

A similar thing happened to this cache. Sometime before June 30 someone went up and stole the ammox box and replaced it with a cruddy wooden one. At least they left the items inside.

[+YuccaPatrol]

I can't believe that people do not know that ammo boxes are very cheap and readily available at any surplus store?

[+briansnat]

A similar thing happened to this cache. Sometime before June 30 someone went up and stole the ammox box and replaced it with a cruddy wooden one. At least they left the items inside.

Amazing the trouble people will go through for a $3 ammo box

[ju66l3r]

This suggests a non-geocacher to me, because for the most part, a geocacher will probably see a number of ammo boxes as they do caches in their area. If they want to hide a cache, they'll probably do a bit of searching or asking about what containers work best and see that they're inexpensive.

 

Anyone else wandering upon an ammo box full of stuff is more likely to see it as a real novelty and want to take it home as a treasure, figuring it must be worth something as some sort of army antique-like thing.

[Huaso]

The same thing happened recently to one of Utah's oldest surviving caches. The original ammo can had been replaced by a glass mason jar - not a good thing, considering the rocky location of the cache. The story had a good ending, when A&N Carlson traded the jar for a nice, new ammo can. Kudos to them!

[+AuntieWeasel]

I dropped by an army surplus store last weekend. I've been driving past it for years, and never really got a chance to stop before. In some ways it was interesting -- they had tons of old military equipment artifacts, and the back room was showing WWII newsreels on a giant screen. But I was disappointed in the gear they had for sale. And they had a ton of ammo cans, but they wanted $15 for them.

 

Am I right thinking that's steep?

[+Cave Troll and Eeyore]

Here in the UK someone took Pharisee's Ammo box and transfered the cache contents into a plastic Carrier bag

Edited August 18, 2004 by Cave Troll & Joan

[+Allen_L]

And they had a ton of ammo cans, but they wanted $15 for them.

 

Am I right thinking that's steep?

It would be steep for around here. I pay $3-$4 for 30 caliber and $4-$6 for 50 caliber boxs. I got large ammo box big as 4 normal 50 caliber boxes for $10.

[+Robespierre]

I pay $3 for small ammo's and $8 for large, roomy ones. We have only one place to buy them that I have found - without going into the city(ies).

Bottom line is, someone thinks he's more important than you. You really don't need it as badly as he....or some variation.

[+Renegade Knight]

There are people who cache and collect ammo cans. They are among the parasites who give nothing back at all to the RASH. Not even a bad trade log.

[+Nazgul]

There are people who cache and collect ammo cans. They are among the parasites who give nothing back at all to the RASH. Not even a bad trade log.

If the lot designation is any indication ("IVI"), perhaps they needed a Canadian ammo can for their collection? Pretty lame thing to do in any case...

[+ShowStop]

I dropped by an army surplus store last weekend. I've been driving past it for years, and never really got a chance to stop before. In some ways it was interesting -- they had tons of old military equipment artifacts, and the back room was showing WWII newsreels on a giant screen. But I was disappointed in the gear they had for sale. And they had a ton of ammo cans, but they wanted $15 for them.

 

Am I right thinking that's steep?

Check out the local gun shows. Usually you can find ammo boxes there for $3-5 each.

[+briansnat]

I dropped by an army surplus store last weekend. I've been driving past it for years, and never really got a chance to stop before. In some ways it was interesting -- they had tons of old military equipment artifacts, and the back room was showing WWII newsreels on a giant screen. But I was disappointed in the gear they had for sale. And they had a ton of ammo cans, but they wanted $15 for them.

 

Am I right thinking that's steep?

Very steep. Cheaperthandirt.com sells 6 .30 cal cans for $19 and the .50 cal for $4.99 each.

[+trail hound]

The problem with buying ammo cans via the mail, is SHIPPING......

The cans are cheap but shipping isn't. I recently bought some at a Cabela's retail store. Don't know the price off hand but it was -cheap-....

[+blazerfan]

$15 is way too high. I have my dad look for ammo cans at yard sales. He has gotten me several .50 cans for $2-3 each. It just takes some time to find them.

 

We have an ammo can thief in my area. He has taken several ammo cans, destroyed a few other caches, and always signs the log book. Many area cachers have simply quit using ammo cans... which is a shame because they are the best cache containers.

 

The un-original stash up by Portland was in an ammo can and replaced with a coffee can... twice... its now in a broken plastic box.

 

Some people just like to ruin other peoples fun

[+joefrog]

Man, that's sad...

 

if it IS another cacher (doubtful, IMO), you may see that cache again. Mine are marked very subtly with a stamped ID -- you'd never see it unless you were looking for it.

[+briansnat]

The problem with buying ammo cans via the mail, is SHIPPING......

The cans are cheap but shipping isn't. I recently bought some at a Cabela's retail store. Don't know the price off hand but it was -cheap-....

Shipping is like 5-6 bucks with Cheaperthandirt...up to a hundred pounds, so you can buy an awful lot of ammo boxes before extra shipping charges kick in. If you buy the six pack of /30 cal boxes, they're still less than $5 each including the shipping and if you buy more, they're even cheaper.

 

You can do like we do in NJ. Chip in and buy an order together.

Edited August 18, 2004 by briansnat

[+cache_us_if_you_can]

A similar thing happened to this cache.  Sometime before June 30 someone went up and stole the ammox box and replaced it with a cruddy wooden one.  At least they left the items inside.

Amazing the trouble people will go through for a $3 ammo box

$3! Brian, you're a bigger spender than I thought We buy ours at the local scrap yard for $2.50... sometimes even as low as $1.75 when thay have a surplus in the yard

 

Maybe they thought they were trading up.... "Took old rusty ammo box, left nice new shiny coffee can."

Edited August 19, 2004 by cache_us_if_you_can

[+laststraw]

I think it is the Surplus stores just restocking.

[+bitbrain]

The same thing happened to the UN-Original Cache. It was in an ammo can when I found it, but a couple of months later, people were mentioning a coffee can in their logs. Wacky stuff...

[+welch]

I dropped by an army surplus store last weekend. I've been driving past it for years, and never really got a chance to stop before. In some ways it was interesting -- they had tons of old military equipment artifacts, and the back room was showing WWII newsreels on a giant screen. But I was disappointed in the gear they had for sale. And they had a ton of ammo cans, but they wanted $15 for them.

 

Am I right thinking that's steep?

Yea, unless you mean the really big ones (bigger than regular 50cal).

 

That or they had 1940's dates on them, and were in good condition. For some reason the couple i've seen that old at flea markets and such were 15-20 bucks. I want to buy a couple dollar storage container, and 'they' want to sell a coffee table conversion piece

[+Brian - Team A.I.]

What's funny about the ammo can/coffee can trade is the fact that the coffee and its contents often cost as much or more than the ammo can would have if purchased outright.

[+DashHammer]

Last summer a group of us went together and bidded on a lot of ammo cans from Fort Hood and won. My take was 20 ammo cans for $20. Since I didn't need that many cans, I sold most of them to the local Army surplus store. Here's the event we held for it: Sign My Cast and Grab an Ammo Can!

[+Zartimus]

I have a ton of those empty coffee cans sitting in the break room at work. They are free to anyone<grin>. (hey that gives me an idea! I need some ammo boxes!).

 

I think I pay $8 cdn for the regular sized ammo boxes up here. Doesn't the US have a ton of empty ones coming over from Iraq? Would that drive the price down?

[+Brian - Team A.I.]

Considering that the ammo cans are a 'use once' item, I would sure anticipate plane loads coming back to the states.

[Radman Forever]

Pere Cheney had an ammo bod box but was taken and all the stuff was put in a ziploc bag. A student from the local high school found the ziploc bag by mistake while researching the cemetary. She found out about geocaching and was nice enough to put it in a plastic container!

 

Newbies are nice sometimes!

[kayaker22589]

I know someone who went ot Iraq and he said they were all over the place. Only problem it is cheaper to throw them away instead of shipping them over to the US.

[+Sputnik 57]

My son-in-law just got back from a year in Iraq, and is now working in the armory at Fort Hood (Tx). I guess I need to ask him if any ammo boxes made it back to the states.

[IronMaiden]

I dropped by an army surplus store last weekend. I've been driving past it for years, and never really got a chance to stop before. In some ways it was interesting -- they had tons of old military equipment artifacts, and the back room was showing WWII newsreels on a giant screen. But I was disappointed in the gear they had for sale. And they had a ton of ammo cans, but they wanted $15 for them.

 

Am I right thinking that's steep?

$15.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow I got some ammo cans just a couple months ago at a army surplus store for only $4.00 apiece (large or small). What a rip-off!!!!

 

Then my father in law found a large ammo can at a garage sale for just a $1.00 and it's in great shape.

Edited August 21, 2004 by IronMaiden

[+Joypa]

Man, that's funny. When I saw your topic I LOL. I can't believe anyone would be such a jerk as to take your ammo box--and then leave all the stuff that was in it. It's funny cause it's so stupid.

[+Blind Avocado]

I just found 5 at a garage sale for $1.00 each! I don't think there are any ammo can thiefs around here - yet.

[+planetrobert]

seen this happen recently...

 

i have a set of metal stamps... hmmm, maybe ill be off stamping my cans this week.

[+Ed Rad]

The problem with buying ammo cans via the mail, is SHIPPING......

The cans are cheap but shipping isn't. I recently bought some at a Cabela's retail store. Don't know the price off hand but it was -cheap-....

Shipping is like 5-6 bucks with Cheaperthandirt...up to a hundred pounds, so you can buy an awful lot of ammo boxes before extra shipping charges kick in. If you buy the six pack of /30 cal boxes, they're still less than $5 each including the shipping and if you buy more, they're even cheaper.

 

You can do like we do in NJ. Chip in and buy an order together.

I just rec'd my shipment a few weeks ago from Cheaper Than Dirt and I am very pleased with the price. It was less than $30 for the 6 ammo cans and shipping. Pretty good deal if you ask me. I'm gonna oder six more this week.

Edited August 23, 2004 by Sox Fan

[Punk_Rocker]

Ammo boxes are averagely priced near me (4.99) but I was thinking of using a dollar store bicycle lock to secure it to a tree, thus making it harder to steal. Any thoughts?

[+Zartimus]

Ammo boxes are averagely priced near me (4.99) but I was thinking of using a dollar store bicycle lock to secure it to a tree, thus making it harder to steal. Any thoughts?

It will deter the common thief but may intrigue the thief one step up from that. Bolt-cutters? Blowtorch anyone? I've seen some caches in floodable locations chained/tethered up so it's sometimes useful.

 

I think the best defence is to hide it really well and hope the cachers put it back the way they found it.

 

I just lost another cache on the weekend to hooligans.

[+SeventhSon]

Ammo boxes are averagely priced near me (4.99) but I was thinking of using a dollar store bicycle lock to secure it to a tree, thus making it harder to steal. Any thoughts?

Your ammo can will turn into a coffee can, and your bike lock will turn into a piece of string

 

7

[+butche]

Going to have to start chaining the cans to a stump or something.