Cardboard Ammo Boxes Worth Using for Reloaded Ammo Storage?

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apolloorion

New member
Hello everyone.

Has anyone here used cardboard ammo boxes specifically for organizing and storing reloaded rounds in the Reloading and Ammo section?

I’ve seen white cardboard boxes and other blank designs that are lighter and stack well in ammo cans, but I’m curious how they hold up over time compared to the usual plastic or metal boxes most of us use for handloads and range storage.

How do they handle moisture and long term shelf life, and do most of you keep them inside larger cans with desiccants or just use them for short term organization?

Any brand recommendations or practical tips?
 
apolloorion said:
Hello everyone.

Has anyone here used cardboard ammo boxes specifically for organizing and storing reloaded rounds in the Reloading and Ammo section?

I’ve seen white cardboard boxes and other blank designs that are lighter and stack well in ammo cans, but I’m curious how they hold up over time compared to the usual plastic or metal boxes most of us use for handloads and range storage.

How do they handle moisture and long term shelf life, and do cardboard ammo boxes with inserts perform better in that regard, and do most of you keep them inside larger cans with desiccants or just use them for short term organization?

Any brand recommendations or practical tips?
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thanks in advance for any help
 
apolloorion said:
Hello everyone.

Has anyone here used cardboard ammo boxes specifically for organizing and storing reloaded rounds in the Reloading and Ammo section?

I’ve seen white cardboard boxes and other blank designs that are lighter and stack well in ammo cans, but I’m curious how they hold up over time compared to the usual plastic or metal boxes most of us use for handloads and range storage.

How do they handle moisture and long term shelf life, and do most of you keep them inside larger cans with desiccants or just use them for short term organization?

Any brand recommendations or practical tips?
Click to expand...

I used a 'bunch' of 20-round paper 20-round ammo box's that were discarded from full cases. I used them for storage on some Reloads of .223 .
I just taped 5 of the box's together to make 100 round cubes and threw them all up on the shelf for AR general purpose use ammo . I did a CRAPLOAD of .223 reloads back then, and I still crabbing them off the shelf to shoot 20+ years later . When I bust them open the Round all look just as good as it did when I loaded it and packed it up.
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yes I've used the cardboard ammo boxes, over 20 years ago. They do stack very well in ammo cans. Mine was the old factory boxes, not new blank boxes.
Never had the moisture problems, because the ammo can prevent that. Just got sold on the plastic 50 - 100 round boxes for range etc usage.
As I simply felt that the plastic ones should be more durable. Not that I ever had a issue with the cardboard boxes.
 
Widow maker 223 said:
I dont mess with ammo boxes any more. One tip, you can never have enough ammo cans or mags.
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im with you. the only thing i box up are premium match loads and maybe a bit of hunting ammo.

otherwise its just bulk in the ammo can. or bagged sometimes if i'm feeling froggy.

if you watch the sales, new metal ammo cans can be had for $10-$11 each, both for 30 and 50 cal cans.

[edit to add] HF has 30 cal cans on sale right now for $11 if anyone needs them
 
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apolloorion said:
Hello everyone.

Has anyone here used cardboard ammo boxes specifically for organizing and storing reloaded rounds in the Reloading and Ammo section?

I’ve seen white cardboard boxes and other blank designs that are lighter and stack well in ammo cans, but I’m curious how they hold up over time compared to the usual plastic or metal boxes most of us use for handloads and range storage.

How do they handle moisture and long term shelf life, and do most of you keep them inside larger cans with desiccants or just use them for short term organization?

Any brand recommendations or practical tips?
reviewing an essay before submission
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I've used the plain white cardboard boxes for my reloads for a while. They're fine if you keep them in a dry place, but I wouldn't trust them by themselves for long-term storage. I usually put the boxes inside a metal ammo can with a desiccant pack, and that has worked well. They're cheap, lightweight, and easy to label, which is why I keep using them. For anything that gets handled a lot or goes hunting, I still prefer plastic boxes since they hold up better.
 
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I use plastic coffee cans to store my reloads and empties in. When i go out to shoot I load up a couple plastic 50rd ammo boxed or magazines with what I need and then have an empty can with me to put my brass in. Oh and one thing i found out if you put a couple desiccant pouches in to keep the moisture out.
 
I use.the 50rd white cardboard ones with foam trays in them to store unused brass. I keep them in flip top storage boxes on shelves in my shop. The boxes are nice as they can be written on. I think I have 50. All my working brass is in plastic boxes over the bench. They work great for what I use them for. I tried using them for my working brass but they fail opening and closing them a lot.
 
I prefer factory boxes or the generic white cardboard ones to plastic boxes. I take the cardboard boxes and cover them (laminate them, if you will) with clear plastic packaging tape. This greatly improves their durability. Then I store my loaded ammo, packed in these carboard boxes, either in ammo cans or in an old enamel steel ice box I picked up off the side of the road.

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Love the ice box. My dad had one that he stripped and refinished to like new and used it for his liquor cabinet and bar in his living room.

I still remember the iceman bringing blocks of ice for them when people used them for keeping food fresh.

My BinL's house is kind of a museum, it was originally the Weyerhauser managers house. When I moved out west I gave him a lot of my gear including a ice saw for cutting blocks out of the lake in the winter and a set of ice tongs for picking up and carrying blocks of ice. Most towns in the north country would harvest ice ànd store it in an ice house covered with sawdust from the local sawmill. My BinL's house is insulated with sawdust.

Sorry, your icebox brought fond memories. Thought I'd share.
 
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Cool!
AWS said:
I still remember the iceman bringing blocks of ice for them when people used them for keeping food fresh.
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During WWII, appliances were non-obtainable and we lived a block from the ice house. We kept an un-insulated surplus wooden ammo box which had a tin liner in it on the back porch for an ice box. I was 7-8 years old and it was my job to bring home a block of ice in my red wagon daily.
 
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