The Perfect .40 S&w Ammo Box

[ihatepickles]

I have 10 usable ammo boxes from MTM for .40 cal ammo. The boxes, like every other brand of box I've seen are made for .45, .41, 10mm, and .40. Ammo rattles in the box, which doesn't bother me but it makes headstamp marking harder. The .40 ammo moves around in the box and the marker tip pushes the ammo over rather than smoothly marking the headstamp. It's a small bother, but why not ask around?

I'm not willing to make the extra handling step to put my ammo in a loading block or intermediate container, mark it, and then move it to my ammo boxes. I want the ammo box to hold the ammo snugly enough to easily mark the brass, close the lid, place in my range bag. I don't think I want to mess with cardboard boxes with styrofoam trays, I like the 100 count plastic boxes.

I want it all basically, why switch from my currently flawed system to another flawed system?

[Chris Keen]

When I used to shoot .40 (and I shot ALOT of it) I used those plastic trays that came in boxes of CCI / SPEER ammo. Blazer, Blazer Brass, Lawman, etc. I used to find em lying all over at the range I used to shoot at.

Now they still dont snuggly hold the rounds, like you mentioned, but I found if I dont hold the marker really stiff, I could mark all my brass without too much trouble. You eventually develop a certain technique.

Anyways those little plastic trays line up perfectly with the MTM boxes, and I could line up 2 trays beside each other then put the MTM box UPSIDE DOWN on top of the plastic trays, and FLIP. Sort of like primers.

Still dont have a perfect solution for your marker situation. What kind of marker are you using ? I used to use a Marks-A-Lot big old fat red tipped marker.

Obviously your mileage may vary.

[Flexmoney]

A straight edge that is skinning enough (ruler?) to get between the rows could be used to wedge the rows over to one side....then run the marker down them ?

[kevin c]

The perfect .40 box for what you want is not a box at all, but the plastic tray that comes holding 50 rounds of 9mm ammo. There are two types, one from Federal and the other is the UMC/ Remington (sorry, don't remember which is which). One has 50 round holes that fit the .40 cartridge perfectly, but are spaced apart from one another. The other is black plastic, smaller, and just has thin plastic dividers between each round. 40's go in snugly, virtually edge to edge, making it easy to run your finger over the top to check for high primers, or run a marker over each case.

The small black trays are compact. Sure, there's no top, but you can cut a piece of cardboard to match the tray and snap a rubberband over it. Or, if you carry your ammo in a dedicated bag, you can just pop a second tray upside down over the first.

The best part, if you don't mind being labelled a dumpster diver, is that they are free.

[Caspian_45]

A straight edge that is skinning enough (ruler?) to get between the rows could be used to wedge the rows over to one side....then run the marker down them ?

Nah..... that'd make way too much sense.

Go back to dry firing Flex. You need to make GM soon.

[davidball]

Tilt the box up at a fairly steep angle. Gravity will force the bullets to the lower side of the oversized slots. Run a big Sharpie with the straight-edged tip DOWN the row or column, the pressure of the pen keeping the bullet forced against the lower side. The rounds stay fairly stable as you sweep down them.

I use the Dillon .45 / .40 boxes and this works well.

[Flexmoney]

Go back to dry firing Flex.

Practice...not a bad idea.

[Ledge]

I use a bottle of touch up paint, instead of a marker....the bristles of the paintbrush are more forgiving than a marker, and the paint is easier to see.

[XD Niner]

I simply mark my Winchester primers with a magic marker prior to putting them into the primer tubes. They are already laying flat with the striking side up so it takes only a second. It also looks neat and tidy when they are installed.

[EricW]

I've got a system, it's called dump the stuff into a GI ammo can, close the lid, and not worry about getting my brass back at matches. I pick my brass up during practice. Matches....only if I was shooting 45 or Super would I bother.

[Nemo]

I've got a better system, Eric.

Step 1: Have two kids

Step 2: Feed them and watch them grow

Step 3: Get them to shoot with you and

Step 4: Make them pick up all the brass.

[P.E. Kelley]

I'll go you all one better

40 cal. Blazer aluminum $170 /K to my front door no need to mark, chamber check, sort, clean or reload. Makes major every time and accurate to boot.

Patrick

[XD Niner]

I've got a better system, Eric.

Step 1: Have two kids

Step 2: Feed them and watch them grow

Step 3: Get them to shoot with you and

Step 4: Make them pick up all the brass.

Step 5: Kids wheedle expensive guns from Dad

Step 6: Kids make Dad reload their ammo with the brass they've shagged

Step 7: Kids kicks Dad's butt with their bazillion bullet guns versus his 6-shooter

Step 8: Kids laugh their butts off while Dad goes to work to pay for all this fun.

Edited February 27, 2007 by XD Niner