loading an ammo box / chest...tips

[B.A.R. gunner]

Originally Posted by CNKILLERCLOWN

the boxes wont hold 250 rounds of 308 loaded into 06 cloth belts. most i was ever able to get into one was 218 to 220. i just load them in 200 round increments. easy that way, 5 cans = 1 case. easy to keep up with..

robert

Im not sure if this is your problem, but if you are trying to load 250 rounds into a post world war 2 ammo can - it is impossible. 200 rounds is standard loadout on a post ww2 30 cal ammo can. they were not made to hold 250. only 200

the ww2 M1, and M1a1 metal ammo cans, and the ww1 wood boxes will hold 250 rounds. they were meant to be loaded with 250 rounds and in my experiance it doesnt matter if its .308, 06, or 8mm

749th
there isnt really any trick to loading them. start on one end and keep the belt tight. when you get to the top of the can the belt will be U shaped because the folds of the belt are on the ends. fold the start tab over to the middle of the belt in the U at the end, and the lid will close. you probably will need to push down a bit to get it to close cause the folds in the ends of the belt do push the belt up on the ends

[PKw VI Tiger1]

My second photo is of a postwar can with 250 rounds of .30-06 belted. On the other side it is originally marked 250rds. cal .30. They all have roughly the same internal dimensions. I can load 240rds of .308 (12 cartons) into a can and I could load 250 but they don't make a 10 round box.

I'm not sure if this is true or not but I believe the real reason that they loaded the cans like what Armorer and sjmjax describe was not to save space in the can, however, it was to reduce the noise from unloading a can by hand so that it didn't give away the soldier's position. The first row prevents rubbing on the can ends making removing a belt quieter. Wood boxes, because of their design, cannot be loaded this way unless done by hand inside the box.

[gulf state gaurd]

I have a vague recollection (and I am probably talking out my arse) of handling USGI packed cans and I was always amazed how perfectly flat they managed to pack them. I beleive the alternating layers were different lengths. First layer in 2 rounds short of full length, next layer when you come back to the gap fold in over the gap and tuck it down. Leave the gap at the end of the next run on the other side of the can. and so on.at the fold fold it short 1 or 2 rounds that way the space of the fold gets to hang over the edge of the first layer. I personally think you'll drive yourself crazy, but those miltary packed cans were always crisp. There was some trick there. Try experimenting with it and see if you can figure it out.

[Armorer]

Originally Posted by B.A.R. gunner

Im not sure if this is your problem, but if you are trying to load 250 rounds into a post world war 2 ammo can - it is impossible. 200 rounds is standard loadout on a post ww2 30 cal ammo can. they were not made to hold 250. only 200

the ww2 M1, and M1a1 metal ammo cans, and the ww1 wood boxes will hold 250 rounds. they were meant to be loaded with 250 rounds and in my experiance it doesnt matter if its .308, 06, or 8mm

749th
there isnt really any trick to loading them. start on one end and keep the belt tight. when you get to the top of the can the belt will be U shaped because the folds of the belt are on the ends. fold the start tab over to the middle of the belt in the U at the end, and the lid will close. you probably will need to push down a bit to get it to close cause the folds in the ends of the belt do push the belt up on the ends

Actually I have a couple M19A1 ammo cans (post war) that were for 250 rounds of .30 cal ammo and are so marked. But these were for linked rounds not cloth belts which is probably what you meant. The same boxes were used for 7.62 NATO rounds in link belts and they were always 200 round loadings. That is because the 7.62 ammo was loaded in link belts that were in two cardbord cartons each with 100 rounds and each carton in an inexpensive cloth bag with carrying strap. I have yet to run across a post war M19/M19A1 box that was loaded with .30 cal ammo in a cloth belt but that does not mean it didn't happen. If someone has seen one please chime in.

Ammo loaded in a cloth belt will have a "B" in the lot number and those with links will have an "L", usually right after the manufacturer's code but somtimes within the lot number.

[kkkriverrats]

Originally Posted by Armorer

Actually I have a couple M19A1 ammo cans (post war) that were for 250 rounds of .30 cal ammo and are so marked. But these were for linked rounds not cloth belts which is probably what you meant. The same boxes were used for 7.62 NATO rounds in link belts and they were always 200 round loadings. That is because the 7.62 ammo was loaded in link belts that were in two cardbord cartons each with 100 rounds and each carton in an inexpensive cloth bag with carrying strap. I have yet to run across a post war M19/M19A1 box that was loaded with .30 cal ammo in a cloth belt but that does not mean it didn't happen. If someone has seen one please chime in.

Ammo loaded in a cloth belt will have a "B" in the lot number and those with links will have an "L", usually right after the manufacturer's code but somtimes within the lot number.

Here's a M19A1 post war ammo box stenciled for 250 round linked Cal..30

Note the "L" in the lot number for linked ammo. This ammo was produced at Lake City but linked at SND (Sierra Naval Depot) located at the Sierra Ordnance Depot sometimes called the Sierra Army Depot a Army facility at Herlong, Ca.

According to the RIA public Information office the Army took over the Navy operation in 1977.

This box was part of a shipment of ammo from the CMP which obtained large quanities of linked MG ammo and had it de linked and the tracers removed (most of the time) by Talon Mfg re-packed in 20 rd pasteboard cartons 240 rounds to a M19A1 box four boxes to a wire bound crate.

The box originally contained ammo linked up in 1974.

Fully loaded 250 round belts will not fit in this style box, that may be the reason that the Izzys used 225/230 round cloth belts.

I have one 230 round Izzy cloth belt dated '76, fully loaded with .30'06 it fits (tightly) in the M19 box.

[PKw VI Tiger1]

Originally Posted by kkkriverrats

Fully loaded 250 round belts will not fit in this style box, that may be the reason that the Izzys used 225/230 round cloth belts.

Originally Posted by PKw VI Tiger1

My second photo is of a postwar can with 250 rounds of .30-06 belted. On the other side it is originally marked 250rds. cal .30. They all have roughly the same internal dimensions...

If you take a look at this photo again you will note that this is one of the newer M19A1 cans. In it, and others that I have like it, I have a 250 round belt loaded into the can. The belts fit very well with no extra effort needed in order to close the lids on any of them. The only thing difficult about loading the cans is to make sure that the layers are even and are laying correctly.

[kkkriverrats]

Originally Posted by PKw VI Tiger1

If you take a look at this photo again you will note that this is one of the newer M19A1 cans. In it, and others that I have like it, I have a 250 round belt loaded into the can. The belts fit very well with no extra effort needed in order to close the lids on any of them. The only thing difficult about loading the cans is to make sure that the layers are even and are laying correctly.

Well, you are a better stuffer than I am

[Aussie50]

I've always had probs with stuffing belted dummy rounds into the m19A1 cans, its a very tight fit and if I pull the belt out for display, some rounds fall out because the pockets have stretched a little where the belt is kinked during packing. I'm trying to get more links for my display stuff but the full 250rd belts really look the part.

I don't even think 250rds would fit if they were rolled up.

[BeltFedEd]

I could have sworn that I posted the following pictures here a while back, but can't seem to find the thread.

Anyway, 250 rounds (30-06, .308, 8mm) will easily fit in post W.W.II .30 cal. ammo cans....with room to spare.

You can't be shy, fold them in tight and flat. No loops on the ends.

[Dan @ Angola Armory]

I have all kinds of cans, I don't care about date/use. Using links, I load 200 rds per can, period. Makes it real easy to count up rds loaded, ready to go.The gun don't care if you have it "correct". Swettin' the little stuff like round counts per can don't mean nothin' to me.
Andrew, get your gun built, worry about the little things later.