Ammunition box

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An M19A1 ammunition box for 7.62×51mm NATO M80 ball cartridges.
M13 links connect up to 200 7.62×51mm NATO rounds contained in an M19A1 ammunition box used to feed a M240G machine gun.

An ammunition box or cartridge box is a container designed for safe transport and storage of ammunition. It is typically made of metal and labelled with caliber, quantity, and manufacturing date or lot number. A rubber gasket is commonly found in the hinged lid to protect the ammunition from moisture damage.

The resealing ammunition box is largely a NATO tradition. Warsaw Pact nations typically stored and transported ammunition in single-use "spam cans". They had crates that had a sealed zinc lining on the inside.

Commercial ammunition boxes[edit]

Not all ammunition boxes are metal. Wood and corrugated fiberboard have also historically been used as a method of packaging and storing ammunition. Some enthusiasts and investors collect historical ammunition boxes.[1][2]

Storage[edit]

Due to their durable construction, used metal ammunition boxes are popularly re-used for general storage and other purposes.[3][4] They are a popular choice for geocaching containers. Used ammunition boxes have lead and propellant residue inside, so they should not be used to store food or drink. Commercially-made new or fully reconditioned used boxes do not have this problem. Used boxes are often sold at military surplus stores.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Rains, Richard (2006). "Collecting .22 Rimfire Boxes". Retrieved 2008-07-22.
  2. ^ "Collecting Shotshell Boxes". 2005. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
  3. ^ Perkins, George (2003-05-23). "The "AmmoLAN"". Mini-ITX.com. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
  4. ^ "Images tagged "ammobox"". Flickr. Retrieved 2008-07-22.

External links[edit]