Clean Ammo Cans is happy to announce that we have a large inventory of new production, certified/compliant, US military spec, small arms ammunition cans available for immediate shipment. The on-hand sizes of mil-spec ammo cans include the M19A1, M2A2 and PA108 ammunition cans. The necessary paperwork to verify compliance with MIL-DTL-3060G is available. If you require US government specification ammunition cans that are MIL-DTL-3060G compliant to package your products, we probably have them on-hand!

Once the flood waters recede and those impacted by storms get the opportunity to assess the damage, we often hear from folks stating they lost all their ammo. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey we heard this tale many times. After a loss, folks commonly look to implement proper storage to prevent a similar loss from happening in the future. Many of us have been amassing ammunition for years and have made quite an investment. We hate to hear about lost ammo when it could have been prevented easily by implementing proper storage practices. It is too late to start building the ark when it starts raining.

Metal ammo cans are 100% sealed and are your best defense to protect your ammunition and other valuables. When ammunition gets wet, it often leads to corrosion not only of the casings but the primers as well, resulting in complete loss of your costly ammunition investment. Metal ammo cans provide an airtight seal to ensure the contents inside will stay dry. Mil-Spec ammo cans have a more robust seal than foreign ammo cans and provide the best protection against moisture, and water intrusion. Ammunition stored in a mil-spec ammo can be submerged indefinitely without risk to the contents of the ammo can.

Don't store anything you want to protect from moisture in a plastic ammo can. I can speak from personal experience that plastic ammo cans, even those that have rubber seals, will undoubtedly allow moisture into the can. I lost over 1000 7.62 x 39 rounds because it was stored in a plastic ammo can and forgot about them. We’ve also had customers claim that they’ve left ammo in plastic ammo cans overnight only to find condensation on the inside of the cans the next morning. Many people purchase plastic ammo cans thinking they are effectively protecting their ammunition from moisture but find out that plastic cans don't seal after its too late and their ammunition has been ruined.

In conclusion, we as Americans are blessed with some of the most beautiful and unique landscapes the world over. The landscape varies from tropical beaches in Florida to peaks in the Rocky Mountains, from rolling prairies and barren deserts in the West, to dense wilderness areas in the Northeast and Northwest. With all this natural wonder, we sometimes forget to prepare for when mother nature turns against us. Proactively safeguarding your ammunition and valuables in proper storage containers like mil-spec ammo cans ensures the long list of tasks to rebuild your life after a flood will not include replacing your ammunition.

If you would like to learn about effective long-term waterproof ammunition, check out the article below:

CleanAmmoCans is excited to announce new 50 cal size US Mil-Spec M2A2 ammo cans are in stock but we’d also like to explain why your ammo needs these cans. We get lots of questions asking “what is the difference between Chinese ammo cans and US mil-spec ammo cans?” Its natural to wonder if the higher price is worth it for mil-spec ammo cans. The cost of the ammunition in the can is so great compared to the trivial cost of the ammo can itself, we feel the small price difference between cheap ammo cans and quality ammo cans is justified. US Mil-Spec ammo cans cost more due to their superior materials and construction, and are overall more effective in providing safe, long-term ammunition storage. We talk to people every day that are replacing ammo cans that suffered seal failure, resulting in the loss of a great deal of ammunition to corrosion from moisture intrusion. Read on to learn the specific differences between US mil-spec ammo cans and Chinese ammo cans and how you can avoid ammunition loss by simply purchasing the correct ammo can.

· Mil-Spec ammo cans have a pretreatment according to military spec TTC490 which involves a zinc phosphate undercoat of 10 microns for greater corrosion resistance and surface finish adhesion with a polyeurathane powder coat top layer that is 80 microns thick in accordance with MIL STD 171 and US ARMY drawing 9347108

· Chinese cans don't have a zinc phosphate base coating or powder coat applied to the same mil-spec standards - Generally 25 microns thick painted finish or less.

· US Mil-Spec ammo cans are subjected to a military salt fog corrosion test in accordance with MIL-DTL 3060G for 96 hours of 5% salt solution spray to ensure corrosion of the surface finish will not occur.

· The finish on Mil-spec ammo cans will resist corrosion for longer periods of time and the thick powder coat finish is more durable than paint or thinly applied Chinese powder coat.

· Mil-Spec ammo cans are constructed of DCO1 ultra low carbon, cold rolled steel sheet with a required thickness of 0.8mm to 1.2mm.

· Chinese ammo can manufacturers cut corners by using a lower quality steel and reducing the thickness to reduce cost.

· Mil-Spec handles and latches are high tensile 1010 wire in accordance with ASTM A 853 with a strength of 75,000 psi.

· Knock-Off Chinese cans use a low grade low tensile wire which is more likely to snap or bend when handling the loaded ammo can.

· Mil-Spec ammo can seals are made of military spec synthetic rubber in accordance with ASTM D 2000.

· The gaskets are GRADE 4, CLASS A, TYPE A with a hardness reading of 40 hda and tensile strength of 7 to withstand years of compression with zero degradation or compromise to the sealing properties of the ammo can.

· Chinese ammo cans are made with conventional rubber gaskets that dry rot similar to car tires. Over time they get brittle, crack and will fail much more quickly than the advanced seal required in mil-spec ammo cans.

· When the cheap rubber seals in Chinese ammo cans fail, the owner never knows until they open the can and find their ammo ruined.

· The seal is the most important part of the ammo can and is actually the most costly component of a mil-spec ammo can, revealing the emphasis placed on the mil-spec seal.

· Rigorous testing procedures are performed on mil-spec ammo cans to ensure durability in harsh combat environments worldwide for long periods of time completely unsheltered.

· Testing includes gasket compression, corrosion resistance, elevated temperature storage, structural integrity, air tightness, and weld security

· Knock-off cans go through zero testing whatsoever and are not held to any sort of standards, inspections or material standards.

· Purchase of Chinese goods is fueling the economic and military advancement of the most probable rival in our next major shooting war.

· China has outlines of US aircraft carriers in their bombing ranges for target practice and to aid the development of weapons specially designed to destroy US capital ships.

· China is deliberately acting on a massive scale to marginalize US economic interests domestically and globally with the long-term goal of destroying the US economy.

· China is supporting and working closely with our greatest enemies to counter US foreign policy, economic sanctions and undermine the US dollar.

· Despite the current Ukraine Crisis with Russia, the US military strategy has singled out China as our greatest, and most serious threat. The US military daily operations are dedicated to preparation for war with China.

The US military has strict specifications for the metal ammo cans which house the ammunition itself. Military ammo cans must adhere to strict standards and pass inspection on dozens of requirements that are found in a 56 page inspection manual. Each ammo can is required to be made with cold rolled steel to ASTM A109 or ASTM A568 spec with a zinc phosphate base coat and powder coat finish for superior corrosion resistance. The finish applied to each mil-Spec ammo can must have a minimum surface finish thickness and pass an 80 hour salt spray test.

The most important part of the ammo can is the latch and rubber gasket. The latch and gasket form the seal that makes the ammo can water and airtight for decades. The ammo can latch and gasket are governed by strict standards and requirements. The latch assembly “shall withstand a pull of 1000 pounds for one minute without failure of the hasp or weld.” The gaskets are required to be made of a synthetic, Grade number 4 rubber material with a special hardness and tensile strength rating that resists extreme pressure, deflection, distortion, and long-term temperature and environmental fluctuations. The requirements of the gasket are very specific, and costly to produce which is one of the key differences between consumer grade ammo cans and military ammo cans. Almost 40% of the manufacturing cost of each can is the gasket. Preserving the integrity of the gasket in the ammo can lids is crucial for long-term moisture protection. The cover assembly is built in such a way to maintain rigidity and ensure uniform pressure on the gasket. I have heard stories from buddies in US Navy Riverine units about an incident where a number of full ammo cans where lost overboard. The cans rested on the riverbed, submerged for years until the river dried out and the ammo cans were found. The ammo in the cans was still dry despite being submerged in the river for a few years. I doubt the career of the individuals responsible for losing the ammo stayed as dry as the ammo once the lot numbers were traced back at the armory.

The wood ammunition crates that ammo cans are shipped inside are also designed in a way to preserve the ammo can gasket. The wood crates are load bearing and prevent the ammo can gasket and lid from having to support the weight of anything stacked on top of the crates. For the ultimate in long-term ammo storage, wood crates look cool and provide additional function and protection. Every piece of the military ammo packaging serves an important purpose in reaching the 10 year unsheltered, storage requirement. Some ammo can manufacturers boast of a 29 year storage life when buried underground.

Plastic ammo cans are not capable of long-term sealing due to the inherent weaknesses in their design. They are fine for transporting ammo to the range and for short-term storage, but we would not recommend plastic ammo cans for long-term ammo storage. There are tests on YouTube where plastic ammo cans aren't even watertight in 3ft of water. Aside from the plastic ammo can options, most consumer grade metal ammo boxes are made with conventional rubber which dries out over time and cracks. The military has placed a lot of emphasis on upgrading the gasket material far beyond the capabilities of the conventional rubber found on Chinese produced metal ammo cans, plastic ammo cans, and most other consumer grade ammunition containers. We frequently get comments from customers that have had ammo ruined while stored in plastic ammo cans. The military spends a massive amount of money on metal ammo cans and has spent a lot of time trying to find a way to reduce the cost of ammunition packaging. So far, despite their best efforts, the military has not been able to find a suitable replacement for the metal ammo can which is a testament to their capability. The plastic cans don’t have the same quality of seal and the plastic itself isn’t as capable of maintaining the structural rigidity to preserve seal integrity. There are some mil-spec plastic ammo cans used in military applications but they are far more robust and are designed to be bolted closed to keep the seals intact. Plastic mil-spec ammo cans are used to reduce weight of the ammunition packaging for airborne transport rather than cost savings. The military grade plastic cans actually cost more than metal ammo cans.

The ammo can is the major element that protects the ammo from the environment but inside the ammo can is where “the combat pack” items are found. The combat pack items are also the least understood features of the military ammo storage method and are what allow the ammunition to be put in action when needed. Military ammunition is packed in bandoliers, and loaded on stripper clips for quick loading into the magazine or on linked belts for use in machine guns. The combat pack components do not extend shelf life, but they are necessary to quickly implement ammunition loading and transport in the field and should be considered when storing ammunition if the intent is to be able to employ the ammunition in an emergency. All of the components required to perform a full military ammo repack are available in the store at CleanAmmoCans.com.

The US Military does not pack military ammo with desiccant but we feel this is an important departure from mil-spec, and is cheap insurance. Many of our customers have reported a discoloration of their ammo over time indicating moisture contamination inside of the ammo cans. If the ammunition containers are opened and closed, or initially packed in a humid environment, moisture can be introduced into the ammo cans. Dropping a single desiccant packet inside each ammo can before latching and sealing the ammo box is cheap insurance to keep your rounds fresh for the long haul. Desiccant packets absorb the moisture and humidity that is sealed inside the ammo can after it is closed. It is important to ensure your desiccant is fresh and has not reached its moisture capacity when you pack the ammo can or else you could actually introduce moisture into your cans. The ammo can desiccant sold by CleanAmmoCans.com is high quality, mil-spec, properly sized for ammo cans and is packed in a humidity-controlled room, inside aerospace quality, moisture barrier, foil packaging. Desiccant is an extra measure of protection since the proper sealing and latching of the ammo can will prevent moisture intrusion in most cases. However, its better to be safe than sorry when it comes to protecting your ammo. The CleanAmmoCans desiccant can be reset in the oven and reused.

Thinking about the location your ammo is stored is also important. Cool, stable temperatures are ideal for storing ammo. Avoid areas that have fluctuations in temperature that can cause the cans to sweat or condense. Garages get hot during the day and cool at night. It should also be noted that garages open up your ammo to theft easier than interior spaces or gun safes. Cool, dry, climate-controlled or temperature stable spaces are preferential when a subterranean ammo bunker is not in the budget.

The current cost of ammunition is outrageous with no real end in sight. The next four years are going to be a stressful time for freedom loving Americans and will likely result in high ammo prices for the foreseeable future. Purchasing ammunition has become an investment. The days of buying 1000 rounds of 5.56mm for $300 and burning it down on Sunday-Gunday with family and friends are not in the cards for most of us anymore. Proper storage of ammo wasn’t that important previously when ammo was shot regularly at the range and replaced. Now that we are buying ammo to hold, and shoot much more sparingly, proper storage is really important. We hope this article has helped explain some of the inside knowledge about military ammunition storage and shed some light on what we believe to be the best long-term ammunition storage materials.

Most readily available new production ammo cans are Chinese manufactured knock-offs that are not made to US or NATO specs. The topic of Chinese vs US ammo cans has been a hot debate for a long time. During the process of purchasing these ammo cans we learned a lot from the manufacturer about the ammo can production process. Our eyes were opened to the differences between mil-spec and commercial grade ammo cans.

Before we discuss the quality differences, we have some other issues with Chinese ammo cans. First and foremost, they are from China. We are fundamentally opposed to supporting what is surely to be our next major military rival and will go out of our way to support US based, and allied manufacturers first. The Chinese Communist Party is openly working to destroy the prosperity of the United States and undermine our international standing. We have wanted to provide a new production option as a complement to our hand-sorted, cleaned, and graded surplus ammo cans for a long time but were not willing to provide ammo cans from China. It is unrealistic to completely boycott all Chinese produced consumer products since they are so pervasive, but we weren’t willing to compromise on our ammo cans.