Pet peeve - bullet boxes

[GunnyGene]

Why is it that otc bullet boxes always contain some multiple of 5 rounds? 5/10/20/25/50 etc.? This drives me nuts. Why not 6, or 8 or 17? Seems like I always end up with 2 or 3 rounds left in the box. I have a whole shelf of partial boxes to try to keep track of, from .22 to 12 gage. :twisted:

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Huh? Why does beer come in a six-pack?

 

[WIL TERRY]

CARTRIDGES...or bullets...?

 

[Tenbore]

Because ammo comes in boxes of 20, 25 or 50. Reloading bullets come in boxes of 100. Just shoot the extra and problem solved!

 

[5of7]

As a handloader who shoots most of his ammo at targets, I load ammo that will be fired in a 6 shot revolver 48 to the box.. Ammo for 5 shot revolvers get a box of 50. If it is pistol ammo, it does not matter because all my grpips will be 5 or 10 shot groups anyway.

And I think he is talking about component bullets. 8)

 

[GunnyGene]

CARTRIDGES...or bullets...?

Sorry. Cartridge boxes - factory ammo over the counter stuff.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

??? You need to do more shooting if you have leftovers. Or do like Hickock 45 does and just keep them in a cigar box.
How are you going to reload em if ya don't empty them out first?

 

[Clovishound]

I've solved that issue by loading 5 rounds in my 6 shot revolver. I reload all my .38s, but the plastic boxes have rows of 5 also. My lever rifles hold 10 and 15 respectively.

 

[GunnyGene]

I don't reload. I think what I might do, since I have a pile of various nice hardwood scraps that I should do something with, is make some boxes out of it for left over rnds.

 

[Kevin]

Really, the ammunition companies should sell factory ammo in lots of 17 or 23 like you say. This would make it just a little bit more to figure out the cost per round. When it's 20 or 50, it's pretty convenient to walk down the aisle and shop by price per round. If each maker had their own box of odd sizes... Hmmm.

But the bigger question is why don't you reload? Is it just something you never got into?

If you do make some wooden reusable ammo boxes post some pictures of them please!

 

[GunnyGene]

But the bigger question is why don't you reload? Is it just something you never got into?

If you do make some wooden reusable ammo boxes post some pictures of them please!

Didn't get into reloading for many reasons. Sometimes life gets in the way.

I probably will make a few later this year when the weather cools some. Too hot in the shop this time of year here. There's quite a few folks make many different designs. Google "wood cartridge box" to see hundreds of them. Some plain, some really fancy.

 

[GunnyGene]

Why is it that otc bullet boxes always contain some multiple of 5 rounds? 5/10/20/25/50 etc.? This drives me nuts. Why not 6, or 8 or 17? Seems like I always end up with 2 or 3 rounds left in the box. I have a whole shelf of partial boxes to try to keep track of, from .22 to 12 gage. :twisted:

I suspect it has to do with the reason you hint at. What would be the better number. We have guns with capacities all over the map.

My bet is that it's because the decimal system is our friend.

The technology is available to sell by the round into your own container from a dispenser. It could be kinda like one of those ubiquitous serve yourself drink machines in every fast food joint in the country.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Why not shoot the last two or three rounds in your gun instead of bringing them home. Problem solved.
btw, I use those 20 and 50 round factory boxes to put my reloads in, properly labeled of course.

My problem is I get messed up and odd rounds collecting around my reloading bench. Now that is a problem that only a bullet puller will solve. That and popping the primers with a hammer and nail in a vice outside.

 

[contender]

Quote; "My bet is that it's because the decimal system is our friend."

This.

Other than bulk items, packaging for most stuff comes in round numbers. And even if you buy in bulk, the bulk containers are usually set up in round numbers. And as noted, uniform packaging allows for placing items on a retail shelf in a manner that has a pleasing appearance, as well as being efficient in space savings.

Lastly, since we are talking ammo,,, lets say you have a 9mm. Is it a semi-auto, or a revolver? Does it carry 7, 8 or such in a single stack magazine,,, or is it a double stack magazine carrying 15, 17 etc? Or is it a revolver with a 5 shot cylinder or a 6 shot cylinder. Too many variables in the end uses,,, so there is no way any manufacturer can package a single product, much less a lot of different products to "fit" all the variables.

Bulk, loose ammo purchases (like the way we used to buy nails & screws,) could be a disaster as well. I buy my screws & such in loose bulk, (Yes, I have a few hardware stores that still do that,) and I often get an odd size mixed in. Can we say "disaster" if a hot 44mag was accidentally mixed in with 45 Colt ammo & put in an old gun built for BP ammo?
Not a good idea.

As noted,,, just spend a few extra moments at the range & fire off those odd rounds at the end of a box.

 

[Bayouhunter]

I load my own now and end up filling the 30oz Folgers Plastic coffee cans with my reloads. Not as durable as ammo boxes but it works. I sure miss those metal coffee cans of past years.

 

[Mtneer]

I load my own now and end up filling the 30oz Folgers Plastic coffee cans with my reloads. Not as durable as ammo boxes but it works. I sure miss those metal coffee cans of past years.

They're still metal from Costco. And they're real, 48oz (3lb) cans. It's too bad I can't stand the taste of Costco (Kirkland) coffee though. :lol:

 

[mikld]

Hmmm. I've never had a problem putting 5 rounds in my 1911 magazines. Or 8 rounds in my 10-22 rotary magazine, and I've even loaded 4 rounds in my Super Black Hawk. IIRC, I've single loaded some Magnun rounds in my revolvers. Is there a law that states every magazine be inserted into a gun loaded to capacity, or a cylinder must be full? When I'm working up a load I'll load up 2 magazines full for my semi-autos (including my Garand and SKS), two cylinders full for my revolvers, and two magazines for for my magazine fed rifles (any number from 10 to 16). Of course there will be an odd number of bullets and primers left over, but it certainly ain't no big deal...

 

[Mtneer]

Hmmm. I've never had a problem putting 5 rounds in my 1911 magazines. Or 8 rounds in my 10-22 rotary magazine, and I've even loaded 4 rounds in my Super Black Hawk. IIRC, I've single loaded some Magnun rounds in my revolvers. Is there a law that states every magazine be inserted into a gun loaded to capacity, or a cylinder must be full? When I'm working up a load I'll load up 2 magazines full for my semi-autos (including my Garand and SKS), two cylinders full for my revolvers, and two magazines for for my magazine fed rifles (any number from 10 to 16). Of course there will be an odd number of bullets and primers left over, but it certainly ain't no big deal...

Of course there's a law about loading guns to capacity, and it certainly IS a big deal. Why else would this thread have gone 2 pages so far? :lol:
Not to change the subject, but do you do the same as I sometimes mikld? Do you occasionally put only one or two rounds in a revolver, then spin the cylinder so you don't know on which trigger pull(s) the gun is going to go off? Sometimes I even have my wife load a gun for me and not tell me how many rounds she put in it. Not knowing whether a gun is going to go off or not when I squeeze the trigger helps me keep my flinching in check.

 

[mikld]

Of course there's a law about loading guns to capacity, and it certainly IS a big deal. Why else would this thread have gone 2 pages so far? :lol:
Not to change the subject, but do you do the same as I sometimes mikld? Do you occasionally put only one or two rounds in a revolver, then spin the cylinder so you don't know on which trigger pull(s) the gun is going to go off? Sometimes I even have my wife load a gun for me and not tell me how many rounds she put in it. Not knowing whether a gun is going to go off or not when I squeeze the trigger helps me keep my flinching in check.

Yep, been there done that. Now-a-days my marksmanship is declining and it ain't due to flinchin', it's mostly them new sights they be puttin on guns today are fuzzy...

 

[e3mrk]

Why are there 13 in a Bakers Dozen?