Marines Could Ditch Ammo Cans in Push to Get Lighter

[notmetoo 41]

http://kitup.military.com/2016/10/marines-ditch-ammo-cans-push-get-lighter.html

 

Stumbled across this article and thought it interesting. 

I actually prefer the plastic cans. I know they're not as durable, but for basic storage they do the job for me.

As for logistics in the field, yeah ammo cans add a lot of weight that materials science can reduce. If anll they need is a way to cluster ammo together into lift-able cubes, shrink-wrap is durable enough to do the job.

 

The article also addresses brass though not the elusive "careless ammunition" we keep hearing about.

 

Discuss.

 

 

[bhunted 887]

Hmmmm, we'll take all the cans away for free beings we paid for them and whatever happened to the studies being done for caseless ammo?

 

 

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[Krdshrk 3,877]

Switch to plastic or aluminum?

[bhunted 887]

Switch to plastic or aluminum?

Use plastic would be best bet. Still lighter. Use recycled and submit for scrap plastic to be born again into an ammo can.

 

 

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[Indianajonze 379]

on the surface you read this and think hey it's a good idea, why not try to reduce weight? then something sinister creeps into the mind. why are they trying to reduce weight? is it because of the politically correct, gender-neutral philosophy these days? is it because new recruits can't handle the weight? is it because our military is being systematically weakened figuratively and now literally right before our eyes? good times...

[bhunted 887]

Hmmm , putting on my pink tutu so I can hash this out. Ummmm, no. It involves a lot more than that. Less weight to be carried extends past that. Delivery methods, ie proper weight distribution on aircraft for instance. Less weight, more ammo to the proper places.

Etc etc etc.

 

 

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[10X 3,301]

Nothing sinister;  the military is smart enough to know that if they are carrying less useless packaging weight, they can carry more ammo.

 

It's not about being PC, or gender neutral.   It's about not stupidly clinging to outdated and inferior solutions.

[DirtyHalfBreedModerate 5]

Nothing sinister;  the military is smart enough to know that if they are carrying less useless packaging weight, they can carry more ammo.

 

It's not about being PC, or gender neutral.   It's about not stupidly clinging to outdated and inferior solutions.

I concur.

 

The JLTV alone is WAAAAYY heavier than any Humvee, but they still expect to fit the same amount onto a ship.

 

They have to compensate somehow.

[Sota 1,191]

I'm in for free ammo cans. I can even pick up. Any load up to 6000# and can fit on a open steel trailer.

How many cans can I get and when can I come get them.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

The only issue is durability. Try stacking those plastic cans and then have a plane take a hard landing, or a can drop off a truck...etc. aluminum might be an option but it's not gonna be light enough and be durable.

[DevsAdvocate 112]

I work at Picatinny, and in my experience, plastic ammunition containers simply cannot hold up across all the required conditions.  Plastic is especially brittle in colder weather and loses structural integrity at hot weather.  It also is very bad in fire as it tends to melt/burn, a big no-no on US Navy ships that might transport them.  The last major plastic ammo container we used was a box for 25mm ammo for the M2 Bradley... even that was eventually replaced with metal.  Aluminum is also iffy due to durability issue during drop testing... it deforms quite easily.

 

The M2A1 Ammo Can is really tough to beat for what it does.  I prefer the smaller .30mm can for ammo duties at home and at the range since boxes line up nicer in them.

[DirtyHalfBreedModerate 5]

I work at Picatinny, and in my experience, plastic ammunition containers simply cannot hold up across all the required conditions.  Plastic is especially brittle in colder weather and loses structural integrity at hot weather.  It also is very bad in fire as it tends to melt/burn, a big no-no on US Navy ships that might transport them.  The last major plastic ammo container we used was a box for 25mm ammo for the M2 Bradley... even that was eventually replaced with metal.  Aluminum is also iffy due to durability issue during drop testing... it deforms quite easily.

 

The M2A1 Ammo Can is really tough to beat for what it does.  I prefer the smaller .30mm can for ammo duties at home and at the range since boxes line up nicer in them.

I am curious if the same polymer that Magpul uses can be used in this capacity.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

I work at Picatinny, and in my experience, plastic ammunition containers simply cannot hold up across all the required conditions.  Plastic is especially brittle in colder weather and loses structural integrity at hot weather.  It also is very bad in fire as it tends to melt/burn, a big no-no on US Navy ships that might transport them.  The last major plastic ammo container we used was a box for 25mm ammo for the M2 Bradley... even that was eventually replaced with metal.  Aluminum is also iffy due to durability issue during drop testing... it deforms quite easily.

 

The M2A1 Ammo Can is really tough to beat for what it does.  I prefer the smaller .30mm can for ammo duties at home and at the range since boxes line up nicer in them.

 

That may preclude using lighter, stronger materials..... and more expensive... like Titanium.

[DevsAdvocate 112]

That may preclude using lighter, stronger materials..... and more expensive... like Titanium.

 

I mean, for the cost, what is lighter and stronger than steel? lol

 

Plus, manufacturing of the M2A1 takes place at like 2 plants nationwide and it would be very expensive for the contractor to switch over to an alternative manufacturing method for a new material.

[Blake 50]

Having gone through a fire recently I will never use plastic ammo cans again. Everything in issue metal cans made it out A OK, everything in plastic cans was a melted cooked off mess.

 

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