October 12, 201610 yr 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.
October 13, 201610 yr 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? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
October 13, 201610 yr 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. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
October 13, 201610 yr 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...
October 13, 201610 yr 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. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
October 13, 201610 yr 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 It's about not stupidly clinging to outdated and inferior solutions.
October 13, 201610 yr 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 It's about not stupidly clinging to outdated and inferior solutions.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.
October 13, 201610 yr 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.
October 13, 201610 yr 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.
October 14, 201610 yr 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.
October 14, 201610 yr 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.
October 14, 201610 yr 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.
October 14, 201610 yr 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.
October 22, 201610 yr 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. Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk
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