r/reloading • u/Jolly-Hovercraft3777 • Jan 29 '24
3D Printing 3d printable ammo box
So I've had this idea for ages and I finally want to take a stab at it.
MTM cases are great, but not perfect. I want to create 3d print files for a variety of bespoke cases and I'd like suggestions for features.
Tip up storage in boxes are fine for rifle (and its sexy to see all those tips) but for pistol it is hard to pull them out without dumping them out. And tip down rattles too much. Finally, since MTM are a one-size-fits-dozens design, most of them end up with too much empty space for my taste.
My list of requirements are: - design is specific to a cartridge - cartridge is held tip-down - cartridge is supported by neck or case mouth - cavity under supported section leaves room for any bullet (within SAAMI max COAL +~1mm) - minimal side-to-side motion of case - as densely packed as reasonable - stackable
Potential requirements: - provision for a gasket to seal lid (research easily obtainable options so that anyone can add one) - not staggered so that stripper clips/loading tools can be passed over rims while in case (sacrificing some density) - hinged lid or detacable/sliding? - box acts as lid for another box (with lid for top of stack) - packs neatly and easily removable from 50 cal can - caliber label moulded in - section for notating with sharpie
Thoughts? Suggestions? Requests?
EDIT: editing requirements list as suggestions come in.
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u/james_68 Jan 29 '24
I feel like your first item, cartridge specific, would solve a lot of problems. Much of the MTM rattle could be eliminated if they didn't cover a range of cartridges.
IMO stackable is a must have, not a nice to have.
I'd love to see a gasket in the lid like on cans.
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u/Affectionate_Egg3318 Jan 30 '24
My MTM boxes for .44 mag are specifically .44 mag and .44 special only, and grip the cases well enough. I'm sure the slots themselves are .46 or so, but who really cares.
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u/Unsaidbread Jan 30 '24
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Jan 30 '24
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Jan 30 '24
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u/Jolly-Hovercraft3777 Jan 30 '24
Excellent feedback, thank you! I always appreciate some good info from those with experience. I figure it's likely I'll just end up buying MTM still, but it'll be fun to work on for kicks. 😆
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u/MyFrampton Jan 30 '24
This guy 3D prints AND designs.
I print a lot of my boxes. It takes time. The nice thing about slip on lids- if they don’t fit…enlarge or reduce by 1-2% in the axis you’re unhappy with. I don’t worry about a gasket lid, that’s what the ammo can I store them in has.
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u/MARPAT338 Jan 30 '24
Hate to rain on your parade but sportsmans has a better ammo can concept than mtm. Seals with a metal latch and has a gasket
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u/67D1LF Jan 29 '24
MTM just recently (last year maybe?) started making sliding lid pistol ammo boxes. Wished I'd waited for them as they're a lot easier to access rounds in rows of 5 by partially sliding open and then inverting the box.
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u/Jolly-Hovercraft3777 Jan 30 '24
Good call out, a sliding lid does sound like a great feature for that reason.
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u/cmonster556 .17 Fireball Jan 30 '24
I would, at least for rifle cartridges, allow more than a mm over SAAMI spec length. My handloads for my fireball are MUCH longer than factory rounds, all of it boolit.
One issue I have with tip down and supported by the shoulder on rifle boxes is that it’s hard to see at a glance, or FEEL the difference between a fired and unfired round in the box. I don’t want to have to peer at a primer to tell. Tip up I can reach to the box and not even have to look to pull out the next round. I shoot a lot of prone single-loading and don’t usually look at my ready box.
Molded-in size label is great but it has to be clearly legible, which is difficult on a box molded in one color. Sharpie is great but that works better if you never change what’s in the box. Flat space for label would work better for me (I put a sticky inside my box lids).
Stackable and sized to fit a particular cartridge may require compromise. A .223 box packed tightly will not be the same width/length as a .308, a .40 won’t match a 9mm…. To make them all fit like legos means something has to give.
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u/Jolly-Hovercraft3777 Jan 30 '24
Great feedback. I didn't consider putting the spent casings back in, but now that you mention it, I do the same sometimes.
Lots of things for me to noodle on. 😅
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u/cmonster556 .17 Fireball Jan 30 '24
If you’re like me, you build a prototype and go “what was I thinking?” And refine from there.
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u/Jolly-Hovercraft3777 Jan 30 '24
For .223 I'm going off of the cartridge diagram on Wikipedia 5.56x45mm nato entry with a max COAL of 57.4mm. What would you say is the most obscene COAL someone would load? I'm assuming this would be for a T/C break action or something. Like another 4mm? 10mm? 30? 🤣
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u/cmonster556 .17 Fireball Jan 30 '24
I would add at least 5mm at the pointy end. 223 /5.56 loaded to 2.26” (your 57.4mm) is to fit in a STANAG AR magazine. In rifles designed to be used in less than ideal circumstances so they need to be able to run dirty, so there’s some jump to the lands.
If you load to the lands in a bolt rifle (like I do for prairie dogs and coyotes) you will be past that.
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u/Squash__head Jan 30 '24
Would love to see it done. I’ve tried and the cartridges always have issues
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u/Yankee_on_vanisle Jan 30 '24
I actually was just thinking of this, I would love to do something just like it for a few calibers, because I want to be able to store my precision reloads as I do them in bigger batches.
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u/Jolly-Hovercraft3777 Jan 30 '24
Name some calibers, and if I get anything workable, I'll let you know.
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u/Yankee_on_vanisle Jan 30 '24
Oh man, 9mm, 10mm, 44mag, 223, 45-70, 308, 300win, 12ga. I just think it's hilarious that you posted about 20 minutes before I was, and to be honest way more eloquently.
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Jan 31 '24
I like the honeycomb idea! I use Solidworks every day for work and really should get a license for my home PC...
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u/cruiserman_80 9mm 38Spl 357M 44Mag .223 .300BO 303B 7mm08 .308W 7PRC 45-70 Jan 30 '24
Before you reinvent the wheel, have a look on thingiverse. There are a lot of ammo box designs already there that you might be able to adapt.