Ammo Can Seals

CHARLIED308 said:

I agree with you 100% when that is an option. A lot of the ammo cans filled with loose 30-06 I purchased from the CMP have bad gaskets. Some of them are in really good shape and it would be useful to have gaskets that sealed well.

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I should think it would then be evident to all why CMP included the cans for free with the ammo. Ammo cans are more expensive than they used to be, but that is true for just about everything. My point is that you are much better off to spend a bit more to purchase cans that are serviceable in all respects than to spend time and money in the future searching for and purchasing replacement gaskets. There is no payoff in that endeavor, you end up expending more time, effort, and money than it is worth.

My solution in your instance would be to match up good cans with lids that have good gaskets, put the remaining good cans aside for a similar future process, and trash the lids that don't have good gaskets.

Well if it makes yall feel better I didn't BUY those cans, They were left behind by movers, found in barns, painted all kinda funky pastel colors & bent / rusty & all are WW2 vintage so I think they are worth saving. Besides, when I get through "Restoring" them I may can sell them & retire on the profits! WW2 stuff is hot now, dontcha know?USN2

Andy, side opening type, used a small hitch pin to keep'm closed?

Maybe some thing like this will work...

http://www.trimlok.com/prod/Rubber-Edge-Trim/Edge-Trims/All-Product-Categories_117/Rubber-Edge-Trim_48.aspx

Casey

Earthquake said:

Maybe some thing like this will work...

http://www.trimlok.com/prod/Rubber-Edge-Trim/Edge-Trims/All-Product-Categories_117/Rubber-Edge-Trim_48.aspx

Casey

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Several good options there.

I looked in the surplus area and found one I think would work pretty well.

D-shaped .375 wide by .232 tall with adhesive backing.

$45.00 for 500 foot roll.

Maybe too much $$$ just to experiment but if it works that roll would make approximately 166 gaskets for the 50 cal ammo can. 3ft per can.


This post disappeared last night, now it's back??????

Years ago on Stacey David's Gearz show he had a cool product. It looked like a hockey puck, you tore off a piece, shaped it how you wanted it, then heated it with a heat gun so it cured in that shape. I regret my Google is not strong and I can't recall the name. Maybe another gearhead saw that episode and can help further.

Edited: of course now I found it. Called versimold. Maybe that is what will work for you.

I am not going to spend more than $1 or $2 on a $5 ammo can. I recently repaired screens in the house and have enough extra screen retainer to give that a try.

andyh1956 said:

Well if it makes yall feel better I didn't BUY those cans, They were left behind by movers, found in barns, painted all kinda funky pastel colors & bent / rusty & all are WW2 vintage so I think they are worth saving. Besides, when I get through "Restoring" them I may can sell them & retire on the profits! WW2 stuff is hot now, dontcha know?USN2

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Absent the original paint, markings, and gaskets I doubt your retirement plan will bear fruit. Good luck though!

GardenValley said:

Absent the original paint, markings, and gaskets I doubt your retirement plan will bear fruit. Good luck though!

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andy1956,

Check out GB auction number 559192604 for an idea as to what to do if the cans don't sell because they are no longer original.

Thanks for everbody's help, lots of good options here. For the short run I found some "D" shaped (Cross Section) foam & cut & super glued a gasket up, only thing it was white! So I just painted it black, peeled & stuck it on. Worked great so far. The gasket seals to the top of the can, which yall know is very narrow so the gasket has to fill the width of the channel it goes in in the top completely. These cans have the wire hangers on them on the ends & the sides & the bottom of one end kicks out at the bottom. Two different makers so far, Reeves & Canco (SP?)
Another question- is the embossed lettering on the sides supposed to be painted, yellow maybe?

BRAINSTORM! I got a bud that makes rubber worms, he has the molds & stuff. I'm gonna check with him & see why we can't make these gaskets the same way. Stay tuned!

Not all ammo can seals are equal.

I have found that the Canadian military cans have the best seal by far (hard as hell to open when there is a temperature differential, with the typical woosh sound when you do open it)

The new US cans are o.k., but not 100%.

Might be a good suggestion here

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=53685

stevegun 1 said:

Andy, side opening type, used a small hitch pin to keep'm closed?

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No these are the .30 cans that open from the end. I do have some .50s that are side opening though.

I found some interesting info on these cans here at the IMA site.
http://www.ima-usa.com/original-u-s-wwii-30-caliber-m1-ammo-can-by-canco-or-reeves.html

andyh1956 said:

I found some interesting info on these cans here at the IMA site.
http://www.ima-usa.com/original-u-s-wwii-30-caliber-m1-ammo-can-by-canco-or-reeves.html

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$39.95 for a rusty ammo can? I'll have to dig out my old WWII vintage .30 caliber can and list it for sale.