A custom box for big bore ammo

Thought I'd pass this along. Last year I bought a plastic twenty cartridge ammo box on eBay for my trip to Africa with 404 Jeffery. It's a Case-Guard J-20 by MTM. This one is a one-size-fits-all from 300 Win and Weatherby to various 375s and 444 Marlin.

Excellent quality but way too tall. My 404 cartridges were moving up and down in slots too much for that long trip. Didn't want to risk OAL changing (admittedly remote possibility). Using Dremel tool with carving bit I trimmed the inside stops on both ends of cap until it dropped down to where the cartridge bases almost touched it.

Then I used disk sander attachment in my Shopsmith set up as horizontal drill press to trim the excess from bottom of cap till it was even with the bottom of the box. I set the lid on the edge of table with fence to support it and pushed the disk into it until desired length was obtained. A belt sander or file would also do the job. And finally, I used a Dremel tool with carving burr to engrave cartridge name on one side of lid and my contact info on the opposite side. A bit of elastic from my late wife's sewing box ensures box doesn't come open accidentally.

The Dremel Tool, the universal gunsmithing tool for all!

I've cut a strip of bubble wrap from a mailing envelope and placed it inside the lid on ammo boxes to take up the space and keep the cartridges from moving.

375 Ruger Fan said:

The Dremel Tool, the universal gunsmithing tool for all!

I've cut a strip of bubble wrap from a mailing envelope and placed it inside the lid on ammo boxes to take up the space and keep the cartridges from moving.

Click to expand...

A strip of semi dense foam is what I did.
No electricity needed!

Ontario Hunter said:

Thought I'd pass this along. Last year I bought a plastic twenty cartridge ammo box on eBay for my trip to Africa with 404 Jeffery. It's a Case-Guard J-20 by MTM. This one is a one-size-fits-all from 300 Win and Weatherby to various 375s and 444 Marlin.
View attachment 788220
Excellent quality but way too tall. My 404 cartridges were moving up and down in slots too much for that long trip. Didn't want to risk OAL changing (admittedly remote possibility). Using Dremel tool with carving bit I trimmed the inside stops on both ends of cap until it dropped down to where the cartridge bases almost touched it.
View attachment 788219
Then I used disk sander attachment in my Shopsmith set up as horizontal drill press to trim the excess from bottom of cap till it was even with the bottom of the box. I set the lid on the edge of table with fence to support it and pushed the disk into it until desired length was obtained. A belt sander or file would also do the job. And finally, I used a Dremel tool with carving burr to engrave cartridge name on one side of lid and my contact info on the opposite side. A bit of elastic from my late wife's sewing box ensures box doesn't come open accidentally.
View attachment 788221

Click to expand...

You need to buy the J- 20 - L. Yours was the LLD which is the extra long. I used the shorter ones a couple weeks ago on my trip with my 404 Jeffery and they worked perfect. They fit my 458 Lott as well.

Well, that could have saved me some trouble. It was advertised as fitting 404 Jeffery. And in its cut down condition it is 3 5/8" tall. They are certainly top shelf quality boxes.

Ontario Hunter said:

Well, that could have saved me some trouble. It was advertised as fitting 404 Jeffery. And in its cut down condition it is 3 5/8" tall. They are certainly top shelf quality boxes.

Click to expand...

I wasn't aware that they made the extra long version until I saw the picture of yours. I can't imagine why they would at that diameter. What cartridge would you have that was that long?