# Silly Rifle Ammo Question



## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

It's been bugging me lately....

Why is rifle ammo usually sold in boxes of 20? Pistol ammo is sold in boxes of 50 often, and this makes sense. But most AR & AK style rifles have 30 round mags, and it just bugs me to have to use 1 1/2 boxes of ammo per mag. Why not 30rd boxes?

Is there a reason I'm just not grasping?


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Egyas said:


> It's been bugging me lately....
> 
> Why is rifle ammo usually sold in boxes of 20? Pistol ammo is sold in boxes of 50 often, and this makes sense. But most AR & AK style rifles have 30 round mags, and it just bugs me to have to use 1 1/2 boxes of ammo per mag. Why not 30rd boxes?
> 
> Is there a reason I'm just not grasping?


That is a good question. remember that 30 round mags a relatively new idea.... most rifles prior to 1960's were not magazine feed. 
during the summer of 1964 a large meeting was held with the leading members of each ammo crime family. The commission decided that they needed to standardized the ammo industry. After a long debate and much argument about if it should be 10,20,30 per box - tony three fingers made a good case for the 20 box and since all the folks want to end the meeting early and head over to the local watering hole , the vote was unanimous..

so Tony Three fingers is the reason for 20 in a box for rifle.

next week I will explain how the 30 round mag started to be called a banana clip thanks to Vito "junk man" Tabascos , a 1957 chevy, 2 hookers, a case of sardines, a car chase, and the atlanta primate zoo enclosure


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

Rofl!


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

30 round magazines during my time in the Army were limited to the enemy's AK47. Our M16's had 20 round mags.
The BAR of WWI, WWII, and Korea only had 20's, same for the M14.

Civilian hunting rifles are limited to 5 round maximum by law in many states. So, it makes sense to package rifle ammo by the 20 round box.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

This reminds me of the hot dogs and buns, thing.


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## Urinal Cake (Oct 19, 2013)

Gov CHOMO of NY say you don't need 20 bullets to kill a deer......total ass hat!
(see's the one in the middle....)

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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Most mags were 10 and 20 for a long time. Also it is a size of packaging thing. Remember at one time most just purchased what they needed for hunting , zeroing of to have a few. Ammo was everywhere and low cost. There just were not that many awhile back that purchase 100,250 500 round boxes.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Smitty901 said:


> Most mags were 10 and 20 for a long time. Also it is a size of packaging thing. Remember at one time most just purchased what they needed for hunting , zeroing of to have a few. Ammo was everywhere and low cost. There just were not that many awhile back that purchase 100,250 500 round boxes.


Exactly. Most hunters, and hunters are the great majority of American rifle owners, shoot a few rounds to check zero at the beginning of the season, and then hunt.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

The packaging of 20 and 50 had its roots in the 19th century.

The prime reason was economic.

Rifle rounds are by nature about twice the price of handgun ammo, they kept the pricing at affordable levels.

Early packaging had no spacers and alternated nose up nose down.

Straight walled cases are a lot easier to make, less tooling and material, cheaper rounds.

There were some odd packaging such as 20 round boxes of 45ACP marked for 1921 Thompson Sub machine guns, 

32 round boxes of 9MM Para by the Brits for Sten guns, 24 round boxes for .455 Webley revolvers to fill 8 half moon clips.

I have thousands of rounds of 8MM Mauser in 10 round boxes not 20, and 72 round boxes of 7.62 Tokarev for the PPSH 41 drum. .


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

Well, that certainly give me more to ponder on. Most of my rifle buying experience is in 5.56 and 7.62x39. When when I buy in bulk, it's just a larger box/container full of 20 round boxes, so I guess I just ASSumed that it was more commonplace than it seems to be.

Still, given the fact that the most common "standard capacity" AR mag is 30 rounds, wouldn't it make sense to also sell them in 30-rd boxes?


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## Coastie dad (Jan 2, 2016)

There is at least one manufacturer that sells 5.56 in 30 round boxes. ZQ I think? Something like that? One of the kids brought a couple boxes when he wanted to shoot the AR. Admittedly, I didn't pay that much attention.


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## Coastie dad (Jan 2, 2016)

Maybe it should be sold in 18 and 28 round boxes for the old school AR guys....:vs_blush:


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## Urinal Cake (Oct 19, 2013)

Coastie dad said:


> Maybe it should be sold in 18 and 28 round boxes for the old school AR guys....:vs_blush:


I'm thinking 31 and 21 for the breech


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Gave up on wasting my time with small boxes. 420-1000 at a time. Saves trips or time ordering.
20 round boxes are a evil plot. They know you need 30 so you buy two boxes of 20 and waste the other ten because what good is half a box


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Buy in bulk .... only bulk.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Smitty901 said:


> Gave up on wasting my time with small boxes. 420-1000 at a time. Saves trips or time ordering.
> 20 round boxes are a evil plot. They know you need 30 so you buy two boxes of 20 and waste the other ten because what good is half a box


The plan is to force you into buying three boxes.

I have cases of East German 7.62X39 that hold 1,360 rounds, oddball number if I ever saw one.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

SOCOM42 said:


> The plan is to force you into buying three boxes.
> 
> I have cases of East German 7.62X39 in case that hold 1,360 rounds, oddball number if I ever saw one.


 Must be a metric thing


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

That German stuff is the best I have ever shot.

Import was blocked by BATFags after determining it was AP, they suck!

Was a nickel a round when I bough it, sent my truck to pick it up in the state at the wholesaler.

I think I got 30 cases that trip.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

Rifle ammo can be bought in various sized lots


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## Coastie dad (Jan 2, 2016)

Urinal Cake said:


> I'm thinking 31 and 21 for the breech


Really? It takes more than one round to breach a building?


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Damn! And I thunk ALL AMMO CAME IN CASES OF 1000!

:vs_worry:


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Coastie dad said:


> Really? It takes more than one round to breach a building?
> View attachment 47338


HE or HEP works well on buildings.


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## Steve40th (Aug 17, 2016)

8 Hot dog buns, 10 Hot Dogs. Drive in a Parkway, Park in a Driveway.
Just buy more ammo..And shoot often


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Gunner, sabot, tank


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## Oddcaliber (Feb 17, 2014)

Revolver/ pistol ammo comes in a 50 round box because of the Colt revolver. Have 5 rounds in 5 chambers the hammer resting on the empty chamber. At least that's the story I got from my dad.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Coastie dad said:


> Maybe it should be sold in 18 and 28 round boxes for the old school AR guys....:vs_blush:


WHOOOSH!!!!

Right over their heads. :vs_lol:


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## Coastie dad (Jan 2, 2016)

rice paddy daddy said:


> WHOOOSH!!!!
> 
> Right over their heads. :vs_lol:


I figured at least you and Denton would catch that comment.:devil:


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## Coastie dad (Jan 2, 2016)

GUNNER!
HEP!
BATTLESIGHT!
(Laying...)
BUILDING! DOORWAY!
(Loader) UP!
FIRE!
(Gunner) ON THE WAAAAAYYYY!
TARGET!
CALIBER 50!
GUNNER!
BEEHIVE!
NO TIME!
INFANTRY IN OPEN!
AT WILL!


And at this point in time...demons dance to welcome the departed souls to hell....

HOOAH!
(


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I think it's an evil Russian plot to confuse and confound us simple silly Americans. Same with the Hot Dog Buns and Hot Dog thing. Those evil Russians will stop at nothing! :vs_mad:


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

A Watchman said:


> Buy in bulk .... only bulk.


Sadly, I do! But it's an evil plot! Every time I get a new can/box/case/etc and open it up, the damned thing is filled with little 20rd boxes!


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Egyas said:


> Sadly, I do! But it's an evil plot! Every time I get a new can/box/case/etc and open it up, the damned thing is filled with little 20rd boxes!


I bought some cans of 1954 Bulgarian military surplus 7.62X54R, and inside were 10 round packages each neatly wrapped in brown paper and tied with string.

I half expected a written note that would translate : "Lovingly wrapped by Number 430 for the heroes of the Motherland". 
:tango_face_smile:


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