by Harbor Freight is having their “parking lot” sale this weekend both in-store and online. While I don’t buy critical tools from them, they are OK for occasional use tools as well as some odds and ins. One of those odds and ins is their 30- caliber size plastic ammo cans. Officially they are called the ammo dry box and they do have a rubber gasket to seal out moisture.
They are on sale this weekend for $2.95 each. I just bought 10 of them to store brass by caliber and to store bullets for reloading. I am finding that I as I pick up a box of bullets here and a partial box there that I’m losing track of what I have.
Are they the best quality that is out there? Probably not but they will, as economists say, satisfice and they will do the job for which they are intended by me.
I have similar boxes at Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops for upwards of $19 each. Are they worth that much more than the Harbor Freight ones? I doubt it.
If I planned to store and carry really heavy items, I’d probably go for the used GI metal ammo cans. I have a number of those so I think the plastic ones will do.
Harbor Freight is a great place for cheap, but functional tools. For a typical do it yourselfer who’s not using the tools every day or relying on them for income, they’re a great choice. It’s all cheap Chinese made stuff, but most of the “brand name” merchandise these days is cheap Chinese made stuff. If you want quality tools you’re going to pay out the nose for it. I would recommend doing so for tools you expect to need every day or that you depend on to make a living, but for a typical homeowner who needs any specific tool only a few times a year…Harbor Freight tools can be just the ticket.
John,
You referred to “odds and ins.” That’s interesting and must be some regional variation. I’ve always said “odds and ends.”
It is funny you mention that. When I was writing the post I originally had it as “odds and ends”. Then I wondered if I had it wrong. Go figure.
Amazon has the Plano version of these for less than $5 per.