ammo cases water tight?

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kirvesmies

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hey guys, how water tight are ammo cases? i've not checked em out yet. the reason i ask is i just picked up a kayak n would like to put together a rudimentary survival kit that stays with it. contents would be 3 methods of fire starting, some para-cord, small tarp, knife and small axe.
i'm thinkin' a 50 cal case would be about the the right size. if not so water tight, what would you recommend in that approximate size? yeah, i know, pelican case, but i'm a cheap a$$
 
I understand traditional cans to be water tight but they will rust as they are steel. New steel cans should have new seals. I bought a few that were vacuum sealed, took a lot to open them. Consider the MGM plastic or knockoffs of Pelican. Pelican boxes also have a pressure differential valve that use a waterproof membrane but I've never tested it. I've come across many 12v power source kits for Kayaks that all use MGM Plastic ammo boxes. Good luck!
 
I just used a cheap bag that I got at a garage sale. Throw the fire starter in a ziplock freezer bag if it doesn't have a wrapper. I wouldn't want a heavy ammo can under the deck. I would be afraid it would wear the interior of the plastic. I threw mine in the kayak every time I went out. The area under the deck always stayed dry.
 
Provided the gasket is in good condition and there are no rust holes a real military issue ammo can is 100% air/water tight. Some of the knock offs........not so much.
That said for a kayak I'd vote for a good dry sack instead of an ammo can.

BTW any ax that would fit in a 50 cal ammo can would be pretty much useless IMHO. A better choice might be a bow saw blade (stored rolled) and some nuts and bolts to make a frame. Or just a heavy knife that can baton wood to split it.

Personally I have never found the need for more than a small knife in the woods. There is usually enough dry standing dead wood that can be broken in a tree fork to make a good fire.
 
X2 on dry bags. Light weight, packable water proof. I'd put the fire starter kit in ziplock bag and then into a dry bag.
 
X3 on dry bags. Been using them strapped to the back of a motorcycle for 20 years and never a drop of moisture inside.

And Harbor Freight now has a knockoff of the Pelican cases. I bought the smallest for $10. Have not tested it yet but it seems on par. Even has the sectioned foam blocks inside for custom fit and a pressure relief valve. I wouldn't trust it with anything valuable without testing first.
 
fellas, i appreciate your input. never having experience with dry bags, it was not even on my radar. so that begs another question, how would they fare in a capsize situation? if they kept $h!t dry, they would be a very viable option.
@Rusty-tlc translate my user name to english, i'm just more comfortable with an axe. i believe with survival gear, one is none, two is one. hence one of each
 
kirvesmies said:
fellas, i appreciate your input. never having experience with dry bags, it was not even on my radar. so that begs another question, how would they fare in a capsize situation? if they kept $h!t dry, they would be a very viable option..
Click to expand...

They will keep your stuff dry when used properly and closed properly. Should you require them as floatation in an emergency
you should be okay. Backwoods advise, tie them all together so when you capsize in moving water it all stays together and is
recoverable.
 
Dry bags add flotation because they are watertight and contain air along with your gear. What type of kayak are you looking at? Will these be strapped to the deck or do you have compartments?

Distribute your gear that is heavier than water. In other words put your axe in a bag with clothes and a sleeping bag. Put your camp stove in a bag with a tent and food.

https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Summit-R...pID=41iG9xM5WBL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Have fun and post back what you end up going with.
 
kirvesmies said:
fellas, i appreciate your input. never having experience with dry bags, it was not even on my radar. so that begs another question, how would they fare in a capsize situation? if they kept $h!t dry, they would be a very viable option.
@Rusty-tlc translate my user name to english, i'm just more comfortable with an axe. i believe with survival gear, one is none, two is one. hence one of each
Click to expand...
I have had stuff in a dry bag stay dry in a capsize rafting, as was mentioned proper closure probably makes the biggest difference.

I stand by my remark that any ax that would fit in a 50 cal is going to be useless, or at least less useful than a good heavy bladed knife. In any situation choosing tools that serve more than one purpose is a good idea. IMHO a knife has many more uses in the woods than an ax.
 
so guys, thanks again for the opinions and voices of experience. did some reading on dry bags this weekend n am leaning heavily towards using that rather than ammo case. looking at the sizes, i'm thinking about a 30L size. that way i can get larger tools in it, i.e., a real axe n man sized knife
 
oh yeah, btw, the kayak i picked is a pelican maxim 100. canadian tire had last years leftovers on sale, up to 40% off. this one was 33% off. i'm good with that.
 
I recommend splitting your stuff into a couple or a few bags. In the event one does puncture,
not everything is soaked. I have found that the companies making them make pretty stout
fabrics.
Since you're shopping at Canadian Tire
Search Results
 
I use a large ammo can when we canoe camp to keep emergency supplies in. My son had it in his canoe last year and he rolled and hot his boat pinned in a rapid. The can did not stay water tight, even though the seals were in good shape. It didn't flood completely, but there was a little bit of water in the bottom, a few dozen drops only, but it was enough to cause me to have to remove, dry and then repack everything. All of his dry bags stayed completely dry. FWIW.
 
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