How do I correctly open a sealed tin ammo can??

ingous · 02-15-2008, 10:40 AM

Hello! I just bought some Bulgarian surplus ammo that is still sealed in its original tin can. How do I open this thing correctly? Thanks for any advise!

damage855 · 02-15-2008, 11:26 AM

Hammer and screwdriver!

Thats how most do it and unless you have the canopener tool thingy you will too.

ingous · 02-15-2008, 11:31 AM

Thanks Damage! Wow, hammer and screwdriver, huh? Just seems wrong to hit a can with life ammo with a hammer. But, I don't have the canopener, so I gues I have no choice.

MosinGirl · 02-15-2008, 11:54 AM

Even with the canopener tool thingy, those cans are a PITA to get open. My husband bent one of them the other night trying to get one of these spam cans open.

Manda in Kent

texnmidwest · 02-15-2008, 12:21 PM

Yep, I used a pair of slip joint pliers and a screwdriver. Got it halfway open then bent the top back to get at the ammo. Transfered all to an ammo box. It was an interesting aroma that came from that box. Not unpleasant in the least. I was thinking as I opened it that the ammo inside had not seen the light of day since 1954! Now, if I can just get a Sunday with out it snowing or below zero I will be able to go out and shoot some of it! I have 4 Mosins that need to be fed!

gandog56 · 02-15-2008, 01:20 PM

Yep, since I didn't have a chisel, I used a hammer and a big flat blade screwdriver.

texnmidwest · 02-15-2008, 01:36 PM

Hitting live ammo with a hammer is way too dangerous for me. Next time I am going to use a blow torch!

Or tin snips. Depends.

ingous · 02-15-2008, 01:42 PM

Maybe I could shoot at it.............

(Sorry, just looking for an excuse to use the smile)

Zephri · 02-15-2008, 02:03 PM

Why not just go for broke and use a thermal lance.

anyways, if it's those galvanized cans there should be a tab you can pull with a pair of pliers.

neophyte · 02-15-2008, 03:17 PM

texinmidwest: Sir; I wanna watch

I'll be quite

jerry · 02-15-2008, 03:31 PM

Bayonet!

nick112207 · 02-15-2008, 05:11 PM

stupid of me but i was desperate to get it open. actually took a drill press with the biggest bit i could find and drilled just till i got to the inside of the can. then using a combination of metal sheers and pliars i got it open in oh id say 15 or 20 minutes haha

marion57 · 02-15-2008, 06:06 PM

If you look the can over very carfully you will find a pull tag .. It may have some solder on it but if you get a hold of it with a pair of needle nose pliers and roll it back like the old spam cans( that had spam in it) it will roll right up then lift the top lid off it and walla AMMO!

Cyrano · 02-15-2008, 06:11 PM

Do you think a P-38 might work, or is the metal too thick? Or the top lip too high?

just_a_car · 02-15-2008, 07:16 PM

You guys that say to use the pull tab are hilarious...

Check out my thread from a while back on my Czech Silvertip: http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/mos...mmunition.html (Military Surplus Ammunition)

Troy · 02-15-2008, 09:33 PM

just drop it from a skyscraper, something oughta happen.

ingous · 02-15-2008, 09:36 PM

Well, another "1st" is mastered, I opened my first can of spam. And the prize (besides the satisfaction): 300 rounds of Bulgarian 182gr FMJ. Wow, if life was just always that good!

Thank you all for the good and the humorous advice. I did in fact find a pull tab but despite careful handling it ripped off in 5 seconds flat. In the end the hammer and screwdriver method was the way to go. I carefully punctured the tin seal and once I had an opening big enough to insert some needle nose pliers I started to roll back the tin. Voila!

The can was opened and I could claim my prize.

It still feels like its wrong to work a container with live ammo in it with a hammer and screwdriver but hey, who can argue with the results?

Thanks again to all of you!

Cyrano · 02-16-2008, 03:58 PM

You know, the question does have to be asked: How did the grunts in the line get these things open? Given that the reason the M-N bayonet has a screwdriver tip is so it could be used as a tool to take the rifle down for cleaning, could it possibly be the bayonet was to be used like the key of a sardine can or something to get the ammo tins open?

SwedeSteve · 02-16-2008, 04:35 PM

I doubt the cans were as hard to open back then as they are now. I doubt many grunts received cans of ammo anyway! They probably received a "handful" when it was available.

Cyrano · 02-16-2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwedeSteve

I doubt the cans were as hard to open back then as they are now. I doubt many grunts received cans of ammo anyway! They probably received a "handful" when it was available.

You're probably right, but even if it was the company armorer sergeant opening the cans and passing out the ammo to the guys in the line, somebody had to open the silly things! The question stands: how did the guys at the front get these cans open during the war?

02-15-2008, 10:40 AM	#1
ingous Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: MN Posts: 488 Trader Rating: (0)	How do I correctly open a sealed tin ammo can?? Hello! I just bought some Bulgarian surplus ammo that is still sealed in its original tin can. How do I open this thing correctly? Thanks for any advise!

02-15-2008, 11:26 AM	#2
damage855 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina / Lake Norman Posts: 886 Trader Rating: (0)	Hammer and screwdriver! Thats how most do it and unless you have the canopener tool thingy you will too. __________________ If total goverment control will make us all safer, then why are prisons so dangerous?

02-15-2008, 12:21 PM	#5
texnmidwest Senior Bear Fluffer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South east Wisconsin Posts: 3,021 Trader Rating: (0)	Yep, I used a pair of slip joint pliers and a screwdriver. Got it halfway open then bent the top back to get at the ammo. Transfered all to an ammo box. It was an interesting aroma that came from that box. Not unpleasant in the least. I was thinking as I opened it that the ammo inside had not seen the light of day since 1954! Now, if I can just get a Sunday with out it snowing or below zero I will be able to go out and shoot some of it! I have 4 Mosins that need to be fed! __________________ "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (If all else fails play dead)

02-15-2008, 01:36 PM	#7
texnmidwest Senior Bear Fluffer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South east Wisconsin Posts: 3,021 Trader Rating: (0)	Hitting live ammo with a hammer is way too dangerous for me. Next time I am going to use a blow torch! Or tin snips. Depends. __________________ "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (If all else fails play dead)

02-15-2008, 02:03 PM	#9
Zephri Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Indianapolis, IN. "The city where nothing happens." Posts: 1,028 Trader Rating: (1)	Why not just go for broke and use a thermal lance. anyways, if it's those galvanized cans there should be a tab you can pull with a pair of pliers. __________________ "All rifles need a sharp pointy object on the end!" http://s96.photobucket.com/albums/l195/zephri/

02-15-2008, 11:31 AM	#3
ingous Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: MN Posts: 488 Trader Rating: (0)	Thanks Damage! Wow, hammer and screwdriver, huh? Just seems wrong to hit a can with life ammo with a hammer. But, I don't have the canopener, so I gues I have no choice.

02-15-2008, 11:54 AM	#4
MosinGirl Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Kent, WA Posts: 45 Trader Rating: (0)	Even with the canopener tool thingy, those cans are a PITA to get open. My husband bent one of them the other night trying to get one of these spam cans open. Manda in Kent

02-15-2008, 01:20 PM	#6
gandog56 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Montgomery, IL. Posts: 3,313 Trader Rating: (0)	Yep, since I didn't have a chisel, I used a hammer and a big flat blade screwdriver.

02-15-2008, 01:42 PM	#8
ingous Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: MN Posts: 488 Trader Rating: (0)	Maybe I could shoot at it............. (Sorry, just looking for an excuse to use the smile)

02-15-2008, 03:17 PM	#10
neophyte Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 3,198 Trader Rating: (0)	wanna watch texinmidwest: Sir; I wanna watch I'll be quite __________________ Craig By the standards of most

02-15-2008, 03:31 PM	#11
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 10,760 Trader Rating: (0)	Bayonet! __________________

02-15-2008, 05:11 PM	#12
nick112207 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 337 Trader Rating: (0)	stupid of me but i was desperate to get it open. actually took a drill press with the biggest bit i could find and drilled just till i got to the inside of the can. then using a combination of metal sheers and pliars i got it open in oh id say 15 or 20 minutes haha

02-15-2008, 06:06 PM	#13
marion57 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,690 Trader Rating: (0)	If you look the can over very carfully you will find a pull tag .. It may have some solder on it but if you get a hold of it with a pair of needle nose pliers and roll it back like the old spam cans( that had spam in it) it will roll right up then lift the top lid off it and walla AMMO!

02-15-2008, 06:11 PM	#14
Cyrano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New York Posts: 1,951 Trader Rating: (0)	Do you think a P-38 might work, or is the metal too thick? Or the top lip too high?

02-15-2008, 07:16 PM	#15
just_a_car Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Edmonds, WA Posts: 3,414 Trader Rating: (0)	You guys that say to use the pull tab are hilarious... Check out my thread from a while back on my Czech Silvertip: http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/mos...mmunition.html (Military Surplus Ammunition) __________________

02-15-2008, 09:33 PM	#16
Troy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Manitoba Canada Posts: 2,502 Trader Rating: (0)	just drop it from a skyscraper, something oughta happen.

02-15-2008, 09:36 PM	#17
ingous Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: MN Posts: 488 Trader Rating: (0)	Well, another "1st" is mastered, I opened my first can of spam. And the prize (besides the satisfaction): 300 rounds of Bulgarian 182gr FMJ. Wow, if life was just always that good! Thank you all for the good and the humorous advice. I did in fact find a pull tab but despite careful handling it ripped off in 5 seconds flat. In the end the hammer and screwdriver method was the way to go. I carefully punctured the tin seal and once I had an opening big enough to insert some needle nose pliers I started to roll back the tin. Voila! The can was opened and I could claim my prize. It still feels like its wrong to work a container with live ammo in it with a hammer and screwdriver but hey, who can argue with the results? Thanks again to all of you!

02-16-2008, 03:58 PM	#18
Cyrano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New York Posts: 1,951 Trader Rating: (0)	You know, the question does have to be asked: How did the grunts in the line get these things open? Given that the reason the M-N bayonet has a screwdriver tip is so it could be used as a tool to take the rifle down for cleaning, could it possibly be the bayonet was to be used like the key of a sardine can or something to get the ammo tins open?

02-16-2008, 04:35 PM	#19
SwedeSteve Grumpy Old Fart Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: AnchorTown, Alaska Posts: 9,100 Trader Rating: (0)	I doubt the cans were as hard to open back then as they are now. I doubt many grunts received cans of ammo anyway! They probably received a "handful" when it was available. __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers