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!
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.
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.
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!
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Dedicated to SwedeSteve, Arkansashunter and Ezearln. Rest in peace my friends.
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
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!
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?
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?
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.
__________________ I keep tellin ya Doc, I'm in pretty good shape considerin the shape I'm in !!
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?
8Likes
How do I correctly open a sealed tin ammo can?? 
I'll be quite
The can was opened and I could claim my prize.
