Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Cartridge Box Tip For 17 Fireball Users

I have been shooting 221 Remington Fireball Rifles and then 17 MachIV Rifles since 1994 and one problem that has plagued me ever since then was every time my cartridge box tipped over I would end up with a "jumble" of cartridges inside the box - none of which were in their designated holes!
About a year ago I discovered the plastic cartridge boxes made by the "J&J" company designed for the 357 Remington Maximum and the 22 Hornet (and marked on the top as such) holds the new 17 Remington Fireball, 17 MachIV and the 221 Remington Fireball just perfectly!
Even when turned upside down the cartridges and the fired cases remain in their designated holes!
No "jumbles" of cases and cartridges to undo!
I have a bunch of these J&J cartridge cases and they come in a variety of colors which helps me keep cases coming and going from and to the correct containers! Even though the J&J cartridge case holders are colored they are "opaque" enough to see into, this is also helpful to me.
I have many, many dozens of MTM cartridge case holders and about 15 of the new to me, J&J type - I enjoy using both brands and have no real complaints about either.
One other tip the J&J 223 Remington size cartridge case holders will not handle my 204 Ruger rounds! My loaded rounds are just a few hundredths of an inch to long (with 32 and 35 grain bullets) for the lid to close. Be advised there.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG,

I use those for 223 case holders all the time..

In fact, I pick up case holders for 9mm ammo at the range all the time and use them for load blocks for loading my 223s...

and then I pick up the ones for 45 ACPs out of the trash can, and use those for 22.250s thru 338/06 load blocks..

economical, disposable.. don't take up as much room on the reload bench et...

You guys need to start cutting a piece of foam rubber to insert into the lid of your cartridge boxes. It protects the tips, keeps you from seating the bullets deeper, and keeps the cases from rattling around.

Just a thought that works well for me.

VarmintGuy -

thanks for the tip. Just orderd 6 of them.

The foam that comes packed in with a box of bullets has worked well for me in this application. Keeps the rounds in place and makes the box much quieter too. ~josh

Just ordered four. Figured I could also use them for my 17FB

Thanks,

Steve

I am so glad to have helped a couple of you.
I guess I was not smart enough to have considered the foam insert method to make say a 223 compatible case holder also do for a 17 MachIV.
Now - I always put my cartridges in the case holder primer side down - is there still a chance they will "shorten up" the cartridge in the event it falls on its top and rattles along for a time. I have never noticed this.
I am always real careful when transporting the cartridges in a vehicle that they be carefully stowed upright - its when I handle the cartridge holders or carry them in a camoflaged day pack that the problems of the "jumbled" cartridges pops up!
In answering on off line E-mail inquiry regarding the J&J case holders these are 100 round case holders (the 22 Hornet 357 Remington Maximum ones) that I use. I forgot to mention that in my initial posting. And I also forgot to mention how cheap these J&J cartridge case holders are.
They are cheap!
Someone please advise where this bullet protecting foam is available from.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Like you,I put the cartridges bullet side up, to reduce the pressure on the bullet and minimize the chances of further bullet compression. The empties go primer side up, to distinguish them from the loaded cartridges. Seems to work pretty well.

Thanks again for your info on J&J.

Steve

Ahh, wouldn't the bullet distinguish the empties from loaded cartridges???:)
Todd

BigSkyGuy: Yep you're right - but I bet both methods do a good job in distinguishing which cases are loaded and which are fired.
The reson I put the fired cases back in my boxes primer end down is because my large arthritic fingers can pick the fired cases out of the cartridge box easier when the necks are up and looking at me.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: Which section of the Big Sky do you spend the most time in? I live down here in the SW corner near Dillon.

VarmintGuy,
I'm in Havre right now, but I'm building a house outside of Ulm, between the Smith and the Missouri. I just saw your post about wolf hunting...can't wait!
Todd

BigSkyGuy: Thats beautiful country around Ulm - good for you and the new place.
I get through Havre more often anymore Hunting Varmints. The closest Wolves I have seen to Ulm was just last year my partner and I were going to Helena in February to pick up a weight lifting set for him.
As we were heading home and south bound toward Butte on I-15 just out of Boulder, Montana we saw three Wolves that had a Cow Elk backed up to a cliff on the west side of the highway - it looked bad for the Elk! We could not stop to watch what would happpen as the 2 lane side of the road we were on was down to only one lane in the snowy, icey conditions.
Amongst my circle of friends here the upcoming Wolf season has worked up even more excitement than the new Buffalo Hunts which got underway here a year or two ago.
I bet there will be less wind in Ulm than in Havre!
Speaking of wind, we had steady 27 MPH winds here in Dillon today - with gusts to 37!
Can't shoot in that weather!
Best of luck with the new place.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy