1st Commission: .22 Caliber Ammunition Boxes

[Keith Starosta]

Through a mutual acquaintance, I was contacted by a local gentleman who was looking for someone to reproduce an antique ammunition box. The original was somewhere in the area of 55 years old, and made of aromatic red cedar. He is a local gun collector/dealer, and thinks that reproductions of this box would sell like crazy at the gun shows he attends. Here are a couple of photos I took of his original...

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He gave me the original, whick I broke down, measured, and recreated out of walnut. He loved my prototype, and put in an initial order of 10 boxes; 5 of black walnut, 5 of cherry...

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An individual box measures 7.25" x 3" x 1.5". It will hold up to fifty .22 caliber rounds, with space to store another small box of rounds...

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I used two different jigs at the drill press to make the holes for the tops and bottoms, and then a third jig for my plunge rounter, to hog out the center cavity. The original didn't have any lining in the cavity, but I got fancy and used some black flocking. He loved it!

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Upon delivery of these 10 boxes, he immediately ordered 10 more! I'm going to mix in some red cedar boxes with this batch, I think. They're fun to make, and could very well be that "niche market" that I've been reading so much about.

Thanks for looking!

- Keith

[Mike Mastin]

Those boxes look like "bench rest shooters ammo trays". The large open area is where spent brass is deposited once it has been fired. The box closes up and secures the spent brass along with any live ammo. 22 caliber rifle cartridges come in a box of 50 normally. I do not recall the number per match that is fired in 22 cal matches, as I shoot center fire bench rest. You see them often at benchrest competitions. Nice work!

[gary Zimmel]

A little bling at the shooting range.. Real nice work on the ammo boxes Keith.
My neighbor and I are gearing up for the gopher season up here and I may have to borrow your idea...

I'm thinking you have found a nice niche market!

[Jack Camillo]

Nice product! You could even do a little tutorial for the gang, showing the steps you take, the jigs and hardware you use, etc., and get published in a woodworking magazine.

[Keith Starosta]

Thanks, guys!!

Mike, thanks for that description. I sent your post to my client via e-mail, and his response was, "EXACTLY! That's what they are." Now I actually know what I'm making. /rolleyes.

Jack, I could do that. I've got to make better jigs. I'm pretty sure I could take it from three separate jigs down to one, and really streamline the process.

[John Lytle]

Nicely done. I have one that my dad used for years, still has some ammo in it. Thanks for posting.

John