Built around how you train.
Every kit includes SCUSA Polymer Clips. Choose the system that fits your round count and range habits.
900 Rounds Ready
- 90 Polymer Stripper Clips
- Color-Coded System included
- SLB™ Loading Block
StripLULA
- 90 SCUSA Polymer Clips
- SLB™ Loading Block
- StripLULA® Speed Loader
- Full color-coded system
Organized
- 450 Polymer Clips total
- Full armory-scale system
- 2x SLB@ Loading Block
- 20x MIL-SPEC Desiccant packs included
- StripLULA®
Maximize Ammo Storage With 5.56 Stripper Clips
How to pack more rounds per can, stay organized for years, and retrieve your ammo fast when it matters. High-density 5.56 storage with SCUSA polymer stripper clips.
Same 1,200 rounds. Same 120 clips. The MTM AC50C with SCUSA polymer clips comes in at ~33.5 lbs loaded. The USGI M2A2 steel can with steel clips comes in at ~39.4 lbs loaded. That's 5.9 lbs per can — and at 10 cans, you're carrying 59 lbs less with no tradeoff in capacity.
Loose Rounds Are Wasted Space
Loose rounds in an ammo can stack inefficiently. They roll, they settle, and they leave dead air between every cartridge. On stripper clips, every round is aligned — stacked in clean rows, oriented the same direction, packed to maximum density.
The MTM AC50C holds approximately 1,400 rounds of 5.56 on stripper clips. The same can holds roughly 1,000 rounds loose. That's 40% more ammo in the same footprint — just by loading on clips first.
Loose rounds per AC50C: ~1,000
Clipped rounds per AC50C: ~1,400
Gain: 400 rounds per can — 40% more
At 10 cans: 4,000 extra rounds in the same shelf space
MTM AC50C vs USGI M2A2 Steel Can — Which One Actually Wins
Most shooters default to the USGI M2A2 surplus steel can out of habit. It's what the military uses, it's recognizable, and it's everywhere. But for a modern civilian storage system, the M2A2 loses on almost every metric that matters.
| Spec | MTM AC50C | USGI M2A2 Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$15 | ~$22.49 (surplus) |
| Weight (empty) | ✅ ~1.5 lbs | ❌ ~5 lbs |
| Loaded weight (1,200 rds / 120 clips) | ✅ ~33.5 lbs | ❌ ~39.4 lbs |
| Airtight seal | ✅ O-ring gasket, guaranteed | ⚠️ Varies — degrades over time |
| Corrosion resistance | ✅ Polymer — won't rust | ❌ Rusts, especially at seal |
| Stackability | ✅ Molded stacking feet | ⚠️ Stacks but shifts |
| Latch reliability | ✅ Polymer latch won't seize | ❌ Metal latch rusts shut |
| Condition when buying | ✅ New, consistent | ⚠️ Used surplus — condition varies |
| Interior rust risk | ✅ None | ❌ Interior can rust onto brass |
Surplus steel cans look and feel bombproof. But most are 20–40 years old. The gaskets are dried out, the latches have surface rust, and the interior finish is worn. You're paying $22.49 for someone else's used storage container — and trusting it with your long-term ammo investment. The AC50C costs less, weighs less, seals better, and won't rust. There's no real argument for the M2A2 in a modern storage system.
The High-Density Storage System
| Component | Role | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| MTM AC50C Ammo Can | Airtight storage container | Stackable, airtight, holds 1,400 rounds on clips |
| SCUSA Stripper Clips | Round alignment and ID | Color-coded by load type, maximizes can density |
| SLB Gen2 Loading Block | Clip loading station | 10 rounds per press, loads a full can in ~15 min |
| Desiccare Desiccant | Moisture control | One pack per can, prevents rust and corrosion |
One Load Per Can — No Exceptions
The single most important rule of high-density storage is also the simplest: one load type per container. Not two loads. Not "mostly M855 with some M193." One load, one can, one color clip.
M855 green-tip only
M193 duty loads only
M193 training loads only
How to Load a Full Can
- Set up your SLB Gen2 on a flat surface next to your ammo supply
- Fill the block with 10 rounds, bullet tips forward
- Seat a SCUSA clip in the guide rail and press down — 10 rounds loaded
- Repeat until you have 140 clips loaded (1,400 rounds)
- Stack clips into the AC50C in neat rows
- Drop one Desiccare desiccant pack on top
- Seal the can, label the front and top, done
140 clips × ~6 seconds per clip = ~14 minutes to load a full 1,400-round can
10 cans = ~2.5 hours to stage 14,000 rounds — ready to grab for years.
Labeling
M855 · GREEN TIP
OLIVE DRAB CLIPS
1,400 RDS · PACKED 06/2026
CAN 2 OF 6
Shelf Configuration
MTM AC50C cans stack four high and sit stable. A standard 4-foot wire shelf holds 8–10 cans per row. Three rows = 24–30 cans = up to 42,000 rounds in a 4×6 foot shelf footprint.
Build the System
SLB Gen2 + 30 stripper clips. Start loading your first can today.
Shop CORE Kit →SLB Gen2, StripLULA, all three clip colors, desiccants, and ammo can. Full system in one order.
Shop ARMORY MAX →Frequently Asked Questions
How many stripper clips fit in an MTM AC50C?
Approximately 140 loaded clips fit in one MTM AC50C, equaling 1,400 rounds of 5.56. Stacking clips in aligned rows gets you to that number consistently.
Are USGI steel cans still worth buying?
For a new storage system, no. Surplus M2A2 cans cost more ($22.49), weigh more (~5 lbs empty vs ~1.5 lbs), and arrive with aged seals and latches that may no longer be airtight. Loaded with 1,200 rounds and 120 clips, the M2A2 system weighs ~5.9 lbs more per can than the AC50C system. The AC50C is cheaper, lighter, and purpose-built for this use case.
Does storing rounds on clips long-term damage the brass?
No. The spring tension in stripper clips is minimal and doesn't deform brass or affect primer seating. Rounds stored on polymer clips for years come off clean and function normally.
How often should I replace desiccant packs?
Every 2–3 years, or when the indicator changes color. The ammo lasts decades — the desiccant is the only consumable in the system.
180 color-coded clips + dual SLB loading blocks + StripLULA® + 20× MIL-SPEC desiccants.
Load faster.
Organize smarter.
SCUSA polymer stripper clips, loading blocks, and MIL-SPEC desiccants. Everything you need in one kit.
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