The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Conference Center > General Discussion Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old May 10, 2006, 12:30 PM   #1
Mustang_Fanatic
Junior member
 
Join Date: March 11, 2006
Posts: 25
Opening a military spam can

Got my 5.45 ammo today but no can opener, how can i get it open?
Mustang_Fanatic is offline  
Old May 10, 2006, 12:31 PM   #2
Dilbert
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 17, 2006
Location: DMAFB, AZ
Posts: 342
Shoot it open. Or use a can opener maybe?
__________________
Gun Control-gun con·trol n. definition 1. The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her panty hose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker received that fatal bullet wound. 2. The ability to hit what you are aiming at.
Dilbert is offline  
Old May 10, 2006, 12:45 PM   #3
Pointer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 8, 2005
Location: Utah
Posts: 2,559
Doesn't the military still issue a P-38 can opener to all their people...
I still have mine from 40 years ago...

or use a grenade... but that would cause too much "meat damage".
LOL
__________________
.
"Political correctness is tyranny with a happy face." Charlton Heston

30-06 FOREVER
Pointer is offline  
Old May 10, 2006, 02:54 PM   #4
candr44
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 11, 2006
Posts: 481
Saw it in half, pistol whip it, bayonet it, run it over, or put it on the electric can opener in the kitchen.

A hammer and chisel around the edges works well. Thats how I got mine open before I got a can opener.
candr44 is offline  
Old May 10, 2006, 02:57 PM   #5
OBIWAN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 16, 1999
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,340
Use a chisel and then tin snips
OBIWAN is offline  
Old May 11, 2006, 03:09 AM   #6
Crosshair
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 16, 2004
Location: Grand Forks, ND
Posts: 5,333
I used the can opener and lots of harsh language. The hammer and chisel is probably the second best method.
__________________
I don't carry a gun to go looking for trouble, I carry a gun in case trouble finds me.
Crosshair is offline  
Old May 11, 2006, 09:23 AM   #7
Ohio Annie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 10, 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 351
I used the opener that came with it until it wouldn't go around any more and then cut across with tin shears. BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT SHARP EDGES. Then I just turned it upside down and dumped the boxes out through the hole.
__________________
Annie @8-)
Maker of fine GSR since 1998
Ohio Annie is offline  
Old May 11, 2006, 01:35 PM   #8
support_six
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 29, 2000
Location: Richland, WA
Posts: 678
Use pliers. Grab the tab and rotate the pliers like a key. Needle nose or regular. You can just put the can on it's side with the tab up, grab it with pliers, and pull hard. Then rotate the can 1/4 turn and do it again. Either way. Don't fret, it'll come open.
support_six is offline  
Old May 11, 2006, 02:47 PM   #9
Don H
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 8, 2000
Location: SLC,Utah
Posts: 2,704
Quote:
Use pliers. Grab the tab and rotate the pliers like a key.
What tab might that be? None of the ammo spam cans I possess have a tab.
Don H is offline  
Old May 11, 2006, 11:22 PM   #10
mica
Member
 
Join Date: March 15, 2006
Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA
Posts: 89
Quote:
Doesn't the military still issue a P-38 can opener to all their people...
I still have mine from 40 years ago...
I have had the same one on my key ring since 1982 and 1 stashed away in case I ever lose the other one....little thing comes in handy.
mica is offline  
Old May 12, 2006, 10:05 PM   #11
Walter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 17, 2004
Location: North Texas
Posts: 641
Quote:
Unread Yesterday, 11:22 PM #10
mica
Member

Join Date: 03-15-2006
Posts: 50

Quote:
Doesn't the military still issue a P-38 can opener to all their people...
I still have mine from 40 years ago...

I have had the same one on my key ring since 1982 and 1 stashed away in case I ever lose the other one....little thing comes in handy.
mica is offline Report Bad Post
Same for me, I've had mine on the keyring since 1970. But since the military
issues MREs now, and they're in plastic, do they still issue P-38s?

Walter
Walter is offline  
Old May 20, 2006, 08:36 AM   #12
AirForceShooter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 21, 2005
Location: Sarasota (sort of) Florida
Posts: 1,296
have my p-38 from 1964.
when I take it out and use it everybody is sort of: what's that? they can't believe how well it works.

AFS
AirForceShooter is offline  
Old May 20, 2006, 01:20 PM   #13
Mike Irwin
Staff
 
Join Date: April 13, 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 41,374
A friend used a rotozip with the cutting tip set to a VERY shallow depth.
__________________
"The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza

Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.
Mike Irwin is offline  
Old May 22, 2006, 11:05 AM   #14
mfree
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 25, 2004
Posts: 506
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Place can on lowest rack
Wait
__________________
"If it's rare, strange, or odd, i want it."

I drank the cool-aid.
Coal Creek Armory
mfree is offline  
Old May 22, 2006, 11:50 AM   #15
FirstFreedom
Junior member
 
Join Date: May 31, 2004
Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A.
Posts: 12,451
Quote:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Place can on lowest rack
Wait
Of course you know don't really do that...
FirstFreedom is offline  
Old May 23, 2006, 03:33 PM   #16
support_six
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 29, 2000
Location: Richland, WA
Posts: 678
Don H. how can it be a "spam can" if it never had a key and tab like a can of spam? Otherwise it would just be a can! I assumed the can was like my cans of Greek M2 Ball .30 Cal for my M1 where there was a key attached to the bottom and a flexible "tab" to fit into the slot in the key. If yours doesn't have these features, it ain't no spam can.

If it isn't a "Spam can", you're on your own.
support_six is offline  
Old May 23, 2006, 04:53 PM   #17
Don H
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 8, 2000
Location: SLC,Utah
Posts: 2,704
The term seems to be common usage on the milsurp forums, correct or not, for the sealed cans milsurp ammo often is packaged in. A very few of the ammo cans do have an opening strip, much like actual Spam cans. One ammo dealer also refers to these ammo tins as "sardine cans".

I did run across a how-to on opening these cans: http://www.russian-mosin-nagant.com/ammo.htm
Don H is offline  
Old May 23, 2006, 04:58 PM   #18
9mm_prn
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 20, 2006
Posts: 172
Yep, electric can opener should work fine. I like to use them for my smoked oysters instead of pulling the tab back. Gets oyster stank all over you. Similiar shaped can anyway.
9mm_prn is offline  
Old May 24, 2006, 09:59 AM   #19
support_six
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 29, 2000
Location: Richland, WA
Posts: 678
Smoked oysters, Yum! My wife lets me eat them anytime I go deer or elk hunting -- because she don't go!

If the ammo cans have the standard "hook" type can seal (like the standard american food can), you should be able to use the new can openers that cut the seal from the side rather than the top. These leave no sharp edge. They cost about $10 from any good kitchen store.
support_six is offline  
Old May 25, 2006, 01:34 PM   #20
dutchy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 30, 2005
Location: Holland
Posts: 199
DO NOT HEAT IT THE OVEN, there might be spam inside and heating it would ruin it.
dutchy is offline  
Old May 25, 2006, 02:32 PM   #21
dutchy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 30, 2005
Location: Holland
Posts: 199
DO NOT HEAT IT THE OVEN, there might be spam inside and heating it would ruin it.
dutchy is offline  
Old May 25, 2006, 10:37 PM   #22
Jseime
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 31, 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,775
OK kids im gonna need a blow torch and a hammer.... no not that one a BIIIIIIIIIIIIG hammer wiat cancel that lets just tie it to my hidden hitch and drag it a mile or two.
__________________
I love the smell of fresh shotgun in the morning.
Jseime is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:01 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.10217 seconds with 7 queries