Why I Started Making Ammo Boxes (And the Problem I Was Solving)
I didn’t set out to start a business.
I just wanted to replace my cardboard ammo boxes with something I could bring to my property for hunting or shooting.
For years, my ammunition sat on shelves in factory packaging — a mix of calibers stored in surplus ammo crates and cans. Over time, the cardboard boxes became worn or damaged from the elements.
It worked.
But it wasn’t organized. It wasn't functional.
And it certainly wasn’t durable.
The 3D Printer Experiment
At first, I figured I’d solve it myself.
I had bought a 3D printer to make things for the kids. I was honestly surprised by the quality it could produce. So I started looking for more functional things to print.
That’s when I found free ammo box models online. I downloaded a few and started printing.
They weren’t great.
They were:
- Weak
- Poorly fitted
- Missing the calibers I needed
- Rough looking designs
In short, they weren’t something I trusted.
So I figured I just hadn’t found the right one yet. I purchased paid models.
Same problem.
They technically held ammunition — but they lacked the details and functionality I wanted. None of them felt finished. None of them felt like something I’d rely on long-term.
I didn’t want something that “kind of worked.”
When I buy something, I want it to be right — and I don’t want to upgrade later.
That's probably why I'm still running a 2008 F-150.
Looking for a Ready-Made Option
By this point, I was invested.
I was determined to solve a problem I didn't even know I had 3 months earlier.
So I started searching commercially.
Surely someone had already done this properly.
Surprisingly, ammo boxes weren’t as common as I expected. Big box stores had limited options. Many searches led me back to people selling physical versions of the same 3D files I had already printed.
Otherwise, what I did find were mostly injection-molded plastic boxes marketed as “universal” or “fits multiple calibers.”
The plastic seemed thin.
There was no clear caliber labeling.
And they didn’t look good either.
If I was going to spend money, I wanted something that was actually an upgrade from cardboard — not just a plastic substitute but ammo storage that's built for hunting and shooting
The Turning Point
At this stage, I had already spent more time on this than most people would consider reasonable.
Before owning a 3D printer, I probably would’ve bought the generic boxes and called it “good enough.”
But now it had become a project.
As luck would have it, I had a friend — a millwright who had recently left his job to focus on his business of CAD design and selling 3D prints and printable files.
We teamed up.
I also happen to have a family of dedicated hunters with enough rifles to supply a small army. I started asking them what they wanted in an ammo box and combined that feedback with my own ideas.
So we started from scratch.
Not modifying free files.
Not tweaking someone else’s design.
We built our own ammo storage system.
Designing for the Cartridge
We focused on a few non-negotiables:
-
Each box would be caliber-specific with a clear label
- Cartridges would rest securely and properly supported
- The design would be strong — not flimsy
- The boxes would look clean and consistent on a shelf
-
Everything would work together as part of a system
We spent hours measuring cartridges, adjusting tolerances, refining dimensions, and testing fit.
If something didn’t work, we redesigned, reprinted and retested.
The goal wasn’t to make “a box.”
The goal was to build a system that is specifically fitted for the cartridge it was holding.
From Personal Solution to Product
Once we finalized our prototype, we knew we were on to something.
Calibers were clearly separated and easy to identify.
The boxes were tough, functional, and built for real use.
And they actually looked right sitting on the shelf.
Most importantly, I finally had something reliable I could bring hunting or shooting.
Friends and family had already been following the process. After all the questions I’d asked them, they wanted boxes too.
Around that time, my brother-in-law — an avid outdoorsman who had been running his own YouTube channel — came on board as well, and what started as a personal project began to look more like a real business.
What started as a personal mission turned into something bigger — a modular system built around organization, precision, and durability.
That’s how East Ridge Outdoors started.
Because I wanted something better than what existed — and couldn’t find it anywhere.
Why It Still Matters
There are plenty of ways to store ammunition.
Cardboard works.
Generic plastic works.
But for me, I wanted something more professional.
Something functional.
Something built to handle the outdoors.
And if I was looking for it, I figured I wasn’t the only one.
If you want to see what’s coming next — new calibers, releases, and system expansion — follow the build here.