I used to keep all of my spare AR parts in a cardboard box in small ziplock bags. I had to dig through the box to find the parts that I was looking for. Many times I would go to get a part and I had used the last one.
Now it is so much easier to work on and build my AR. I have everything organized into the Milwaukee Pack Out trays that lock together. You don’t have to take them apart to access each tray. It really has helped me keep track of what I have and what I need to replace. It really works out well for me. These can be used for any type of small parts that you want to organize.
I went and bought one of those “gun security cabinets” at Academy with a coupon and a gift card and locked everything up in there in various mismatched boxes and bags and honestly I was feeling pretty proud of my organizational skills until you posted this!! Lol
FYI - Harbor Freight has a similar system in their Bauer brand - about 1/2 to 2/3 the price of the Milwaukee (depending where you buy it). Used to be, I would not recommend Chinesium stuff over US - but it’s ALL Chinesium nowadays.
I believe you have to unstack them to open, I’m not sure (I only have 1 that I use for magazine storage).
Actually the Milwaukee Packout system at least the plastic products are made in Israel and the US. China and Vietnam make the cloth products for Milwaukee.
I’m 24+ years into categorizing all the items my family and friends have left or dumped on me.
Depression era parents and family saved everything. Lots of good stuff but tons of hoardings.
When Dad passed and Mom sold the family home sold - we over filled a 30 yd dumpster easily. My brother and I would spend a day cleaning up and Mom would spend the night pulling “good” stuff back out. Mom WANTED a garage sale. Cost my brother and I a weekend and about $200 each. We paid people to take stuff
We paid people to take what ever they picked up. What ever was left went out Sunday afternoon for the trash Monday.
Mom was back garbage picking Sunday night for the “good stuff” Now we laugh about it
Your parents sounded like mine. It was a different and difficult time back then. Everything was used, reused and saved incase you needed it later. Most people didn’t really hsve a lot of money. Bartering and trading for items were common back then because most people were self sufficient with the help of neighbors and the neighborhood. To a certain extent that was how I was raised by my parents. They didn’t hord everything but they did keep things that “might” be used again. When my dad passed away my brother and I had a lot to go through in his shop.
My mom has dementia. With the help of my mom we have already cut down on the clutter and got rid of things that wasn’t needed in her house.
I have a rule that I stick to now. Depending on the item if I don’t see a need for something or use it in a year it goes in the trash. I used to save a bunch of stuff and it got unorganized so I couldn’t find things that I needed. So I ended up buying things multiple times which ended up costing me more money and aggrivation that it was worth. Now I have everything organized so I can find things when I need it. It to me is a much better way to enjoy the items that you have when you can actually find what you need. I don’t get frustrated near as much now.
COVID affected my memory both long and short term. If I didn’t stay organized I literally really couldn’t remember where I put something just 5 minutes after I used it or forget that I did something just that fast. It really sucks.
Mobile AR spare parts/fixit box for range days (hmmm looks like some range squirrels have been nibbling at my parts and a few bins need replenishment ):
My actual parts and accessories build supplies at home take up…ummm…a lot of space. Cabinets and cabinets and cabinets and several stacker parts bins (and a couple of benches with Dillon presses for the other side of the equation). I probably need an intervention. But I build and repair a lot of stuff for my local club and local board members.
I use heavy duty different size small ziplock bags. Some I got from Amazon and others from parts that I order. If I can get the stickers off of the small ziplock bags I reuse them.
That top/first case; I have one of those at work (“Cincinnati-Milacron” branded) for holding the Eleventy-thousand different tiny O-rings for Hydraulic valves and switches, etc.
Well, I’m guilty of multiple file boxes and just randomly placed near where I last used it. Gun cleansing supplies are popping up everywhere as I get the old house gone through. I found a few cleaning rod kits and Mason jar of jags and brushes 10 feet away fom each other. I’ve had that cleaning gear from a NRI gunsmithing course back in 1993-94. I’ve lost count of my guns, dad’s gun and both uncles guns an a few friends that have been cleaned after a range session, as a thank you for letting me shoot your firearms.
I found a 3 pack of AR-15 chamber brushes on a book case this morning. Been sitting in that spot for 7 years.
In terms of getting mor organized, I just labeled ~ 30 ammo cans with their contents.
Back on topic I have 4-5 file boxes of spare parts for firearms. I am getting all my stuff organized with this move and parts bins are in my future!
@AZ_Joe I also have the large tall ammo boxes full of different gun parts for my other rifles, shotguns and handguns. I also kept all of the origional factory parts that I took of my guns so if I ever wanted to restore it to factory condition or if I ever sell something I send the origional factory parts with the firearm. I do keep the main spare wear and repair parts for most of my firearms. I also have a big ammo box just full of Wolff Gun Springs for all of my collectable firearms. Since most of my collectable items are anywhere from 20 to 120 years old having replacement springs are necessary.
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