Mine just showed up also. Haven’t opened it yet. Thanks for the links to the o-rings.
USGI 5 Gallon Plastic Water Can - $34.99
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OP
Take a wheeling trip to BC. Beautiful place and Scepter MFCs are about $60 USD at auto parts stores.
Upon closer examination of the vent cap on the LCI can, I question whether an o-ring can be installed without destroying the plastic pin that prevents the cap from being completely removed. This may be one of the minor differences between the LCI MWC and Scepter MWC, however, based upon some verbiage in the LCI online store product listing for Scepter replacement cap assemblies, it may be more likely that what I observed is a minor design change to the cap that took place sometime in 2018. The o-ring info I posted was originally posted in 2015.
In any event, the two larger o-rings should still be correct. Please let us know for sure when yours arrive.
New to these water jugs and I ordered two. Are these o-rings necessary for these particular jugs? Reason I purchased these is to take to campsites that don’t offer a water source.
My understanding is that the o-rings are not necessary, but eliminate the occasional need with some cans to tighten the caps with a wrench to prevent any possibility of dripping when stored full on their sides.
This same thing happens with Rotopax cans, which use the same compression design with no o-ring and caps manufactured by Scepter. The solution by Scepter for MWC's and Rotopax for their containers is a "special wrench" to get the caps tight enough, although it has been my suspicion that the Scepter MWC's supplied to the Canadian armed forces may have been fitted with o-rings.
Scepter/LCI can wrench:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074VH5FQL/?tag=wranglerorg-20
NOTE: The photo above is of a pre-2018 Scepter MWC cap. The design changed slightly in 2018, but the wrenches fit caps of all years, see: https://jagmte.com/pages/attention-scepter-water-can-owners
Rotopax can wrench:
To the best of my knowledge the o-rings are not specified in the U.S. military specifications for MWC's and have never been included with LC Industries MWC's. Reports of leakage are rare even without those o-rings and generally limited to cans stored full on their sides.
It will be great to get confirmation that the o-ring dimensions listed above are correct because I would prefer to use o-rings to prevent any possibility of a leak in the event I decide to use my MWC's on their sides rather than keep track of a "special wrench."
This same thing happens with Rotopax cans, which use the same compression design with no o-ring and caps manufactured by Scepter. The solution by Scepter for MWC's and Rotopax for their containers is a "special wrench" to get the caps tight enough, although it has been my suspicion that the Scepter MWC's supplied to the Canadian armed forces may have been fitted with o-rings.
Scepter/LCI can wrench:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074VH5FQL/?tag=wranglerorg-20
NOTE: The photo above is of a pre-2018 Scepter MWC cap. The design changed slightly in 2018, but the wrenches fit caps of all years, see: https://jagmte.com/pages/attention-scepter-water-can-owners
Rotopax can wrench:
To the best of my knowledge the o-rings are not specified in the U.S. military specifications for MWC's and have never been included with LC Industries MWC's. Reports of leakage are rare even without those o-rings and generally limited to cans stored full on their sides.
It will be great to get confirmation that the o-ring dimensions listed above are correct because I would prefer to use o-rings to prevent any possibility of a leak in the event I decide to use my MWC's on their sides rather than keep track of a "special wrench."
I use the British ones. On the upside they don't say property of somebody else. I also like the small vent cap. You can loosen the big one and open the small one and easily fill a canteen just tipping the can, no spill just a smooth stream. Different design if anybody is looking. They don't leak or require o-rings not that I've heard of the others leaking either. Never can have too many options right?
MountaineerTom
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For those that have received their cans from Majorsurplus.com, do they come with any O-rings at all?
Basically, do I need all 3 O-rings for each can?
Basically, do I need all 3 O-rings for each can?
Short answer:
LCI MWC's do not come with o-rings and you shouldn't need them.
Long answer:
The cans currently being sold by Major Surplus are made by LCI, one of several companies manufacturing MWC's for the U.S.Military under the same military specifications. The three primary vendors for MWC's are Scepter, LCI, and Ability One/Skilcraft.
Although the cans by each manufacturer comply with the same military specifications, there are subtle differences in the molds created by each company and some differences in the caps. In 2018, Scepter modified the design of its cap slightly so that the spout lines up better when fully tightened. Despite these minor differences, all parts are interchangeable and the cans are dimensionally and functionally the same.
LCI cans have never been supplied with o-rings. To be best of my knowledge, neither have Ability One/Skilcraft cans. However, there are many posts on the Internet revealing that many Scepter MWC's acquired used had o-rings under the caps when purchased, however many others did not. It could be that Scepter MWC's supplied to the Canadian military were supplied with o-rings and U.S. MWC's were not, or it could be that civilian Scepter military style water cans have o-rings and military cans do not. Or it could be some completely different reason that I have yet to determine.
In any event, the o-rings are not necessary to get a tight seal if one uses the "special" cap wrench. The wrench isn't even necessary if the MWC's are always stored upright. Where the o-rings come in is for those who store their MWC's full and on their sides or for those who modify their cans with a Schrader valve to pressurize it for showers, etc., or for those who don't want to use the cap wrench or risk damaging the soft plastic threads by cranking down the lids and caps until super tight as designed. (If someone in the military wrecks the threads, the MWC gets tossed and no one sheds a tear. In the civilian world many of us tend to take better care for our stuff, hence the search for the proper size o-rings by many overlanders who favor MWC's.)
If you do need o-rings, my suspicion is that you really only need the larger two. @Moab has ordered some o-rings and should soon be able to confirm one way or the other.
OP
I actually haven't ordered the o rings. I'm going to fill mine. Place them on their sides. And see if I get any leaks.
I kind of doubt I will get any leaks. I appreciate all the information you have on these cans. It's a wealth of information that is very helpful. But it also doesn't sound like anything is inherently wrong with the cans that do not use o rings. As it sounds like they were made to work without them. And very little evidence to the contrary.
But if I find mine leaking. I will certainly buy the o rings.
I kind of doubt I will get any leaks. I appreciate all the information you have on these cans. It's a wealth of information that is very helpful. But it also doesn't sound like anything is inherently wrong with the cans that do not use o rings. As it sounds like they were made to work without them. And very little evidence to the contrary.
But if I find mine leaking. I will certainly buy the o rings.
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
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I started to go ahead a order some o-rings last night from that website but they got minimum quantities you have to order. One was only like 6. No big deal. The other to was quite a bit more. One was 79 minimum quantity. LOL. I don’t need 77 extras. 
With those minimum quantities I guess the linked o-ring supplier isn't the best source for us.
Perhaps McMaster Carr? Ace Hardware may have the small ones.
Perhaps McMaster Carr? Ace Hardware may have the small ones.
Another option would be to visit your local hydraulic shop.
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
I‘ll probably just them without the o-rings. I’d guess 99% of the time mine would be upright. I just figured if it was as easy to make it a little better by adding some o-rings I’d do that. If I find I need them, I’ll check those other sources.
I'm about to pull the trigger on a can or two from this supplier. The price is the best of all presented in this discussion. Are these the real deal? It almost seems too good to be true and we know how that goes. I see a few complaints in the reviews available, so it makes me wonder about their quality.
OP
I see only one negative review. I would trust LCI. They supply the US GOV.
You are right, one negative review. The other person that didn't give it 5 stars, was just asking a question. When I saw 2 out of 7 reviews with less than 5 stars, I questioned the quality of these. Thanks.
I ordered and returned a cap wrench from Amazon, sold by JSP. The wrench fits the large cap, but was too big for the pour cap and too small for the vent cap. The vendor was aware of the issue with their wrench not fitting LCI caps even though they advertise that it fits. I think they hope customers will find it too much trouble to return. This wrench:
I then purchased the cap wrench on Amazon manufactured by CapWrench and sold by JAGMTE, which will arrive tomorrow. It is not designed to fit the two smaller caps but at least the product description is honest and the design should actually work better on the large cap. This one:
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