Eventually most ammunition becomes collectible. Along with my modern stuff I also have older boxes of ammo that might have crossed the threshold into collectibles. The .30-06 might not be a big deal, but what about the other stuff. The 12 gauge at bottom specifies "smokeless" powder. Besides the .38 Colt New Police (flat point .38 S&W), anything jump out at you as especially interesting or significant here?

I could not give you a dollar value on each box but the one shop I frequent that has a huge supply of old boxes of ammo never has a box priced less than $50.00 (centerfire rifle ammo). About four years ago I saw the proprietor swap a box of Newton rifle ammo for a High Standard .22 magnum derringer, very pricey stuff.

I would not shoot that ammo if I were you.

There are some good boxes there. I won't go through them all, but the Norma and one box of Remington are from the 1970's. . .they are the newer boxes. I see several from the 1950's and 1960's. That Winchester 32 Auto is pre-war as are some of the blanks.

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Dr. B

Yeah, I agree with Colby Bruce. I don't know anything about collectible ammo, but the old boxes are very cool and I'm sure there are members here on the forum that would be quite happy to have them. I'll bet they would be great trading bait too! They also make great photo props

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I'm gonna grow fins.

I think there are a lot of vintage ammo collectors/dealers who would be happy to take most of those boxes off you hands at nice prices. I get really shocked at what vintage ammo is bringing...

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Randy
Provenance nerd

+1 on boxes that are in good to very good condition.

After they get faded from wear and get a ripe or dog ears
they start to loose value.
Any ammo will just add to the overall price of the package.

Very nice looking collection..........

Most of what I see in your pictures have no more value than their modern equivalents on the store shelves today. As for all vintage boxes being up for sale at $50 or more, I would disagree and say that you can ask anything you want, but that does not set any meaningful valuation. Check sites like Wards Collectables and SoldUSA for actual auction prices and you will find the majority of 1950s and 1960s boxes selling for $20-$30 today. I think the reason being is that hundreds of millions of boxes of ammo were manufactured and many sat on closet shelves for decades unused.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

A nice assortment of old ammo but nothing particularly rare or valuable. The first pic probably has the most "collectible" stuff though box condition isn't great. If full and correct the Winchester and Western stuff might bring a slight premium over current factory loads but it wouldn't be much. The small foreign boxes and the short blanks would get a little interest from collectors of those items. The Norma box is from the 60's or 70's and would likely be just shooting ammo.

The second pic is also 60's era ammo and would be looked at as shooting stuff though some one collecting Peters brand stuff might pay a buck or two extra for that one.

The third pic is ammo that would appeal more to someone who owned a rifle in those calibers, especially the 250 Savage as that load is hard to find these days. Would look nice displayed with an old rifle or allow you to shoot it and save the brass for reloading.

Shotgun shells don't seem to get much interest these days. Individual shells sell fairly well to collectors (but, unless really rare, not for much!) but partial or even full boxes are not in much demand. Only the really old stuff (pre-1930, two piece boxes, odd shell sizes for instance) seem to have any significant value.

You've got some interesting old stuff, some not so old. I love and collect the old ones myself, trade around a little with them at the shows and have put together a couple small displays to decorate the gun room. Also have ended up with a lot of odds and ends, partials etc. Shooting stock if I feel like it or just put back for the future.

I tend to think that if the companies address on the box does not have a zip code it might be worth something, I think the older boxes are neat but I don't need to collect them so if it was me I would sell them if I could get more than what new replacement ammo costs.

I have some original Smith & Wesson 357 in the box wonder what they are worth ?

I was never seriously inconvenienced during the recent ammo crisis because I had previously inexpensively bought much old ammo like this from private sellers at shows. If I have a particular caliber, I've never seen a box of ammo in that caliber I didn't like (apologies to Will Rogers).

I would use it without a second thought.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I couldnt help you on values either but, I see more and more sellers at gun shows hawking this stuff.Ive ony two vintage boxes of ammo myself--thirty fourty Krag--Remington. They came with the Krag carbine I bought about eighteen years ago.

Picked these up at lawn sale

I'd love the Savage ammo. You can shoot the rest of it.

Wow Black Talon ammo, very scary That one might be a modern collectible. I would stick that one on gun broker and see what happens.

I'd shoot that all up and sell the boxes.

Send me guy who trades guns for old Ammo & boxes. Tell him
to bring truck.

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I just paid $24.50 plus shipping for a box of 50. 125gr JHP. All in it was a slight premium over current production of other brands.

I have a small supply of original 158 grain .357 Magnum ammo from the late 30s. At 1,510 fps from the original 8 3/4 inch barrel (no, I don't have one of THOSE - I just wanted to try it in my regular old K frame Magnum), it goes off good. At $200 per box, however, I have stopped shooting it in favor of the Buffalo Bore stuff that duplicates the original. It also goes off good.

You have perhaps heard the saying that the best way to die is to spend your last dime one minute before taking your last breath.

A variation on that is to shoot your last round of ammo one minute before taking your last breath.

Shoot it up and enjoy it!

Or die one minute before your organs (that people donate) konk out. Get every bit of milege out of that liver. If your liver, heart, etc. is still good when you tip over, you lived too careful and wasted a bunch of fun.

Correct. There is a certain balance to life, just as there is in shooting.

That reminds me of what then-Gunsite instructor Louis Awerbuck said about group size: "too big and you are shooting too fast for your skill level, too small and you are target shooting." In combat shooting, you have to shoot fast enough, but also accurately enough. Sort of like life - live hard enough to have a full and enjoyable life, but easy enough so that your body parts do not give out before their time!



I just re-read that, and decided I needed more coffee!