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Old 01-02-2017, 09:02 PM
Bohonkie Bohonkie is offline
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Default Need Source for Collectible Ammo

Hi all. I'm looking for a good source for buying old and collectible ammo. In particular, I'm looking for 38/44 Heavy Duty (aka 38 Super Police) but I have a lot of other stuff I'm looking for; some old, some current. This is just for my ammo collection so I don't need entire boxes. Does anyone know of a source?
Thanks
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Old 01-02-2017, 09:32 PM
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The International Ammunition Association is the best place to start. If you join up you'll be able to post in the Buy/Sell/Trade forum. Check out the IAA and also check out the General Forum to lots of great info:

International Ammunition Association

Check out the following sites for individual cartridges:

index ammo-one.com ammo ammunition single cartridges military for sale obsolete

THE CARTRIDGE COLLECTOR

Happy collecting!

BTW, I've bought cartridges from both of the above sellers. Great guys to buy from and they're both IAA members and been selling cartridges for many years.

Last edited by CTG_COLLECTOR; 01-02-2017 at 09:35 PM.
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Old 01-03-2017, 01:44 PM
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Thanks much -
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Old 01-03-2017, 01:48 PM
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Post Script: I have a little over 650 cartridges, with a few associated items, in my collection. I have been assembling this for over 50 years and have a bunch of duplicates so maybe I can find something to trade for on one of these sites. Thanks again,
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Old 01-03-2017, 03:46 PM
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Try SoldUSA or Wards Collectibles, both online auctions.
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Old 01-04-2017, 02:59 PM
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Thanks - I'll look them up.
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Old 01-04-2017, 05:35 PM
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"I'm looking for 38/44 Heavy Duty (aka 38 Super Police)"

Not the same. The .38 Special Super Police cartridge is simply the standard .38 Special with a 200 grain lead round nose bullet. The .38-44 (not .38/44, not Heavy Duty) cartridge is a heavily loaded .38 Special normally with a 150 or 158 grain metal capped bullet. Boxes usually say something like .38 Special Hi-Speed (Remington), Super Speed (Winchester) or Super-X (Western). There are numerous antique ammo dealers, and it is not that difficult to find a full box. It was loaded until the early 1970s. I have seen several boxes recently at gun shows. Try IAA.

Last edited by DWalt; 01-04-2017 at 05:41 PM.
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Old 01-04-2017, 06:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bohonkie View Post
Post Script: I have a little over 650 cartridges, with a few associated items, in my collection. I have been assembling this for over 50 years and have a bunch of duplicates so maybe I can find something to trade for on one of these sites. Thanks again,
Hi there. Newbie here. I have 700 rounds of Remington 115g for my 9m that I'd like to trade, but I didn't know we have the option of doing such trade on this site. Do we just post a thread in this section inquiring for possible trades? Please let me know. Thanks.
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Old 01-05-2017, 01:25 AM
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I asked that same question maybe 10 years ago. I wanted a few loaded cartridges for my collection. A nice guy here named Jeff in Cincinnati posted right back that he had some and asked for a PM. That was before the days of Lee's internal email. He asked where I lived and I replied. That night when I got home from work, a nearly full box was in my mailbox. Thanks again. I appreciate it.

And just to add more confusion to the mix, there are 2 38/44 chamberings. The one we just talked about and the ancient 38/44 Target. Its different. Shape, power, and whatnot.

So what's the OP to do? I 'd suggest he attend a gunshow that advertises maybe 400 tables. Several usually have all kinds of ammo stacked about. And a word of caution. Antique ammo sellers are often crooks. They want to sell you a box that is original, but all wrapped up in nice Saran Wrap. Don't pay till you open it and verify the contents.
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Old 01-05-2017, 10:28 AM
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I am not sure why, but the target load is usually posted as 38-44 and the 38 HD caliber is 38/44. I know that the 44 in the target round was the amount of black powder in the case, but the 38 Heavy Duty revolvers were way past BP days, so what does it stand for?
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Old 01-05-2017, 11:33 AM
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Gary, I believe the 44 referenced the frame size of the guns the rounds were to be used in. i.e. they were to be used in the N Frame guns not the K Frame. The N Frame was developed for the .44 caliber cartridges. Hence the .38 stood for the actual caliber of the gun and .44 referenced that the round was to be used larger frame guns.

I'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong or give a more concise answer...
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Old 01-05-2017, 11:36 AM
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Bohonkie, you might be interested in the upcoming Western State cartridge show in Prescott AZ.

Cartridge Or Ammunition Shows, Events & Auctions - International Ammunition Association

It's a bit too far for me to travel to but it's one of the better shows to go to and there's always the SLICS show in St Louis which it THE BIG ONE where people from all over the world go to each year.

Cartridge Or Ammunition Shows, Events & Auctions - International Ammunition Association

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Old 01-05-2017, 08:07 PM
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S&W called their revolvers .38/44s. A .38 Special revolver built on a .44 caliber frame. Sort of like the .22/32. For some reason, the ammunition manufacturers called the cartridge the .38-44 (when they weren't calling it the .38 Special Super Speed, Super-X, etc. The early Remington ammunition boxes were labeled as .38-44. Later Remington boxes said ".38 Special (.38-44) Hi-Speed" I don't think I have seen any Winchester or Western boxes using .38-44 on their labels.
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Old 01-06-2017, 11:31 AM
Bohonkie Bohonkie is offline
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Has anyone ever seen a cartridge headstamp 38-44 (or Hi Speed, Super Speed, etc.)? I've not. I guess the only way to tell if one of these is a hot 38 load is if you have the box and the box says so. Must have been quite an eye opener for unsuspecting folks who put on in an old 1905 and pulled the trigger...
Thanks
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Old 01-06-2017, 01:36 PM
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Ward's had an auction that ended on 12/3/2016. There was
this box of Remington 38-44 HD Hi-Speed ammo in excellent
condition that sold for $206.00.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 38-44 Remington box.jpg (63.5 KB, 43 views)
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Old 01-06-2017, 02:28 PM
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That's an early .38-44 box, probably mid-1930s (pre-1938), often called the Remington "Dogbone" style. Given the lot number on the box, it is possible to date them fairly closely. I have seen both "Super Speed" and "Super-X" .38 Special headstamps, and I remember seeing a "REM-UMC .38-44 SPL" headstamp. I think there are also "PETERS 38 SPL HV" and "REM-UMC 38 SPL HS." I probably have examples of all those headstamps in my collection but I have not looked. I think any .38-44 headstamp from any manufacturer will use some means of distinguishing it from standard .38 Special.

Last edited by DWalt; 01-06-2017 at 02:44 PM.
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Old 01-06-2017, 02:41 PM
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Good info! I am still trying to find one for my collection - now I know what to look for.
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Old 01-06-2017, 03:00 PM
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This is not my area, but occasionally receive e-mails from this company:

Ammunition : The Old Western Scrounger LLC.
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Old 01-06-2017, 05:28 PM
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I have bought ammo from them in the past - great source for obsolete ammo. Thanks!
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Old 01-23-2017, 12:37 AM
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Lot's of good folks in the IAA and some very good resources as well as incredible knowledge.
I joined several years back and have made some good friends there.
There are many collectors and dealers out there, so if you want a few names drop me an email at [email protected].
Cheers,
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Old 01-23-2017, 02:31 PM
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Thanks, Tom.
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Old 01-23-2017, 04:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mojave30cal View Post
Ward's had an auction that ended on 12/3/2016. There was
this box of Remington 38-44 HD Hi-Speed ammo in excellent
condition that sold for $206.00.
That was a steal. The last full box of Rem Dogbone .38-44 ammo in excellent condition that I saw sold at auction a few years back for a bid of $800 plus a 10% hammer fee, for a total of $880.00. All of the ammunition in the boxes pictured below is headstamped .38-44.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG_1107.jpg (139.3 KB, 49 views)

Last edited by SRT; 01-23-2017 at 04:55 PM.
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Old 01-23-2017, 07:46 PM
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Wow. Just... Wow!
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Old 01-23-2017, 08:49 PM
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At that time, the typical .38-44 factory loads used both metal capped or metal point bullets and lead bullets. There were also some metal piercing bullet loads available. Metal capped bullets look like FMJ, but they are not. The bore-bearing surface of the bullet is lead.
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