Hello All

when I bought my mini 14 from my usual gunsmith, he was selling a box of 30-30 commemorative winch in a nice wooden box decorated with the mention: 1866-2016 and other old illustrations, I don't know if you have this type of "collector" is common, because here in Belgium I had never seen one so I bought it, but it seems that Winchester marketed in 2016 several commemorative calibers: whose 45acp can you tell me about the others calibers that were also sold for 150 years of winchester? thank you

Attached Images

Winch légend.jpg (110.1 KB, 77 views)

I have a case in .270 which I purchased in 2018.

Here is an article from Winchester:

Winchester – 150 Years And Going Strong | Winchester Ammunition

I bought a few boxes of John Wayne commerative ammo many many years ago when they first came out. Tried to sell them (maybe 20-30 years later) but nobody wanted them so I took them to a swap meet and got about what I paid for them originally $6.00 a box. They were a rifle caliber, but I forgot what it was.

J.

I shoot mine. Cartridge collectors are not interested as they don't have special head stamps. Cartridge box collectors don't seem interested as the boxes are plentiful.

I believe it was .32-40.

"I believe it was .32-40."

That's what my two boxes are. I used to have the lever action that went with them, but it's gone.

I don't know what they're actually selling for today, but asking prices are pretty substantial. I hate selling and shipping, so my son will have to throw mine out one day.

I think there were JW commemorative ammunition boxes for several different calibers, but for sure .32-40 was one of them. There was a rural hardware store located near a place where I worked for awhile, and they had a JW commemorative Model 94 in .32-40 and several boxes of the JW .32-40 ammo with it. As I remember, the rifle had the large lever loop and it also had a commemorative box. I know that rifle had been there for at least three years. Guess it wasn't a big seller.

The problem with commemorative guns is that they are usually overpriced, and lose any collector value they may have the first time they are shot.

I remember back in the late 1960s when Colt brought out several versions of the Model 1911 WW I commemorative .45 pistols. They couldn't hardly give them away then. No one wanted them. Distributors were trying to sell them way below cost. I wish I had bought several back then, I think they were going for less than $100.

The problem with John Wayne commemorative ammo as well as the Winchester commemorative is that it is nickel plated brass case. Many hand loaders hate this. So for many even in somewhat rare 32-40 it shoot and maybe reload. I have no problem reloading nickel plated brass at least a couple times.