Ammo Produced by S&W

chuckusaret

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I was the high bidder at a gun auction on a box of .38 Special -125 JSP produced by S&W Ammunition Company of Rock Creek Ohio. I requested info on the Ammo from S&W but have not received a reply. I also attempted to contact the S&W Ammo Co. company by telephone they were not listed. Does anyone have any info on the company as to when they were in business or when they went out of business. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Smith made the ammo in Ohio at the old Rock Creek Arsenal facility. They loaded the first Nyclad rounds there.They went out of the ammo business in the late 80's if I remember correctly.The facility is now being cleaned up as a SuperFund site.
 
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Thanks for the info. I picked up two boxes at a gun auction, first time I that I ever heard of it. Price was right a Colt US Army Model 1901 and 2 boxes of ammo and for less than the cost of two boxes of WWB 40 cal target ammo.
 
IIRC, the ammo was made by Alcan and marked S&W. From ~'78 to ~'83 they made my department's duty round, .38 spl 110 and 125 gr. +P JHPs. I recall they were considered a really good round in that they used different bullet construction in .357 bullets depending on whether they were loaded in .38 spl. or .357 mag. IE, thinner jackets in the spl. loading.
 
I shot a bit of it in .38 Special and .357 Magnum at the time. The .357 Mag ammo was pretty hot. It shot a Dan Wesson loose on several occasions but a Ruger Blackhawk thrived on it.
 
I have a box of this in 357 Magnum 125 gr JHP that I inherited in 1979 along with a Python. I have been wondering how hot it is. I have seen so much conflicting information on 125 gr that I have decided not to use it in my 66.

I have never fired the Python.
 
well who makes the S&W brand 40s? If you look at it the rim is rebated and will some times fail to eject or stove pipe. I had 2 boxes and about 5 failed in a sig and that is very unusual
 
S&W purchased Alcan of Alton, Il.,in 1972 and produced ammunition from 1973 until 1981. The ammunition was initially produced using both the S&W and Alcan name. Early on the boxes were marked Smith & Wesson - Fiocchi Inc. Alton, Il. The headstamp was S&W-F and then later just S&W. The S&W line of reloading components included bullets and Alcan made primers. During the BP years, S&W branched out into many related industries especially in the law enforcement field. The S&W name was attached to sirens, riot helmets, light bars, radios, billy clubs, hand cuffs and a bunch of other items.

The modern S&W has done a similar thing, lending its name to home security systems and even shoe polish. Anything to make a profit.
 
Life is short!

I have never fired the Python.
Fire the Python. Do a few cylinders of .38s and one, or two, of .357s every year or two. Treat it like a classic car. When the weather is right, take her out for a drive. After a metriculous clean, I sure you'll be glad you did. :D A weapon like that is too nice not to shoot. :)

Sorry for the thread drift.
 
.22's "Made in Mexico"

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Fire the Python. Do a few cylinders of .38s and one, or two, of .357s every year or two. Treat it like a classic car. When the weather is right, take her out for a drive. After a metriculous clean, I sure you'll be glad you did. :D A weapon like that is too nice not to shoot. :)

Sorry for the thread drift.

I'll take that into consideration. I always felt like it was too nice to shoot. Its blued and I like to shoot my stainless guns cause maintenance is just easier. I've been thinking about going to Gunbroker with it. Put up one of those no-bid auctions I see so many of.
 
I'd hang onto any S&W ammo as a collectible. At least, the old stuff from the 70s and 80s. Don't often see it anymore.
It was good ammo in its day. I recall using some 158 gr. jacketed hollowpoint stuff in my Ruger Security Six in the early 1980s. It really bucked and bellowed but was accurate.
Alas, that box is long gone. Wish I'd at least kept the empty box as a decorator.
 
I still have about 1000 rounds of S&W-brand Nyclad ammo that I bought in the early 1980's. One box is labeled "S&W Ammunition Company, Rock Creek, Ohio", while the rest are labeled "S&W Ammunition Company, A Bangor-Punta Company, Rock Creek, Ohio".

All of it is marked "Made in U.S.A."

One of these days I'm going to have to shoot this all up:
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siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
 
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