Date?

[CZU]

LGS has several boxes of this and I set some aside to pick up later this week. This one is 4 digit marked but the others are only marked with 2 and those are marked 37 and 78. Does anyone know how I might find the date for these? The headstamps don't indicate any dates as far as I can tell.

 

[Alk8944]

Open the box and look at the headstamp date on the cartridges!

 

[CZU]

That's the problem, we looked at the headstamp and couldn't see a date. I'll have them in my possession tomorrow and will take some pics.

 

[AJ]

That's the problem, we looked at the headstamp and couldn't see a date. I'll have them in my possession tomorrow and will take some pics.

Don't think I have ever seen U.S. issued cartridges without a date on them.

 

[armadillo]

If it dates to the WWII era - or is foreign made, it could have corrosive primers. According to the internet - Federal ammo should be marked FC or FCC with 2 digit year (except 4 for 44 or 5 for 55).

 

[AJ]

If it dates to the WWII era - or is foreign made, it could have corrosive primers. According to the internet - Federal ammo should be marked FC or FCC with 2 digit year (except 4 for 44 or 5 for 55).

The box is WW II or later.

 

[AJ]

These are WWI boxes and were used into the 1930's.

 

[desi2358]

That's the problem, we looked at the headstamp and couldn't see a date. I'll have them in my possession tomorrow and will take some pics.

The ammo that belongs in those boxes should have a manufacturer code and the date. Standard practice for US military ammo whether arsenal made or contractor made. If they do not I would be suspicious that the ammo is not original to the box.

 

[DWalt]

If it is US GI ammunition it will have a dated headstamp, with very few exceptions. If it has an FC headstamp, it will be from after WWII. This is a pretty good rundown on .45 ACP ammunition headstamps from all around the world. 45 ACP | Cartridge Collector

The IAA forum will be the best source of information on any ammunition related question.

There are some scarce and desirable examples of .45 ACP cartridges, such as very early Military examples and the rare Kings Mills brass case, but a large majority have little, if any, collector value. I have over 100 .45 ACP cartridges in my collection, and only a few of them have any significant collector value. I hope you didn’t pay much before first doing some research.

 

[AJ]

This is a Frankfort Arsenal case from June 0f 1915.

 

[Alk8944]

That's the problem, we looked at the headstamp and couldn't see a date. I'll have them in my possession tomorrow and will take some pics.

If there is no date on the headstamp then the cartridges are not U.S. military and do not belong in that box.

 

[DWalt]

And the box itself is not in good condition and fairly common.