How to date a UMC cartridge box.

[DWalt]

Your best bet would be to make a posting with pictures on the International Ammunition Association (IAA) forum. That is where all the really serious ammunition collectors hang out. International Ammunition Association Web Forum

 

[DWalt]

I did look up several features that narrow the date. First, the “Guarantee” on the box bottom went away around 1905, so that establishes tha the box can be no younger than that. The second is that Savage does not appear in the gun list. That began no earlier than 1895. UMC also used a Double Dog logo on the label until 1886. After smokeless powder loading began, UMC always identified if the powder used was either smokeless or black. That would have likely been in the mid-late 1890s. Putting those items together, it seems your box very likely dates from the late 1880s to the mid-1890s.

 

[glowe]

Thanks for verifying what I already stated.

 

[DWalt]

One other useless fact. All UMC boxes were made by the C.P.B. Company in Bridgeport. I’d guess the P.B. means paper box, no idea what the C. stood for. Maybe Connecticut. In a former life, I visited the Federal, Winchester, and Remington ammunition plants frequently. Inside the main office of the Remington plant in Lonoke AR was a large mural of the UMC plant in Bridgeport, very impressive. One interesting thing about the Lonoke plant was there was some original manufacturing equipment from the UMC plant still being used. Sort of like a visit to the Industrial Revolution era.

 

[AJ]

Thanks for verifying what I already stated.

That happens a lot here.

 

[bcowern]

Thanks to all who have replied. It is appreciated.

Regards,
bcowern

 

[mrcvs]

One other useless fact. All UMC boxes were made by the C.P.B. Company in Bridgeport. I’d guess the P.B. means paper box, no idea what the C. stood for. Maybe Connecticut. In a former life, I visited the Federal, Winchester, and Remington ammunition plants frequently. Inside the main office of the Remington plant in Lonoke AR was a large mural of the UMC plant in Bridgeport, very impressive. One interesting thing about the Lonoke plant was there was some original manufacturing equipment from the UMC plant still being used. Sort of like a visit to the Industrial Revolution era.

In my research, or experience, I think the most common practice of firearms and ammunition manufacturers was to purchase boxes, or have them made specific for the object being shipped, at a factory as near by as possible. So this makes sense. Just as Smith & Wesson used C C Taylor & Co of 17 Oak Street in Springfield to manufacture their early cardboard boxes (19th & early 20th Century).

 

[DWalt]

In my research, or experience, I think the most common practice of firearms and ammunition manufacturers was to purchase boxes, or have them made specific for the object being shipped, at a factory as near by as possible. So this makes sense. Just as Smith & Wesson used C C Taylor & Co of 17 Oak Street in Springfield to manufacture their early cardboard boxes (19th & early 20th Century).

Another interesting fact is tha at least some early ammunition boxes were loose-loaded, not head to tail neatly stacked. I suppose they had a production line of kids who would count out 50 rounds (or whatever number) and drop them into a box, then seal it closed.

 

[TripleLock]

I have an old box of UMC rimfire cartridges, obviously not in the condition of yours, but would someone like to take a guess on it’s age?

The use of Lesmok powder was announced in Rem-UMC's 1911 catalog.

The manufacturer's information on the top label:

REMINGTON ARMS-UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE CO.
UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE WORKS
BRIDGEPORT, CONN. U.S.A.​

was in use from 1911 until 1915.​

So, that box falls into the 1911-1915 range.

Jim

 

[bcowern]

Another interesting fact is tha at least some early ammunition boxes were loose-loaded, not head to tail neatly stacked.

It is my understanding that for UMC boxes, the loose-loaded boxes were earlier, had square corners, and were slightly larger that the boxes that neatly stacked which came in boxes with rounded corners.

See Post #1 and Post #14

Regards,
bcowern