Interesting find in the bottom of my ammo chest

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finesse_r

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While cleaning out and rearranging my ammo chest, I discovered some interesting ammo. First I found three boxes of (20 per box) Black Talon Winchester ammo, very nice stuff that I wish I had kept a lot more of, (2 in .40 S&W and 1 in .44 mag)

Next, I found two boxes of Blue and White Box S&W brand ammo in .380 (95 grain full metal jacket). Since I sold my .380 over 25 years ago, I had not given that ammo much thought other than I needed to sell it or give it away just to get it out of the way. It finally dawned on me that I had not seen any S&W brand ammo in a very, very long time. It appears they have not made it in a long time. Now I guess I will have to keep the stuff just as a collector’s item and for old time sake.

Anyone here remember shooting S&W ammo, or do any of you other old timers, or not so old timers, still have some stashed away. I expect most shooters have never even heard of it.
 
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While cleaning out and rearranging my ammo chest, I discovered some interesting ammo. First I found three boxes of (20 per box) Black Talon Winchester ammo, very nice stuff that I wish I had kept a lot more of, (2 in .40 S&W and 1 in .44 mag)

Next, I found two boxes of Blue and White Box S&W brand ammo in .380 (95 grain full metal jacket). Since I sold my .380 over 25 years ago, I had not given that ammo much thought other than I needed to sell it or give it away just to get it out of the way. It finally dawned on me that I had not seen any S&W brand ammo in a very, very long time. It appears they have not made it in a long time. Now I guess I will have to keep the stuff just as a collector’s item and for old time sake.

Anyone here remember shooting S&W ammo, or do any of you other old timers, or not so old timers, still have some stashed away. I expect most shooters have never even heard of it.
 
I haven't shot any of the blue-box stuff in probably 15 years.
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This morning I'm not remembering which ammo maker made it up for this marketing scheme, but I bet someone here can tell me in a heartbeat.
 
I bought some range pick-up brass, maybe from a member here, about a year ago. There were four or five of the old S&W boxes in the bunch.
 
You might as well sell the Black Talon too unless you're a collector of such things. Current Winchester LE offerings are probably just as good, as are Gold Dots. People still pay a premium for the Black Talon because they think it is "banned" or has some kind of almost magical properties to it.
 
An LEO friend of mine recently gave me a whole ziplock bag full of S&W .38 Spl +P, JHP's that he's had laying around for a number of years. It's some pretty hot stuff, especially out of a snub.
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I gave forum member shoo-boy 50 empty .44 magnum cases to make prop rods with, that were S&W headstamped. I fired that stuff about 15-20 years ago, and had been using the brass for reloading.

I remember reading in one of the gun mags back then, that at least some of the S&W loads were made up by IMI. It could be true, because I have some of their boxes still, and except for the logo scheme being different, they look just like the S&W boxes.
 
When I was hired as a deputy sheriff in 1981, the firearms instructor/armorer for the department gave each of us, that were hired together, a four inch, blue Combat Masterpiece and 18 (EIGHTEEN!!! he counted them out loud as he issued them to us) rounds of S&W brand 158 grain .38 Special jacket hollowpoints. We had to sign a receipt for them, too.

I earned a dirty look when I sarcastically said, "Wow! 18 bullets! Better not shoot them up all in one place!"

Then, for the next couple of years, we had to bring them to the range, along with our sixguns, annually, to be inventoried!

I still have mine around the house someplace.

I think it was Alcan, too.
 
Originally posted by flop-shank:
Sell the .380 now. People need the ammo and you'll get maximum return.
Click to expand...

Just so some ignoramus can shoot up collectible ammo? Noooooooooooo!
Smith & Wesson ammo is a good collectible. At least sell it to a cartridge collector, where it will be kept intact, for posterity.
I haven't seen S&W ammo in 20 years or more. It's not commonly encountered anymore. Save it as a good collectible.
And wrap the box in clear cellophane to avoid wear and tear.
 
I keep my boxes sealed in a bell jar with a Nitrogen/Argon atmosphere.
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Right next to my copy of the Declaration of Independence!
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In all seriousness, Gatofeo has a point.
 
There is still a lot of it out there and many boxes show up for sale on GB. .380 is not seen as much but I doubt it would bring over $25 or 30 in times when that caliber isn't hard to get hold of. I bought several boxes of mint S&W 44 magnum ammo for $15 a box and was the only one bidding on the stuff. Much of it goes without a bid, day after day.
Ed
 
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