Need help with age/time identification

[RWJ]

Recently acquired some old primers/ammo. I think I can say that the 9 1/2M primers pictured are post '62, due to the child warning; any help with the 6 1/2 and 9 1/2 boxes, or the .38 ammo?

Thanks

RWJ

 

[fredj338]

What exactly is the question?

 

[k22fan]

I started reloading in 1973 and I bought red box Remington primers new. If I recall correctly by that time the blue and yellow Winchester cartridge boxes were old stock that had been superseded by yellow and red boxes. The Remington primers in the tan colored outer box were made before then. I'll bet the primes in that box have very rounded corners. I hope that helps a little.

Assuming they were all stored in a dry house they should all be good to use.

 

[RWJ]

Thanks - the outer boxes are in good shape, and all the individual 100 packs are still sealed, with no sign of moisture damage or contact. I don't know if the white box/green wrap are pre-war or post war. As far as the ammo goes, I only go back to the yellow box Winchester, so I don't know about the vintage of that box.

 

[k22fan]

During the 1970s all the stores that handled reloading components near me stocked CCI primers. Many also sold Winchester primers. Remington primers were not common in my area so I don't remember them as well but I'd be surprised if the white box Remington primers are not newer than the tan box.

All of the stores in Western Washington stocking CCI is logical if you remember they are made in Lewiston just across the river that separates Washington from Idaho. Pay-Less Drug Store sold CCI standard primers for 69 cents and CCI magnum primers for 79 cents. Late in 1974 there was huge increase in powder prices from about $3.50 pound to $4.50 pound. I was warned it would happen and stocked up.

 

[DWalt]

I will repeat one of the earlier comments about rounded primer cups. I remember back in the 1960s-70s that some primers had rounded (convex) bases, and required a concave primer seating punch to seat properly. I still have the original sets of concave and flat primer (both rifle and pistol) punches which came with my Lyman single-stage press from the late 1960s. I haven't seen any rounded-base primers in a long time. Your primers are very likely still good. I still have lots of primers from the 1970s which are.

 

[125JHP]

Looking at my collection of ID pics, The Blue&Yellow ammo is Pre-War vintage and the dark green primer boxes are 50's

 

[RWJ]

Thanks for that info; I'll put the .38 box aside with a pre-war 4th Model Target that I have to make a period-correct display.

I'm guessing that the primers have no collector value. I may load some of the LR primers up in the next few weeks to help break in a Model 700 .308 that I picked up recently in a deal; the magnum primers I'll save for my .300 H&H.

RWJ

 

[DWalt]

Thanks for that info; I'll put the .38 box aside with a pre-war 4th Model Target that I have to make a period-correct display.

I'm guessing that the primers have no collector value. I may load some of the LR primers up in the next few weeks to help break in a Model 700 .308 that I picked up recently in a deal; the magnum primers I'll save for my .300 H&H.

RWJ

There may be some collector value to REALLY old primer boxes, but I have never heard of anyone collecting them. Magnum primers should be used with slower-burning powders (especially ball powders) no matter whether it is a magnum cartridge or not. The .38 Special Western cartridges are probably from the 1950s. Any boxes without the child warning legend would be pre-early 1960s. If you PM me with the lot number stamped on the box, I can probably give you an exact loading date.

 

[AveragEd]

To expand upon Dwalt's post, I've found several instances where magnum primers improved the accuracy - or I should say the consistency - of a rifle's accuracy with magnum primers even when the powder isn't one of the slower burning ones.

For example, my 6.5-284 Norma shoots one-hole groups with 120-grain Bergers over a near-minimum charge of the now-discontinued IMR4007SSC powder but does so more often with magnum primers than standard ones. I have two other rifles that exhibit the same thing and I credit the smaller velocity variation numbers with magnum primers from my chronograph for that. I guess the hotter primer yields a more complete - or more consistently complete - burn of the powder charge.

Ed

 

[125JHP]

I think I'll concur with DeWalt on the ammo box... they often used a similar box for a long period of time, only changing small details and/ the name/address of the company. I believe Western did use a similar color and design from pre-war into the 50's with variation. according to THE CARTRIDGE COLLECTOR Western started the 'Super Match' line in 1933, but check the manuf. name/address as I think they changed something around 1944-45. The box of 22 on that site looks similar - which might be a clue (the 22 boxes of many manuf were sometimes slightly different from their other lines)

Try searching collector websites or old magazines of the period.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I've never heard of a primer collection but I think it certainly would not be out of place with as a complement in a collection of say cartridges and/or powder cans or any other related item.
Qc

 

[RWJ]

I will repeat one of the earlier comments about rounded primer cups. I remember back in the 1960s-70s that some primers had rounded (convex) bases, and required a concave primer seating punch to seat properly. I still have the original sets of concave and flat primer (both rifle and pistol) punches which came with my Lyman single-stage press from the late 1960s. I haven't seen any rounded-base primers in a long time. Your primers are very likely still good. I still have lots of primers from the 1970s which are.

Just opened one box of the 9 1/2 primers, and they appear to be of the more modern, "flat" type primers, as opposed to the more rounded or "domed" type I think you are referring to; the .38 rounds in the yellow/blue box pictured appear to be the "rounded" type you mention. The primers are in wooden trays.

 

[RWJ]

more rounded than current

I started reloading in 1973 and I bought red box Remington primers new. If I recall correctly by that time the blue and yellow Winchester cartridge boxes were old stock that had been superseded by yellow and red boxes. The Remington primers in the tan colored outer box were made before then. I'll bet the primes in that box have very rounded corners. I hope that helps a little.

Assuming they were all stored in a dry house they should all be good to use.

These primers do appear to have more of a rounded edge than current ones, but do not appear to be "rounded" or "domed" (as I would describe it), as I think DWALT describes.

 

[Skeet 028]

Think y'all can date these primers fairly close

Picked them up in an estate lot. Says these primers are for use with blackpowder in 45 cal and shotgun ammunition as well as 30 cal gallery practice cartridges Made at Frankfort Arsenal. Wish the label was completely intact. They have to date from the early part of the last century. I also have FA primers for the 45 auto and 30-06 from 1949...DCM purchased...bullets for both also. Only thing you could not purchase from DCM was powder I guess

 

[DWalt]

OP provided me with the lot number from the Western .38 Special box. The cartridges were loaded on March 14, 1957. Any Winchester or Western ammunition boxes made prior to 1944 will not mention Olin Industries or the Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation.