Ok to ask about older shotgun shells ?

[Weatherby]

I picked up.. . Well a bunch.
Some 2 1/2 some 2 9/16 and some 2 5/8. And a boatload of 2 3/4.

I know very little on their collectabily and was hoping to get some help on yeah shoot it up or no not that one.
Thanks
Paul

[jolly bill]

I picked up.. . Well a bunch.
Some 2 1/2 some 2 9/16 and some 2 5/8. And a boatload of 2 3/4.

I know very little on their collectabily and was hoping to get some help on yeah shoot it up or no not that one.
Thanks
Paul

Hi Paul,

I'm thinking that if you have nice clean, older shotgun shells and their original boxes in nice shape, that's a plus.

I don't think the individual shells would have a lot of value if it's pretty common. Maybe shoot that stuff.

Some individual single pieces from an uncommon maker, like Robinhood, etc, in nice shape or maybe some 8 gauge ammo would have some value and desirability.

Pictures would help.

Jolly

[Silvers]

Almost all common paper shells from US makers are now at least (about) 60 years old and many while looking good and even pristine will have deteriorated primer composition and/or powder. Lead shot can even oxidize or otherwise corrode so that the pellets are now in a mass as compared to free flowing. Anyone looking to shoot up papers at game and particularly hard to find game is well advised to try firing a few on paper beforehand, for speed of ignition and patterning. frank

[Weatherby]

A few I thought I should just keep are the Climax one.
The magnum one, one with Selby on top and maybe a few of the nicest picture boxes.

Interesting information Frank
Especially about the solid wad aspect.
Most would just be range and clays.
I take my hunting seriously

The 12 gauge

The 16 gauge

The 20 gauge

Many of the 20 I thought would be good on clays and some of the 16 for an older gun.

[jolly bill]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for posting those pictures. Much nicer than what I was anticipating. You have some nice boxes in nice shape. They would look great on shelves in your gun room alongside some nice Fox's, Parker's, Ithaca's and such.

And thanks Frank for your very thoughtful Reply. Makes good sense in what they may be used for.

Yes, some really nice boxes.

Bill

[Researcher]

Best bet would be to send them all to Wards to be auctioned off as collectibles.

https://wardscollectibles.com/auction/96/index.php

The oldest shells are the boxes of U.S. Cartridge Co. with the Lowell, Mass. address, likely from the 1920s. The newest shells are the 12-gauge Peters Victor and Revelation in the upper right of the picture & the Sears Field Load and Sport Load on the left side with the "Keep Out of Reach of Children" warnings and the yellow Winchester Super-Speed box second up from the bottom. The cream-colored Remington Shur-Shot boxes are from the 1930s. The rest mostly 1940s and 50s.

[Weatherby]

I could see doing that with some David but didn't figure most would even cover postage.

Along with the ammo she gave me a box filled with paperwork.
I thought of you with this one.
If you want it let me know.....free

[Researcher]

Thanks for the offer, but I have that item. If it was dated 1937 I need it.

[Weatherby]

Thanks for the offer, but I have that item. If it was dated 1937 I need it.

I lol at that....

[Researcher]

Yeah!! Need is a bit much!!

[Weatherby]

Only other 2 things literature wise I thought you could possibly use were these

This is one I'm curious about having Selby on it.

[Researcher]

The only two Editions of the Western Ammunition booklet I don't have is 2nd and 20th. Got the DuPont booklet.

Selby was a California outfit that was taken over by National Lead as was U.S. Cartridge Co. so in the 1920s they were an amalgam. Eventually they moved to a New York address and Winchester loaded the U.S. Cartridge Co. shells in the one-piece boxes with the New York address and the Lowell, Mass. plant was closed.

[Researcher]

In the early years Selby Smelting and Lead Co. put up their shells in various available NPEs. These in the UMC MAGIC hulls --

MAGIC 12-gauge 2 3-4 inch 01.jpg (140.6 KiB) Viewed 713 times

from 1905 Union Metallic Cartridge Co. catalog --

Here some put up in Winchester LEADER hulls --

LEADER 12-gauge, 3-inch, 28 Grains INFALLIBLE, 1 1-4 ounce #8 chilled.jpg (101.23 KiB) Viewed 713 times

Later after the takeover by National Lead they came to mirror U.S. Cartridge Co. with AJAX, CLIMAX, ROMAX, etc --

AJAX 16-gauge, 3-inch 01.jpg (124.66 KiB) Viewed 713 times

AJAX 16-gauge, 3-inch 03.jpg (108.71 KiB) Viewed 713 times

[DarylC]

I don't know how you do it Dave but you are amazing. Thanks for all your contributions.

[fox-admin]

I don't know how you do it Dave but you are amazing. Thanks for all your contributions.

I second your response, Dave is unbelievable in his knowledge and freely shares it with all of us. THANKS DAVE