Fox Collectors

Romac,

If you have access to a chronograph it would be interesting to learn of the velocity those old shell have. I often wonder if older shells retain their performance. I have read that primers and powder deteriorate over time. That stated, the burn rate of powder has a a factor the surface area and shape of each kernel. If old powder deteriorates and flakes apart, does the burn rate increase?

Much to ponder on this cold March day in Michigan... Time to take my dog and Fox for a walk!

Mark

Mark,

I do not know the answer to your question but in my years of shooting a lot of old ammo, the biggest factor is dud primers. The shells either fire or they do not. The ones I just bought sat on a shelf in a gun room for years without getting moved around much. I have heard anecdotal stories of rifle cartridges that bounced around in farm truck glove boxes for years that seemed to be extra "hot" when fired and the shooter noticed it. That is also a reason why it is not wise to tumble old loaded rifle cartridges in a tumbler to shine em up. It has the potential to put years worth of deterioration on the powder. I'm not saying it always does, just that it increases the potential.

Researcher wrote: Western Cartridge Co. was very proud of those Lubaloy Super-X loads. On July 1, 1929, a thousand regular 12-gauge 2 3/4 inch, 1 1/4 ounce, chilled shot Super-X loads had a list price of $56.50. A thousand 12-gauge, 2 3/4 inch, 1 1/4 ounce, Super-X Lubaloy loads had a list price of $76.50. Nash's favored 12-gauge, 3-inch, 1 3/8 ounce Lubaloy, Super-X loads had a list price of $90.50 per thousand.

Man! That is so interesting, Dave. I would not have dreamed that the 3" shells would have cost $2.26/box in '29. You have so much eye opening information that you share. When we grumble about paying $6.50/box for target loads we need to think first what has happened to gasoline prices, I guess. It was $.21/gal. in '29. I burn $21 in gas every time I drive to my "local" sporting clays range and back. If I reload them, my shells for a round cost less than that.

SRH

I have mentioned in another thread, that I brought a bunch of late 1930s 16-gauge ammo down The Alaska Highway last fall from our place in Kodiak. My late Father-in-law won a 16-gauge single barrel on a punch-board in a beer joint when he was first up in Kodiak in 1938 or 9. These were most likely shells he bought for it, 2 9/16 inch Western Super-X in the Field case and 2 9/16 inch Winchester Super-Speeds. Just as a matter of curiosity I dropped a Super-X #6 in my 16-gauge RBL and fired it at a skeet target. I pulled the trigger and there was a milisecond delay but the shell then went off and I must have kept my swing going as I broke the skeet target. Being in Kodiak for all these years, they were never exposed to extreme heat, but they spent many many winters in damp, unheated shop buildings.

About a decade ago I was given a box of late 1930s 12-gauge Winchester Super-Speed #6s. I took them to the Heartland Pheasant hunting with me and when I first swung on Cock John all I got was click! Click! Tried a half dozen more out of the box and nothing, so they were left sitting on a fence post at a Nebraska public hunting area down it the very southeast corner of the state.

Dave, could you be more specific about the location of those shells. I am not a high level collector.

Rest easy Bill! After ten winters, I'm resonably certain they aren't there any more.

Very cool. My father in law unloaded a bunch of ammo on us when he gave up shooting and I need to go through and get the collectible ones out before they get shot.