Post WWI pre WWII....

 

Remington and UMC ammo merged in 1911 and this type of box is used until about 1920.
Nice find.

 

You might go to the International Ammunition Association (IAA) website. The really serious ammo nutcases all hang out there, and there's lots of reference material. With a paid membership ($25) they publish an outstanding bimonthly journal. But yes, your box is from around WWI.

 

Should I assume with the sealed condition of the box I should maybe leave it as such and find alternate ammo when I find the little Colt .32 revolver that'll pair up with this acquisition?

Isn't that the way it works, find interesting vintage ammo and then use that as a mandate to hunt up a Colt to go with it? Maybe it's even a Forum requirement. That's what I'm going to try out on the lovely wife anyway.

 

It is doubtful if the ammo would fire, and worth too much in the sealed box to shoot anyway.

I agree with 22Matt that it dates to the teens.

 

Don't know that I agree on whether it would fire or not. I have fired some 45-70 ammunition that was well over 100 years old with no failures to fire. The only old ammo that I have ever had to fail was .22 rimfire that was old enough that the primer material had fallen out of the case rim! On the other hand, I agree with the majority here, don't open the box, it's too valuable as a sealed example!

 

Black powder? Corrosive primer. I think they are safe and sound snuggled right where they are.

 

Don't open that box. It's been sealed for almost 100 years.

 

I very much appreciate the comments. I'm one of those guys who likes to have a same era, vintage box of ammo to go along with my older Colts, even when not planning to shoot it.

Besides, I've already received a couple of unsolicited inquiries re the ammunition in it's sealed box. Somewhat surprised at the stated "value" in it's current condition. I have been informed, or at least it's been hinted, that my level of intelligence would be severely suspect should I break the more or less 100 year old seal. This, of course, in addition to the corrosive black powder issues pointed out. It won't be opened, let alone fired.

My intent at this point is to use it as a "reason" to go hunting up a nice Colt .32. With the age/type of this ammo, would that most likely be a New Police or an early Police Positive, perhaps?

 

My intent at this point is to use it as a "reason" to go hunting up a nice Colt .32.

I use the "empty holster" argument. Holsters cost less and are much easier to find - you know, "It was too cheap to pass up! It's a shame I don't have a gun to fit it..."

 

Well, having it IS a valid reason to find the corresponding revolver. THAT goes without saying....

 

Also having a set of stocks as well is a good reason to buy the gun that fits them. I've done both.

As far as the old ammo goes, my Father in law had several full boxes of Winchester 45-70 all from 1912 that he was shooting in his trap door and 1886. They came with the trap door when he got it back in the 60's and shot it up until he died a couple of years ago. I have the last two boxes. Also 3 boxes, 1 unopened, of Hazards powder and bullets for his 1860 army revolver. Glad he didn't try to shoot those.

 

That box was used 1911-1915. In 1915 the address was changed. See here: http://www.cartridgecollectors.org/documents/Remington-Cartridge-Box-Dates.pdf

 

That box was used 1911-1915. In 1915 the address was changed. See here: http://www.cartridgecollectors.org/documents/Remington-Cartridge-Box-Dates.pdf

Great link. Thanks for sharing. I wish they had a link for Winchester ammo. It doesn't appear that they do.

 

Regarding the old ammo's condition, I'd suspect most rounds would still fire. I have fired several boxes of WWI-era .45 ACP military ammunition that shot, not 100%, but mostly. The chlorate priming composition used at that time was very stable, and so was black powder. I would never open a sealed box. While black powder ammunition was still being loaded into the early 1930s, smokeless powder had pretty well displaced BP by the early 1900s. So your sealed box is even more unusual.

 

I wonder how late the various ammo manufacturers still made black powder ammo?

 

BP was still available in some handgun calibers until the early 1930s, but I can't say why. The switchover from BP to smokeless started in the early 1890s, and was pretty well complete by 1900.

 

I do have the gun that would shoot it.....

KIND OF FUNNY - Colt's SN lookup page lists this as a 1914 built gun!

 

You can't have my nickeled Pocket Positive, not even for an experiment to see if it fires! I might loan you my antique S&W "Bicycle Model" lemon squeezer, tho....

 

Colt's marked .32 NP or new police will fire the .32S&W Long. I have a nice little Detective Special in the .32 NP and enjoy shooting it with newer manufactured rounds. I would keep that box sealed. This box was open when I got it, but I haven't shot any of them.



.

 

I have an old box of Peter's .32 S&W that's "Semi-Smokeless". I always wondered why bother to make such ammo. It's from the time when both black powder and smokeless were both being made. Who would buy it and what would they shoot it in? Seems like the an answer to a question no one asked, like Federal .32 mag or .45 gap.

 

When the military bought the Model 1909 revolver as an interim handgun until the new service pistol was chosen, they developed a new cartridge identical to the .45 Colt except for a larger rim diameter for more positive extraction. The first of the Model 1909 ammo was loaded with Bullseye which only filled approximately half the case, and due to loading machine malfunctions a few revolvers were blown up due to double charges. A bulky powder was developed that almost filled the case making a double charge impossible.

 

I like finding vintage ammo and learning about it. I have a couple of boxes similar to yours, but from the period just after yours, I think.

 

Just a tad embarrassed...but in an A-OK way I suppose. I guess somehow this rather tired old memory of mine was trying to tell me something at the gunshow when I was looking at the nice little box of BP .32 and considering buying it. I mentioned I was going to use it as a "reason" to find me a Little Colt .32 to go with it.

Well, I didn't have to look very hard. In fact not hardly at all. This was sitting all by it's little lonesome all the way in the back of the safe, fairly nice little New Police .32 from 1904. I have it noted down in my 03 book, but I'll be darned if I have any recollection of buying it. I'm starting to think I best look thru that safe a little closer, hard to say what I might be able to take off my "want to find" list. Pretty embarrassed when I told the wife. Every time I walk by her she just starts shaking her head and laughing again. Have I mentioned before how cruel she can be...pickin' on an old fella like me.