Approx age of Winchester 2-5/8" wood case?

Broke · June 25, 2007, 11:33 PM

I've got a friend with a couple wood cases that are very old, they are marked Winchester Small Arms, and they once held 500 12ga shells, 2-5/8" length.

I couldn't find much info on them at all, but I'm trying to find out when Winchester was selling that length shell, to try and date the crates.

Broke

gordo b. · June 26, 2007, 09:15 AM

19th century.

JWT · June 26, 2007, 09:37 AM

They may be old or they may be reproductions. Reproductions of 'old' ammunition boxes, including Winchester, were quite popular for a while and I believe they can still be found.

Broke · June 26, 2007, 05:34 PM

They aren't reproductions, my friend has had them about 20 years now, and the old man who gave them to him told him they were HIS grandfathers, so we suspect they are old, but I can't find any other info on them... all the crates I have found are 3" or 3-1/2" or 2-3/4" shells, nothing for 2-5/8"

Thanks for the replies!

Broke

johnbt · June 27, 2007, 08:19 AM

I did a little looking, but didn't find much. I don't know when they started using "Small Arms" on the boxes, but I'm guessing after Olin bought Winchester. John

http://cgi.ebay.com/Winchester-Woode...QQcmdZViewItem

Says Olin Corp. on it, so it's after 1931 when Olin bought Winchester.

Then there's a really old looking one

http://cgi.ebay.com/WINCHESTER-LEADE...QQcmdZViewItem

Broke · June 27, 2007, 09:37 PM

Awesome, thanks for the info on the date that Olin bought them, I can at least look for Olin on them somewhere.

Broke

Broke · July 16, 2007, 11:53 AM

I couldn't find Olin on them anywhere, and I was told by someone at Winchester that the 2-5/8" shells were stopped in 1946, so they are at least older than 1946, and unless the Olin is hidden somewhere, they are older than 1931.

I was told that there could be a lot number on them will allow the exact date to be produced, but the only numbers I found were on the Western crate, a 3-1-6 on one end.

Pics of the boxes are here http://www.brokevw.com/ammo.html

Broke

June 25, 2007, 11:33 PM	#1
Broke Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2007 Posts: 10	Approx age of Winchester 2-5/8" wood case? I've got a friend with a couple wood cases that are very old, they are marked Winchester Small Arms, and they once held 500 12ga shells, 2-5/8" length. I couldn't find much info on them at all, but I'm trying to find out when Winchester was selling that length shell, to try and date the crates. Broke

June 26, 2007, 09:15 AM	#2
gordo b. Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2002 Location: Peoples republik of Calif. Posts: 961	19th century.

June 26, 2007, 09:37 AM	#3
JWT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 2,164	They may be old or they may be reproductions. Reproductions of 'old' ammunition boxes, including Winchester, were quite popular for a while and I believe they can still be found.

June 26, 2007, 05:34 PM	#4
Broke Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2007 Posts: 10	They aren't reproductions, my friend has had them about 20 years now, and the old man who gave them to him told him they were HIS grandfathers, so we suspect they are old, but I can't find any other info on them... all the crates I have found are 3" or 3-1/2" or 2-3/4" shells, nothing for 2-5/8" Thanks for the replies! Broke

June 27, 2007, 08:19 AM	#5
johnbt Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Posts: 4,205	I did a little looking, but didn't find much. I don't know when they started using "Small Arms" on the boxes, but I'm guessing after Olin bought Winchester. John http://cgi.ebay.com/Winchester-Woode...QQcmdZViewItem Says Olin Corp. on it, so it's after 1931 when Olin bought Winchester. Then there's a really old looking one http://cgi.ebay.com/WINCHESTER-LEADE...QQcmdZViewItem

June 27, 2007, 09:37 PM	#6
Broke Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2007 Posts: 10	Awesome, thanks for the info on the date that Olin bought them, I can at least look for Olin on them somewhere. Broke

July 16, 2007, 11:53 AM	#7
Broke Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2007 Posts: 10	I couldn't find Olin on them anywhere, and I was told by someone at Winchester that the 2-5/8" shells were stopped in 1946, so they are at least older than 1946, and unless the Olin is hidden somewhere, they are older than 1931. I was told that there could be a lot number on them will allow the exact date to be produced, but the only numbers I found were on the Western crate, a 3-1-6 on one end. Pics of the boxes are here http://www.brokevw.com/ammo.html Broke