Dating Winchester/Western Ammo Boxes

foxfirerodandgun · May 15, 2017

Eng said:
way too old. i like them younger than 30, preferably blond.

(PS) I have children much older than thirty and grandchildren at least 30. I'll tell them to watch out for you. :rofl:

PowPow · May 15, 2017

foxfirerodandgun said:
Thank you for the input. Here are pictures of the box. I hope they help.

So they were had from Wards for $4.75 and made on Jan 14, 1960. Nice pics! :party29:

tallen702 · May 24, 2017

PowPow said:
So they were had from Wards for $4.75 and made on Jan 14, 1960. Nice pics!

Adjusted for inflation, that's some expensive ammo!

$39.37 in today's dollars. Yeesh!

foxfirerodandgun · Jun 7, 2017

1946 Style Box Date

OK--- I still am very confused and still do not seem to understand how to accurately read and decipher the Winchester / Western date code system. I have a full box of the red & yellow 1946 style box of Winchester Super Speed .22 LR. The date code on the end flap is ME 72 B. Reading from left to right I get 1948 27 but what does the ME stand for? My head is about to detonate!

Any help in dating this box will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
James

d'Artagnan · Jun 7, 2017

In the Western format lot number ME 72 B the date is in the ME 72 portion. It is read from RIGHT to LEFT. 72 becomes 27, E is May, and M is 1937, 1957, 1977, 1997, or 2017. But the Red & Yellow 1946 style boxes were only in use from 1946 to about 1961, so the winner is 1957 -- 27 May 1957. As to why there is a Western format lot number on a Winchester box prior to both merging in East Alton, Illinois: because Winchester made ammunition and components and packed them in Western boxes and Western made ammunition and components and packed them in Winchester boxes.
As I type this I am reminded that in 1928 Remington came out with their Kleanbore primers, about 1929 Winchester came out with their Staynless primers, Peters came out with their Rustless primers, in 1929 Dominion Cartridge (Canadian) came out with their Superclean primers. Why didn't Western (in 1929 Western announced that all their primers were now noncorrosive) Trade Mark their primers? Because they were making primers identical to/interchangable with/following the same recipe as Winchester Staynless primers. That's why Western could make primers and package them in Winchester boxes with Winchester's Staynless Trade Mark, and Winchester could make primers and package them in Western boxes: because they were identical. Not a great leap to think they did the same for their ammo.

foxfirerodandgun · Jun 7, 2017

Once again, THANK YOU!! Maybe I'll understand this system as time goes by.

James

foxfirerodandgun · Sep 27, 2017

I have two white, five round boxes of Super X, 16 gauge, 4/5 ounce slugs. One is marked Western Super X with a red X, and the other id marked Winchester Super X with a yellow X. The codes on the side flaps read:

1) Yellow X = N1695D5 & E106438

2) Red X = SD16206A & E108742

Is the first set of numbers the date of manufacture and the second set possibly a lot number? The “Warning” statement is on both boxes so the date would be 1962 or later. However, I still am unable to decode the numbers to find the dates on manufacture. Could someone please help me determine these dates? Many thanks.

James

Bryan Austin · Mar 8, 2020

d'Artagnan

Thank you for this information. I always knew there was a method to the madness but I could never figure it out! I have seen this on boxes of recalled ammunition but just couldn't bust the code!!

I do have several questions thought if I may;

1. On your Post War "1946" box code 8 2 29H, how did you come up with the year? I got the 29 August but 1952 should be an F. Is it 8-2=6 and 6=F and F=1952?
2. I am well on my way to dating ammo boxes now but I am wondering about the start-stop production dates on a few runs.

Winchester manufactures Cowboy Action loads for the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting. I have the following but need the dates and was hoping you could help.

19??-20?? - Blue Box, example box date ME92 - 29 November 1992

20??-20?? - Brown Box, example box date BG61 - 16 July 2008

20??-pres - Grey Super-X Old West Town, ???

THANKS!!
https://sites.google.com/view/44winchester/

Bryan Austin · Mar 18, 2020

I am making some headway!
https://sites.google.com/view/44win...s/winchester-cartridge-box-timeline-1960-2020

Brickman301 · Mar 19, 2020

Neat.

Bryan Austin · Feb 22, 2021

Thanks to this topic, I have compiled an almost complete list for the 44-40 for the Winchester/Western line from 1928 to present.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...cnEM1lv6tCWBJsCOB8vLIDOIg/edit#gid=1860800684

Please share your 44-40 box codes so I can add them to the list.

Regards.

BTW, this topic should be a sticky!

My77gmc · Aug 9, 2022

Thanks for putting this together for future folks

My little contribution:

Curious if anybody knows when this box was born

So far I think November 11 1948

Western cartridge co

Number on box side flap 45CN

Number on box side K1490C

Number on inside of flap 63BM11

I found the same box design in 1938 and 1939 western cartridge catalog here:

https://cartridgecollectors.org/ammunition-catalogs/Western

d'Artagnan · Aug 9, 2022

Yes, 11 November 1948. A 1968 box would have the "Warning: keep out of reach of children", and a 1928 box would be an entirely different style.

Mobeetie · Feb 3, 2023

I’m late to this conversation but I’m stumped. The only ID on my box is on one end flap and is 24 A7512. Any ideas?

d'Artagnan · Feb 4, 2023

Cool box. Although your 1st post-war style box says Winchester, the A in the lot number indicates it actually rolled off a Western production line. Winchester and Western did this alot from 1931 until 1958 when they merged production in East Alton, Illinois. The 7512 is in Winchester-format for 12 July and some year ending in 5, either 1955 or 1965. I'm going with 1955 even though with low production calibers like 358 Winchester they would use up all the old boxes (1st post-war style) before starting to use the new yellow boxes, which with popular calibers started about 1961. By law, a 1st post-war style box used after 1961 would have to have an overlabel reading "WARNING: Keep Out Of Reach Of Children".

Mobeetie · Feb 4, 2023

d'Artagnan said:
Cool box. Although your 1st post-war style box says Winchester, the A in the lot number indicates it actually rolled off a Western production line. Winchester and Western did this alot from 1931 until 1958 when they merged production in East Alton, Illinois. The 7512 is in Winchester-format for 12 July and some year ending in 5, either 1955 or 1965. I'm going with 1955 even though with low production calibers like 358 Winchester they would use up all the old boxes (1st post-war style) before starting to use the new yellow boxes, which with popular calibers started about 1961. By law, a 1st post-war style box used after 1961 would have to have an overlabel reading "WARNING: Keep Out Of Reach Of Children".

d’Artagnan, thank you so much for responding so quickly. Your work on subject is very much appreciated.

Dating Winchester/Western Ammo Boxes

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