How old is this ammo?

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I’m selling my last .358Win next weekend and am gathering up all my reloading stuff to send with the BLR81. Found these in an ammo locker.

Two factory sealed boxes and one box of 12 + 8 once fired + 250 reloads I’m going to shoot up before Saturday. Anyone care to guess when they were bought?

 

[.38 Special]

I have similar boxes of rifle ammunition - with similar price tags! - which I'm pretty sure were purchased in the late '90s or early '00s.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I have similar boxes of rifle ammunition - with similar price tags! - which I'm pretty sure were purchased in the late '90s or early '00s.

Yup. ‘96. Good guess!

 

[.38 Special]

I look forward to the prize money.

 

[Riomouse911]

I have a few boxes of ammo from that era… and some older and newer, too.



I think I need to get out and shoot more.


Stay safe.

 

[Speedo66]

I have a few boxes of ammo from that era… and some older and newer, too.

View attachment 1155723

I think I need to get out and shoot more.


Stay safe.

Descending caliber order?

 

[conan32120]

.257 roberts +P? i wasn't aware rifle ammo had +P designations

 

[jmorris]

I think it’s the only one I have seen with the designation and a smaller increase in pressures vs others, percentage wise.

 

[Savage30L]

You folks are way off on the dates of manufacture. The X indicates manufacture date of 1982 (or 1958, but it doesn't look a 1958 box...).

The price looks like 1982 also, by the 90s .358 was much more expensive.

 

[JTHunter]

Some years ago, I realized that I wasn't shooting as much as I wanted to, mainly for a lack of facilities - or at least, ones that I could afford.
As a result, I put 2 "bricks" of Winchester Wildcats (.22LR - LRNs) in a metal canister with a desiccant and sealed the can with caulk and PVC tape. Those bricks were bought in the late '90s for $10 ($0.02/rd.) and are still in that can.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

You folks are way off on the dates of manufacture. The X indicates manufacture date of 1982 (or 1958, but it doesn't look a 1958 box...).

The price looks like 1982 also, by the 90s .358 was much more expensive.

Nope. I bought the ammo with the rifle in’96. I bought 4x 20- round boxes, never even opened two of them, so I would have good brass to reload Over the years I have been given more brass and now I’m going to be giving the unopened boxes, the brass, some Speer 250’s, my dies, a brick of LR primers and a pound of LVR to the new owner.

 

[.38 Special]

Nope. I bought the ammo with the rifle in’96. I bought 4x 20- round boxes, never even opened two of them, so I would have good brass to reload Over the years I have been given more brass and now I’m going to be giving the unopened boxes, the brass, some Speer 250’s, my dies, a brick of LR primers and a pound of LVR to the new owner.

Of course, being .358, it may have been on the dealer's shelf for decades.

 

[Savage30L]

Of course, being .358, it may have been on the dealer's shelf for decades.

Correct.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Of course, being .358, it may have been on the dealer's shelf for decades.

Absolutely!

 

[reddog81]

X3851 is just the product code. The X doesn't signify the year. Look at post #5 - there are multiple winchester boxes of ammo with an X prefix for the product code.

Google "winchester 358 win 200 grain" and look at the images. Any box that has a product code on the side shows X3851.

 

[Riomouse911]

.257 roberts +P? i wasn't aware rifle ammo had +P designations

Back in the days of ten dollar surplus rifles, I guess ammo makers feared guys would rebarrel old 7x57 guns into .257 Roberts and blow them up. The original specs were pretty mild, it was basically a longer .250-3000.

Once strong actions ruled, the pressure was brought into line with modern rounds to improve performance so a +P designation was given.

Stay safe.

 

[Savage30L]

X3851 is just the product code. The X doesn't signify the year. Look at post #5 - there are multiple winchester boxes of ammo with an X prefix for the product code.

Google "winchester 358 win 200 grain" and look at the images. Any box that has a product code on the side shows X3851.

Well, according to this chart, from the International Cartridge Collectors Association, the code does reflect the date of production.....

http://gigconceptsinc.com/files/Olin2.pdf

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I have a few boxes of ammo from that era… and some older and newer, too.

View attachment 1155723

I think I need to get out and shoot more.


Stay safe.

Holy velocity Batman! Is that 257 Roberts 117gr at 2960fps???? The 25-06 version of that load only does 2900fps out of my 26in barrel Remington 700!

 

[reddog81]

The date code is on the inside flap. There’s no way X3581 is a date code, it doesn’t fit the format in the link.
Here’s X375W. It stands for 375 Winchester. Date code is 56BE91. B is year. E is month 91 is date. May 19th 1984 would be the date on this box.

 

[Riomouse911]

Holy velocity Batman! Is that 257 Roberts 117gr at 2960fps???? The 25-06 version of that load only does 2900fps out of my 26in barrel Remington 700!

The Hornady Light Magnum ammo, the predecessor to the Superformance stuff today, had some…optimistic velocity numbers sonetimes. I guess one could get their claimed velocity with identical rifles to what they used. I don’t think my 722 gets that speed, but I do know the gun doesn’t shoot it all that well. (Too long a bullet for the twist I think.)

Stay safe.