Old Olin Corporation ammo

[CajunMan89]

I found a box of .45 caliber bullets from the Olin Corporation. I was hoping that someone could tell me more about them; perhaps how old they are, what type of gun(s) were most likely used for these, what the markings on the box mean.

 

[JohnBT]

Franklin Olin founded the Western Cartridge Company in 1898 irrc. He wanted to get into making shells because making blackpowder for blasting was seasonal.

From a CMP file, the headstamp format is the same for U.S. military ammo.


www.odcmp.org/1101/USGI.pdf

Western Cartridge Corporation:
Headstamp: WCC
Date Stamp: Last two digits of the year:

 

[CajunMan89]

Ok. That helps a little. Now I know what WCC is :Western Cartridge Corporation:

Just having a bit of trouble understanding the "last two digits of the year".

The box has "BALL M1911 and after that, LOT WCC " 2-7"

What does that mean?

 

[Murphy4570]

Look at the headstamp on one of the cartridges.

 

[19&41]

Looked up Olin. Interesting history.

http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/fullpage.asp?f=1&BzID=1548&to=cp&Nav=0&LangID=1&s=0&ID=6661

 

[bhk]

Olin is still making lots of ammo!!! Winchester ammo, for example, is make by Olin.

 

[FROGO207]

Yep as Murphy4570 asked you will have to look at the head stamp on the actual ammo. The lot number is repeated a number of times, often each year. This number refers to the machine/plant/load data. Not the date of manufacture back then. I would make a guess that it would be WWII dated due to the style of box as I had some that looked like that from that time frame.

 

[jojo200517]

It's just a wild guess but i'd have to say they are .45acp for the model 1911 pistol, ball ammo.


actually I'm just drawing that conclusion from the pics, the age of the ammo, being .45 cal and not looking long enough to be .45 long colt and it saying M1911 on the box I conclude .45acp

 

[col.lemat]

Military 45 ammo also used in the M3/M3A1 grease gun, Thompson submachine guns, Reising submachine guns

 

[CajunMan89]

Look at the headstamp on one of the cartridges.

On the back, WCC 73 is engraved around the detonator. Here are pics of one of the bullets. Sorry for the poor quality of the pics.

 

[scaatylobo]

Then my guess is that they were made in 1973.

 

[Hossfly68]

what's the marking around the brass that looks like a tire track? Never seen that before.

 

[CajunMan89]

I'm not sure.

 

[amflyer]

That's the bullet crimp, made in effort to stop setback of the bullet upon feeding.

 

[303tom]

WCC 73 / Winchester Cartridge Company 1973, I would say they were made for the 1911.

 

[JohnBT]

You know, if you blow up the first pic of the box top and look to the right of the number 7, it almost looks like there is a small 7 over a small 0 or 3. Or it could be a coffee stain.

 

[22-rimfire]

It should shoot just fine through a 1911 pistol chambered for 45ACP. 1973 is not that old in terms of functionality unless it was stored in a very damp place, but there does not seem to be any moisture indications except on a few shells. Not worth much in case you are wondering.

 

[DeepSouth]

A friend of mine at work gave me two boxes that looked almost exactly like that. The only difference was they said "target" beside the lot number on the box. He said his dad was drafted to Vietnam and when he came back he joint some kind of "military shooting club or something" (his words.) Anyway, he said he had kept them for years thinking he might shoot the one day but had never bought a 45 and probably never would. So he gave them to me to shoot. I shot one box then gave the other box to friend of mine that collects ammo as much as he does guns.

With that said I think 1973 would probably be right on as far as a date. I still have the brass from the ones I shot, don't know if I can find them. I have several thousand rounds of 45acp brass waiting on me to start reloading.

 

[mgmorden]

It should shoot just fine through a 1911 pistol chambered for 45ACP. 1973 is not that old in terms of functionality unless it was stored in a very damp place, but there does not seem to be any moisture indications except on a few shells. Not worth much in case you are wondering.

Yep, 1973 isn't all that old, and they're almost definately non-corrosive by then, so if you've got a 1911 and feel like shooting em, might as well. You could save them too - as 22-rimfire mentioned they're not really valuable right now, but in coming years who knows.

For the oxidation on the copper jackets, if you reload and have a tumbler available, just toss those rounds in there and tumble them for a few hours. They still will look a bit tarnished, but they'll be smooth and chamber/shoot just fine.

 

[CajunMan89]

I'll probably just keep them as they are; adds character. They still make a cool display even if they're not from WW2 as a friend of mine and a few others thought. Plus, it's a full box; maybe if they will eventually be worth anything, that will add to the value, I would assume.

 

[nipprdog]

I still have a few boxes of these;



Bought 10 of them a few years ago, from a coworker, for $12/box.