Post your shotshell headstamps here

CFA7547A-CB29-46F8-823A-9C7DE4C192B3.jpeg
Anyone care to date this?
EDIT: looks like that headstamping was used between 1892-1902
Union Metallic Co. became REM-UMC in 1911

I'm finding round nails and purple glass at this camp area.
I suspected teens era and this supports the case.
 

Last edited:
I'm with Charlie P and TPmetal, been hunting for near fifty years and found hundreds, all went in the trash along with the broken horse shoes and all the other iron junk. I got a detector to find "treasure", coins, jewelry, valuable relics, etc, and if I kept everything I have found I would need a bigger house. Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
 

I'm with Charlie P and TPmetal, been hunting for near fifty years and found hundreds, all went in the trash along with the broken horse shoes and all the other iron junk. I got a detector to find "treasure", coins, jewelry, valuable relics, etc, and if I kept everything I have found I would need a bigger house. Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Some people like yourself are after money (valuables).
Others enjoy finding valuables, but also enjoy using their finds to learn about history.
Things as simple as an old shotgun hull from the 1900's can help tell "the rest of the story".
 

Some people like yourself are after money (valuables).
Others enjoy finding valuables, but also enjoy using their finds to learn about history.
Things as simple as an old shotgun hull from the 1900's can help tell "the rest of the story".

I find shells don't give much context of history unless it is a very isolated site historically in that time period during the use of these shells( like some places out midwest/west). My thoughts on that are due to the nature of gun use mostly in hunting. Where it was in relation to game animals, with very little relation to other human activity, like dwellings and farm fields. so if you are hunting in places where there was no other civilization besides something like natives and later generation fur traders. then yeah sure it can have significant context, but here in western ny, they offer very little context.
 

I find shells don't give much context of history unless it is a very isolated site historically in that time period during the use of these shells( like some places out midwest/west). My thoughts on that are due to the nature of gun use mostly in hunting. Where it was in relation to game animals, with very little relation to other human activity, like dwellings and farm fields. so if you are hunting in places where there was no other civilization besides something like natives and later generation fur traders. then yeah sure it can have significant context, but here in western ny, they offer very little context.

There is history to enjoy there if you try.
7AECD3B1-3AA9-42BE-9AB8-97BF6A012B9D.jpeg

I do understand your point. In my situation there is a camp pad cut into the hillside.
That U.M.C. Smokeless hull was found laying on top of the pad along side many Flobert cases.
I figure they were shooting mice/rats/snakes that were sneaking into their camp.

I didn't see anything that suggested anything older than early 1900's
Since the hull was laying on top of the cut pad, I figure I could assume it was placed there around the time the camp was being used or sometime afterwards.

It's a steep nasty area with little reason for anyone to camp other than to work this little mine.
I figure one summer only.

Learned a little bit from a discarded shotgun hull, some nails, and a little bit of broken glass. that I would otherwise had no reason to investigate.
 

Last edited:
I just found a boatload. Any way to display them in a case? Besides a Riker mount? I'm running out of them.
 

Here is my favorite one of all times:
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2019-03-21 at 6.54.13 PM.jpg
    Screen Shot 2019-03-21 at 6.54.13 PM.jpg
    115 KB · Views: 56
Here's a cool web sight for shells ( WWW.cartridge-corner.com ) Click on Headstamp/cartridge Info & resources, Right hand column, click on USA shots hell headstamps.
 

Creskol, while my memory stinks anymore, I think yours is a Civil War period cartridge.
 

Couple more

Winchester #12 Repeater
20190321_212026.jpg

Peters Made in USA #12 Victor
20190321_211955.jpg
 

Last edited:
In my experience the majority of my oldest finds are 10 gauge. 12’s pretty evenly spread out and 16 and 20’s usually fairly new. Anybody else notice this?
 

There is history to enjoy there if you try.
View attachment 1693608

I do understand your point. In my situation there is a camp pad cut into the hillside.
That U.M.C. Smokeless hull was found laying on top of the pad along side many Flobert cases.
I figure they were shooting mice/rats/snakes that were sneaking into their camp.

I didn't see anything that suggested anything older than early 1900's
Since the hull was laying on top of the cut pad, I figure I could assume it was placed there around the time the camp was being used or sometime afterwards.

It's a steep nasty area with little reason for anyone to camp other than to work this little mine.
I figure one summer only.

Learned a little bit from a discarded shotgun hull, some nails, and a little bit of broken glass. that I would otherwise had no reason to investigate.

yeah so that situation makes sense.
 

View attachment 1693823
Very odd gauge... at least where I detect
View attachment 1693824
I can’t find anything on “NEW” climax

I heard of them- United States Cartridge Co., Lowell Massachusetts. U.S. Cartrige Co. also made the ever popular and rarely duplicated Ajax Heavies branded shells.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Cartridge_Company

The 28 ga. was first introduced by Parker Bros. in 1901 if I recall correctly.

I got me a 28ga. SxS. It is my go-to partridge and bunny gun. :thumbsup:
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top