.22 shell headstamp

[atomicscott]

Hey everyone,
Just hoping to get some info on a .22 lr caliber shell casing I found near a section of the bautista trail out here in SoCal. I will post pics in a few, I'm super busy right now. Just wanted to see if anyone has heard of a .22 shell with a headstamp that reads US. I tried google, didn't find anything so far. Thanks so much for any help or comments. Scott

 

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[TheCannonballGuy]

It was made by the United States Cartridge Company, of Lowell Massachusetts. The company was in business from 1869 to 1936, when it was sold to the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. of Bridgeport CT. From 1869 through the 1870s or early 1880s, the USC company's "US" headstamp on cartridges was in "raised" letters, and thereafter was in "depressed" letters.

 

[atomicscott]

It was made by the United States Cartridge Company, of Lowell Massachusetts. The company was in business from 1869 to 1936, when it was sold to the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. of Bridgeport CT. From 1869 through the 1870s or early 1880s, the USC company's "US" headstamp on cartridges was in "raised" letters, and thereafter was in "depressed" letters.

Thanks so much for the info cannonball! I actually did find that info out as well. I read the USSC was actually in business until 1926. Now I at least know there could be some old goodies in the area! Kinda interesting it ended up in a dry streambed in SoCal. Thanks again, Scott

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

You're welcome, Scott.

In researching for my answer to your question, I came across some contradicting info about the USCCo's end-date. One document I found said it was bought by Winchester in 1926 and its cartridge-making machinery got moved to Winchester's factory. But another website shows a huge collection of US Cartridge Co. bullet boxes, and says "production ended in 1936." So I went with the latter date in my reply-post. Perhaps the 1926 end-date (instead of 1936) is a typo error?

 

[NOLA_Ken]

The plant in Lowell MA was phased out beginning in 1922, after National Lead Co, bought a controlling interest (National Lead also controlled Winchester). By 1926 cartridge production had been moved to New Haven, and the Lowell plant officially closed on Jan 1 1927. I think the 1936 date might be due to Winchester continuing to use the name. I'll need to look into it a bit more.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Ken, the website with the huge collection of .22-cal. US Ctg. Co. boxes is http://22box-id.com/Dunn/USC.pdf

That webpage shows a very long .pdf document, with many-many photos of the bullet boxes, and info about them. (All are .22-cal. bullet boxes, as the website's name "22box-ID" implies.) Atomicscott's casing is a .22-cal, so this site seemed to me to be a good place for info about it. By the way, Scott, I noted that many of the bullet-box pictorial labels show a cartridge with the "US" headstamp on it. Ken, here's some relevant info from almost at the very end of that .pdf document:

1926 ISSUES​

The next step came when Winchester purchased the assets of the U.S. Cartridge Company fromthe National Lead Company. Winchester agreed to maintain the U.S. label for ten years from thatdate. The address on the top of box was changed from Lowell, Mass. to New York, N.Y. The MADEIN U.S.A. was removed from the top and put on the box side. The N.R.A. loadings were droppedfrom the product during the middle 1930's.​

Notes:​

​

​

​

​

(1) Two different size headstamps have been noted during this period.​

(2) End flap reads CAUTION DANGEROUS WITHIN 1 MILE starting with this period

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Winchester agreed to maintain the U.S. label for ten years from thatdate.

Well that would explain the 1936 date, I also found a reference to a federal lawsuit from the late 1940's dealing with something about wartime labor issues. I'd guess from WW1, but I didn't have time to read it all

The first link that I used is here : http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...sg=AFQjCNGOlb-D5tDxi_5dU-GUCdJF7Zvywg&cad=rja

I can't find the lawsuit article again for some reason.

 

[atomicscott]

Well that would explain the 1936 date, I also found a reference to a federal lawsuit from the late 1940's dealing with something about wartime labor issues. I'd guess from WW1, but I didn't have time to read it all

The first link that I used is here : http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=us+cartridge+co&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Flowelllandtrust.org%2Fgreenwayclassroom%2Fhistory%2FUSCartridgeCompany.pdf&ei=LR76T9zkMKa-2AXSlf3eBg&usg=AFQjCNGOlb-D5tDxi_5dU-GUCdJF7Zvywg&cad=rja

I can't find the lawsuit article again for some reason.

Thanks so much guys for your help. I only spent about 1.5 hours in that dry stream, it was 103 degrees that day and no shade whatsoever. I'm going back to see what else could be there! So cool NOFX mentions detecting in there lyrics! Scott

 

[NOLA_Ken]

So cool NOFX mentions detecting in there lyrics! Scott

I just had to check what song it came from, it's "Linoleum" from their "Punk in Drublic" album.......

 

[frojones]

I just dug up one of these .22 shells next to a tree in a grass strip across from a local park. It's cool to see that it is fairly old, and even cooler to see NoFX savvy people on here!

 

[Davers]

I just dug up one of these .22 shells next to a tree in a grass strip across from a local park. It's cool to see that it is fairly old, and even cooler to see NoFX savvy people on here!

"NoFX" What?

 

[turtlefoot13]

Well that would explain the 1936 date, I also found a reference to a federal lawsuit from the late 1940's dealing with something about wartime labor issues. I'd guess from WW1, but I didn't have time to read it all

The first link that I used is here : http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=us+cartridge+co&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Flowelllandtrust.org%2Fgreenwayclassroom%2Fhistory%2FUSCartridgeCompany.pdf&ei=LR76T9zkMKa-2AXSlf3eBg&usg=AFQjCNGOlb-D5tDxi_5dU-GUCdJF7Zvywg&cad=rja

I can't find the lawsuit article again for some reason.

Can I jump in here. Pretty much everything has been already stated. Winchester purchased the United States Cartridge Company in 1926. Olin (think Western Cartridge Company) absorbed Winchester in 1931 and ammunition was sold under the US name until 1936. The United Stated Cartridge Company name was kept alive a lot longer than that though (but not for commercial civilian reasons). During WWII, the United States Cartridge Company ran the St. Louis Ordinance Plant and produced billions of rounds of ammunition. I am going to guess the lawsuit was from the WWII era and the St. Louis Ordinance Plant era.

Below is a 1943 ad showing the use of the United States Cartridge Company name.

 

[scoobydo]

It was made by the United States Cartridge Company, of Lowell Massachusetts. The company was in business from 1869 to 1936, when it was sold to the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. of Bridgeport CT. From 1869 through the 1870s or early 1880s, the USC company's "US" headstamp on cartridges was in "raised" letters, and thereafter was in "depressed" letters.

I found a 22 shell casing with a letter C stamped on the rim. Any idea who manufactured it?

 

[fyrffytr1]

I found a 22 shell casing with a letter C stamped on the rim. Any idea who manufactured it?

Welcome to the site. Your casing may be a Creedmore. Here's a link: Creedmore Cartridge Company Barberton, Ohio
And here's a tip, when you have a question about a find it is better to start a new thread about it. That way it will get more attention.

 

[stefen]

Thanks so much guys for your help. I only spent about 1.5 hours in that dry stream, it was 103 degrees that day and no shade whatsoever. I'm going back to see what else could be there! So cool NOFX mentions detecting in there lyrics! Scott

FYI...The 22 cal is the longest caliber manufactured in the world...since the mid 1850's to date.

There is no reason why the US stamped 22 shells couldn't have been used all over the the lower US.

Someone was plinking and usually doesn't pick up their spent shells.

I've always have used Peters LR & shorts (mfg) and occasionally find a spent shell at times.