Old Shotgun ammo

elongatus · March 5, 2010, 04:47 PM

I found these while cleaning out my dad's ammo storage. does any body know if they are valuable or not? all the boxes are full of unfired paper shells and seem to be in great condition.

**Mike Irwin** · March 5, 2010, 11:03 PM

Probably from the 1930s to sometime in the 1950s.

In that condition, full box, yeah, they're worth something.

I've seen similar boxes of Remington shotshells on tables at gun shows at collector prices of $50 or more a box.

GunsAreGood · March 6, 2010, 06:27 AM

They are definitely worth holding on to. Great find.

Fullthrottle · March 7, 2010, 01:16 AM

Sorry I can't even guess at any kind of value, but I would hang on to them, they may be worth a bit to the right collector!

elongatus · March 8, 2010, 12:03 PM

does anybody know of anyone that collects this stuff?

sp45 · March 8, 2010, 12:10 PM

1950s production. That vintage does not have much collector value. You still se quite a bit of it around. If you can get 20.00 per box go ahead and take it or put it up on the mantel to look at.

Fullthrottle · March 9, 2010, 12:16 AM

"SP45:You still se quite a bit of it around"

Really?, Where?

Ridgerunner · March 9, 2010, 10:02 PM

I buy every box of ammo like that that I can find. I shoot it in my Parker 20's. They pattern correctly with that old stuff as that is what they were made to shoot-no shot cups. I love that old stuff and have it stacked high on my shelves in every gauge from 28-10, except 16. That old stuff just smells right when you shoot it too...

elongatus · March 12, 2010, 09:46 AM

So, should I just shoot the stuff and hold onto the boxes? or does the ammo make it more valuable to collectors?

**Mike Irwin** · March 12, 2010, 09:56 AM

Full, unopened boxes are ALWAYS more desirable than empty boxes.

cornbush · March 12, 2010, 10:13 AM

My grandpa has been reloading paper hulls for 50 years, nothing smells as good as a freshly fired paper shell

.
I dont think I could keep them unfired.

sp45 · March 16, 2010, 02:35 PM

I have a gunsmith shop and many times you see partial boxes and full ones come in. For quite a while I sold collectible and hard to find ammo. I still have some left but the collectible market has dropped considerably in the last two years. I have about 200 pounds of paper shells in 12 and 20 gage. I stopped takeing them to gun shows as there ils not much interest in loose shells unless there is something special. 8 gage, 10 gage 2 7/8", and the odd gages like 24, 18, 28, 32 and 410 in 2" are worth money but they are getting harder to find. Remington are usually the lowest on the ladder of collectible ammo. If you are looking for lanything specific let me know. I do not have any early two piece boxes in shotgun but I do have some nice Peters from the 30's. I would post a photo if I knew how.

March 5, 2010, 11:03 PM	#2
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,383	Probably from the 1930s to sometime in the 1950s. In that condition, full box, yeah, they're worth something. I've seen similar boxes of Remington shotshells on tables at gun shows at collector prices of $50 or more a box. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

March 6, 2010, 06:27 AM	#3
GunsAreGood Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2010 Posts: 300	They are definitely worth holding on to. Great find. __________________ From my cold dead hands If guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns

March 7, 2010, 01:16 AM	#4
Fullthrottle Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2009 Posts: 280	Sorry I can't even guess at any kind of value, but I would hang on to them, they may be worth a bit to the right collector! __________________ When seconds count, why is help minutes away?

March 9, 2010, 12:16 AM	#7
Fullthrottle Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2009 Posts: 280	"SP45:You still se quite a bit of it around" Really?, Where? __________________ When seconds count, why is help minutes away?

March 12, 2010, 09:56 AM	#10
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,383	Full, unopened boxes are ALWAYS more desirable than empty boxes. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

March 8, 2010, 12:03 PM	#5
elongatus Junior Member Join Date: March 5, 2010 Posts: 11	does anybody know of anyone that collects this stuff?

March 8, 2010, 12:10 PM	#6
sp45 Junior Member Join Date: March 5, 2010 Posts: 7	1950s production. That vintage does not have much collector value. You still se quite a bit of it around. If you can get 20.00 per box go ahead and take it or put it up on the mantel to look at.

March 9, 2010, 10:02 PM	#8
Ridgerunner Junior Member Join Date: March 9, 2010 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska Posts: 13	I buy every box of ammo like that that I can find. I shoot it in my Parker 20's. They pattern correctly with that old stuff as that is what they were made to shoot-no shot cups. I love that old stuff and have it stacked high on my shelves in every gauge from 28-10, except 16. That old stuff just smells right when you shoot it too...

March 12, 2010, 09:46 AM	#9
elongatus Junior Member Join Date: March 5, 2010 Posts: 11	So, should I just shoot the stuff and hold onto the boxes? or does the ammo make it more valuable to collectors?

March 12, 2010, 10:13 AM	#11
cornbush Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: The retarded place below Idaho Posts: 1,408	My grandpa has been reloading paper hulls for 50 years, nothing smells as good as a freshly fired paper shell. I dont think I could keep them unfired.

March 16, 2010, 02:35 PM	#12
sp45 Junior Member Join Date: March 5, 2010 Posts: 7	I have a gunsmith shop and many times you see partial boxes and full ones come in. For quite a while I sold collectible and hard to find ammo. I still have some left but the collectible market has dropped considerably in the last two years. I have about 200 pounds of paper shells in 12 and 20 gage. I stopped takeing them to gun shows as there ils not much interest in loose shells unless there is something special. 8 gage, 10 gage 2 7/8", and the odd gages like 24, 18, 28, 32 and 410 in 2" are worth money but they are getting harder to find. Remington are usually the lowest on the ladder of collectible ammo. If you are looking for lanything specific let me know. I do not have any early two piece boxes in shotgun but I do have some nice Peters from the 30's. I would post a photo if I knew how.