Different Winchester Headstamps ?

Grey_Lion · August 9, 2018, 06:45 AM

A nagging curiosity -

Does anyone here know why Winchester seems to have so many different headstamps?

Is it a factory designation?

Is it historical?

Is it an ammo grade indication?

zeke · August 9, 2018, 09:36 AM

Am guessing it is from differing contractors that made Win bulk rounds over the years.

F. Guffey · August 9, 2018, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Different Winchester Headstamps ?

Winchester went out of business in 1929, I believe Winchester used WRA as the head stamp. Western/Olin purchased Winchester cartridge; so? The last cartridge manufactured by Winchester had to be about the time Winchester got out of the hardware business in 1929. After that there was WW or Winchester Western, Winchester etc., all of that mixed in with WCC or Western Cartridge Company.

F. Guffey

Nick_C_S · August 9, 2018, 06:13 PM

I can think of about six other Winchester headstamps aside from the ones in the pic - at least.

They have been one of the more popular manufacturers of ammunition for a lot of decades. A whole bunch of headstamps is no surprise to me.

pete2 · August 10, 2018, 08:58 AM

I see some of recent that strongly resembles S&B brass in 45ACP. See some strange looking Federal stuff also.

**Mike Irwin** · August 10, 2018, 09:03 AM

WMA is apparently stands for Winchester Military Ammo and is used exclusively by their Oxford, Mississippi, plant.

Which is somewhat odd, given that .40 S&W isn't a military cartridge. My guess is that they load it at the plant between military contracts and simply use the headstamp to designate manufacture location.

But, most companies have a variety of headstamp styles, and have had for many years.

No clue whether there's a rhyme/reason for it or not.

kmw1954 · August 10, 2018, 10:06 AM

During the months were it gets either too hot or too cold to be outdoors and I get completely bored being retired I will go thru and sort brand head stamps, 5 or 6 Winchester, 3 or 4 Federal and the 3 or 4 Remington. Not that I truly believe it's going to make a difference but it is something to do that is gun related.

Grey_Lion · August 16, 2018, 10:38 AM

After not finding a solid Winchester contact email, I did discover that they maintain a facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/WinchesterOfficial/posts/

I dropped the question there - see if we can get something closer to a definitive answer.

Update - found 2 online contact forms and posted in both - Hopefully we'll get an answer from them as neither one was a "complaint" :-)

Grey_Lion · August 16, 2018, 10:21 PM

Got a reply to one of my 2 submitted notes - "The information you requested is considered proprietary information and is not published, sorry for the inconvenience."

**Unclenick** · August 17, 2018, 09:27 AM

The ones labeled WMA-## are the military style headstamp with the number being the last two digits of the year it was manufactured. May have been government agency ammo.

The upper right case is stamped NT for Non-Toxic, meaning it used a lead-free primer (DDNT sensitizer rather than the standard lead styphnate sensitizer) and a bullet whose lead core was completely enclosed. These are mainly for indoor ranges concerned with lead contamination.

The ones that spell out Winchester vs. just saying WIN are variations I've seen for as long as I can remember. I've got .357 brass from the 70's and 80's that are some of each. It may be, as Mike suggested, that these stamps just identify different source facilities.

F. Guffey · August 17, 2018, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Got a reply to one of my 2 submitted notes - "The information you requested is considered proprietary information and is not published, sorry for the inconvenience."

Quote:

proprietary

I have a few BMG 40 30/06 cases. I did not insist they were Browning Automatic Machinegun and I did not insist they had a pattern on the case head that could have been used to off set the length of the case from the shoulder to the case head; BUT! That explanation would have been an easier sale that than the truth.

F. Guffey

August 9, 2018, 06:13 PM	#4
Nick_C_S Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,523	I can think of about six other Winchester headstamps aside from the ones in the pic - at least. They have been one of the more popular manufacturers of ammunition for a lot of decades. A whole bunch of headstamps is no surprise to me. __________________ Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself. Life Member, National Rifle Association

August 10, 2018, 09:03 AM	#6
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,383	WMA is apparently stands for Winchester Military Ammo and is used exclusively by their Oxford, Mississippi, plant. Which is somewhat odd, given that .40 S&W isn't a military cartridge. My guess is that they load it at the plant between military contracts and simply use the headstamp to designate manufacture location. But, most companies have a variety of headstamp styles, and have had for many years. No clue whether there's a rhyme/reason for it or not. __________________ "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.

August 16, 2018, 10:38 AM	#8
Grey_Lion Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2018 Location: Baton Rouge - Louisiana Posts: 407	After not finding a solid Winchester contact email, I did discover that they maintain a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pg/WinchesterOfficial/posts/ I dropped the question there - see if we can get something closer to a definitive answer. Update - found 2 online contact forms and posted in both - Hopefully we'll get an answer from them as neither one was a "complaint" :-) Last edited by Grey_Lion; August 16, 2018 at 10:46 AM.

August 17, 2018, 09:27 AM	#10
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,061	The ones labeled WMA-## are the military style headstamp with the number being the last two digits of the year it was manufactured. May have been government agency ammo. The upper right case is stamped NT for Non-Toxic, meaning it used a lead-free primer (DDNT sensitizer rather than the standard lead styphnate sensitizer) and a bullet whose lead core was completely enclosed. These are mainly for indoor ranges concerned with lead contamination. The ones that spell out Winchester vs. just saying WIN are variations I've seen for as long as I can remember. I've got .357 brass from the 70's and 80's that are some of each. It may be, as Mike suggested, that these stamps just identify different source facilities. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

August 9, 2018, 09:36 AM	#2
zeke Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 1999 Location: NW Wi Posts: 1,671	Am guessing it is from differing contractors that made Win bulk rounds over the years.

August 10, 2018, 08:58 AM	#5
pete2 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 2,566	I see some of recent that strongly resembles S&B brass in 45ACP. See some strange looking Federal stuff also.

August 10, 2018, 10:06 AM	#7
kmw1954 Senior Member Join Date: June 11, 2016 Location: SE Wisconsin Posts: 1,524	During the months were it gets either too hot or too cold to be outdoors and I get completely bored being retired I will go thru and sort brand head stamps, 5 or 6 Winchester, 3 or 4 Federal and the 3 or 4 Remington. Not that I truly believe it's going to make a difference but it is something to do that is gun related.

August 16, 2018, 10:21 PM	#9
Grey_Lion Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2018 Location: Baton Rouge - Louisiana Posts: 407	Got a reply to one of my 2 submitted notes - "The information you requested is considered proprietary information and is not published, sorry for the inconvenience."