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GOPHER SLAYER
12-25-2012, 03:46 PM
A friend gave me this old box of practice ammo yesterday and I would like to know if anyone had seen ever these. I don't want to open the box but I would like to see a loaded round. As you can see they were very precise in recording the loading information.

GunFun
12-25-2012, 03:55 PM
Picture wasn't uploaded...

starmac
12-25-2012, 04:24 PM
I have some just like that somewhere, but since they are invisible I haven't been able to find them. lol

41 mag fan
12-25-2012, 04:32 PM
I have some just like that somewhere, but since they are invisible I haven't been able to find them. lol

Maybe like me they're right under your nose the whole time starmac??!! So close if it was a snake it'd of bit you!!

GOPHER SLAYER
12-25-2012, 04:33 PM
Please forgive my oversight. Just before posting my thread I received an E-MAIL saying an AR15 wasn't used in the recent school shooting. What else will come out in the next few days? Anyway, here are the pictures.

41 mag fan
12-25-2012, 04:55 PM
OHHH thats the ammo that wass invisible and hiding right under my nose!!

Artful
12-25-2012, 05:30 PM
http://cartridgecollectors.org/?page=introduction-to-30-06-cartridges
http://cartridgecollectors.org/images/introduction-to-30-06-cartridges/30-0he31.jpg
Guard/Gallery rounds: Early M1906; Late M1906; Late M1906 sectioned; M1919 Gallery: sectioned gallery; hollow jacket experimental from FA.
http://www.oldammo.com/BoxesForSale/3006gallery.jpg
A Clip of.30-06 Gallery Cartridges


A 5 round clip for the Model 1903 Springfield rifle, filled with .30-06 Model 1919 gallery practice cartridges.
The 140 grain lead bullets make these pretty easy to identify. Like most I have seen, these are headstamped RA H 18, indicating they were made by Remington Arms at their Hoboken, New Jersey plant in 1918.
The fact that the headstamp seems to pre-date the model number of the cartridge is explained by the fact that unfired rejected cases were used in the production of these cartridges.
I have several of these full clips, all in very good condition. $10.00
http://www.oldammo.com/boxes.htm

MtGun44
12-25-2012, 05:35 PM
Colllector status, I have no idea exactly how rare or valuable, but usually consumables
like this are consumed, so very few remain in prestine condition like these are. I would
suggest that you do not open or use if you want them to maintain maximum value.
Often these are put into a plastic wrapper (ziplock bag for temp protection) to keep
from general wear and tear.

Very neat to see a package like that in such perfect condition.

I expect some expert will tell you how rare and valuable they are.

Bill

Smitty's Retired
12-25-2012, 05:48 PM
Gopher Slayer, Very nice collectible you have. A lot of the old National Guard and Reserve units would have a indoor practice range in their Armory. It usually consisted of a room that would have one or two lanes with a sand trap with a slanted steel back plate. As shown in the previous post, the boolits would be made of lead, along with a reduced load (in comparison to the standard .30 Cal Ball round) and some had an oversized primer that almost looked like a shotgun shell primer. I am not sure if all the practice rounds had this type of primer, but some earlier dates I have seen had them, and some had standard primers, but were later dates. Although I have never read or seen any articles or proof on it, I believe the early dated practice rounds had the large primer so they could be reloaded at the unit level. I know for a fact some other rounds had Armorer Reloading kits. Later, due to cost, they probably went to the standard primer. Just my thoughts.

The National Guard Unit I was in years ago, still had the indoor range, but it was never used. I am not sure about the .30 caliber ammo, but our Unit Armor still had an old .45 Auto hand loading rig that was used to reload for practice rounds. It was similar in components to the old Lee hand loader but made a little different, and was in a metal box. We were a Combat Engineer Unit, and we also had a reloading kit for practice Mines, practice grenades and for booby trap simulators. I got out in 1994. Our Battalion was deactivated in 1995. The platoons were distributed and transitioned into other Mech Infantry units, and some went to a transportation unit. The Armory was turned over to the City and is now rented out. I would have liked to be able to see what all was turned back in that was considered obsolete. I know for a fact the Armorer still had a Armorer's Kit for the M1919, and also for the M14.

Here is a picture of a 30 cal practice round primer.

56758

As for price, it is kind of like prices on C&R Rifles. I have seen several at Gun Shows, and prices range all over the spectrum. Just the same as original bandoleers of WWII era ammo still in e-clips. But, an unopened box in as good a condition as yours I suspect would bring a premium. I don't know about todays price, but the last time I saw some 30-06 or 30 Caliber practice ammo at a gun show, still in the box that had been opened, the guy was asking $3.00 each or $50 for the entire box. He had three boxes, all had been opened, and one had 5 cartridges missing. He also had some 30-40 Krag practice ammo, and he was proud of them. :roll:

DLCTEX
12-25-2012, 06:42 PM
Our Guard Armory in Sweetwater, Tx. had a bullet trap, but as far as I know no one used it during my time. I think it left when we became an engineer Co.

GOPHER SLAYER
12-25-2012, 07:03 PM
Thanks everyone. I knew you guys could help me out. I once had two boxes of military 45-70 made for the trap door rifle. They were white boxes with a string you pulled to open. Unfortunately I sold them as well as some paper wrapped .58 cal rounds loaded at the St Louis Arsenal in 1863.

dagger dog
12-25-2012, 07:40 PM
If you are going to store that ammo pack in a plastic bag, find one of those little dessicant containers-bag (don't eat it), that come in pill bottles and some edibles. It'll remove any moisure which coud be present in the paper.

Wayne Smith
12-26-2012, 08:59 AM
To more fully answer a question put on another thread: Thus Armory molds. Local National Guard Armories used them.

KCSO
12-26-2012, 10:55 AM
Good grief DONT SHOOT those, the ammo is very collictable put it on swapping and you will get enough for plenty shoooting ammo.

firefly1957
12-26-2012, 04:02 PM
Another thing to mention is those are primed with either mercury or corrosive primers.

GOPHER SLAYER
12-26-2012, 04:26 PM
Again I want to thank all of you who answered my inqury about the practice ammo. I wouldn't dream of opening the box much less try to shoot it. Fore one thing I don't need anymore 30.06 ammo. i have more brass, bullets and 30 cal molds than I could ever possibly use. The friend who gave me the practice ammo also gave me over four thousand primers along with other ammo,bullets and even a .38 cal pistol. Another reason is my interest has shifted to larger bore single shots. I just can't get enogh of them. I have plenty of brass and bullets for all my guns but it gets harder to find some place to shoot. I do envy all of you guys who live in places where you can find shooting ranges close to home and don't have to go one hundred miles round trip to enjoy a day of shooting as I do.