Old UMC 45-60 ammo?

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I found this old box of UMC 45-60 ammo in the bottom of a box I was going through. The box is pretty bad but all 20rds were there. Anyone have an idea how old these are? When I shook them I couldn't hear any powder rolling around so I think these are loaded with black powder. Are these balloon head cases? Are these collectable or is the box to far gone? Any info for curiosity's sake would be appreciated.122036

[w30wcf]

The box looks to be too far gone. Ammo with the UMC head stamp is pre 1911. The SH stands for solid head meaning that the cases are not the folded head type. They are known as a SHBP (solid head button pocket) which is a balloon head type case.

w30wcf

[2ndAmendmentNut]

So if I knocked these down and ran them through a stainless tumbler would they be safe to load?

[GoodOlBoy]

Yep after that date at some point is when Remington bough out UMC and the headstamps changed to REM UMC on them. They were still balloon head (button pocket) for a number of years after that point. I would LOVE to have one to give to my dad for his loaded bullet collection, and you might be able to sell them as is even as one offs. As for cleaning them up and reloading them. So long as you keep to factory spec loads, AND so long as the brass is still solid after cleaning yes you should be able to. Be warned DO NOT try to "push" the loads in these cases though. I still load black powder in balloon head 45LC cases on occasion. Never had cause for concern in them.

I would also be interested in seeing the bullets once they are pulled. A dollar to a dog biscuit says those are hollow base, but I could be wrong.

GoodOlBoy

[bob208]

with .45-60 brass so easy to make or even buy. made out of the latest. why would you even want to do all that work and shoot them? that last show I was at they were going for $5.00 each.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Wow $5 each? Should I even try to clean them as live ammo or just leave them as is?

[oldred]

JMO but it would be a Tar&Feathering offense, or at least should be, to tear down these collectible cartridges! To bad the box had deteriorated so much.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

These date from a period when the primer could only be chlorate (corrodes the bore and parts adjacent) or mercuric (promotes spitting of the brass.) I have some .40-82 cases, unloaded when I bought my Winchester 1886, and the balloon head was very thin indeed. I also have some 8x60R Portguese blanks, most of which have such bad neck cracking that they wouldn't hold a bullet. About all I don't know is whether this came from a previous firing with a mercuric military load, or from over a century of the fulminate of mercust just being there. It can be either, I believe, and it doesn't have to be the neck.

Dr. Franklin Mann wrote in 1909 that the manufacturers had admitted that the chlorate primer produced the extremely prevalent rusting of the time. But then as now,you can admit a lot in advertising and have nobody hear you, if you admit it the right way. So like mostof the work of this most meticulous and tireless of private experimenters, thisopinion went unnoticed. In 1918 theproblem was referred to a Dr. Huff of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, who by aprogram of experimentation ruled out the most popular theories, and establishedthe role of atmospheric humidity in activating dormant corrosion.

Those cases, cleaned up, would be a very interesting display item. Why not keep them that way, when you can buy .40x2.6 brass from Starline? It would be extremely strong, and you know exactly what primer would fit.


https://www.starlinebrass.com/brass-cases/45-100-Brass-45-26/

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Thanks for the info. I won't be knocking these down.