7 mm ammo

[Battis]

A few weeks ago I bought an 1893 Spanish Mauser 7x57. Today I found a box of unopened cartridges.
I was tempted to open the box but decided not to.

[Hardcast416taylor]

This reminds me of the time when I was digging around in my ammo cabinets for I don`t remember what now and I came across 3 boxes of Kynoch 7mm Mauser FMJ 50 round boxes unopened. Have no idea when I got these or from whom.Robert

[ascast]

cool I would not open it- that said I have a bunch of 11mm Mauser and Werndl ammo in original army issue type paste board boxes; circa 1870. The glue has come off a lot of them. Maybe because they were stored out in the shop and get full temperature and humidity swings.I am not sure how to avoid that. good luck

[Larry Gibson]

I have 2 boxes of the same except mine are the FMJ bullets. The cases are headstamped "U.M.C. 7mm". The U.M.C. 8 1/2 primer is used and there is 33.9 gr of a round donut flat powder, probably Hercules Sharpshooter. The bullets weighed right at 173 gr and were .285 diameter. As you can see of the 9 rounds I tested in a sporterized M95 Chilean with cut down barrel (24") there were 3 fail to fires. The other 6 rounds had an SD of 10 fps, an ES of 25 fps and an average velocity (muzzle) of 2311 fps. The measured psi (Oehler M43 PBL) was 57,200 psi. That is at the max C.I.P. MAP for the 7x57 cartridge.

209694

209695

[Battis]

I'm tempted to open that box just to see what's in it, which makes no sense because I know what's in it. The box is still sealed so I'll leave it alone.
Any idea of the date of manufacture?

[jrmartin1964]

To the OP, your box would date from between 1911 and 1915. Prior to 1911, U.M.C. and Remington were separate enterprises, and beginning in 1916 the callout "Union Metallic Cartridge Works" no longer appeared on cartridge box labels.

Jim

[Geezer in NH]

DO NOT OPEN IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! please keep it intact they are no making them anymore and are a part of history.

[Battis]

I always resist the temptation. I have unopened boxes of ammo that are older (30-40 Krag).

[Larry Gibson]

The box I used to test was opened, the 2nd box I have is not and will remain as such. I believe and already have been told knowing the actual components of the ammunition and having tested it for pressure and actual velocity adds to the actual value of the remaining box. Sort of like knowing the actual history of a particular milsurp rifle instead of just what is gleaned from unrelated sources. I don't know as I am not a collector.

[beemer]

I was given a couple of partial boxes of this ammo. I couldn't resist firing a few rounds out of my 95 Chilean Mauser. I shot four rounds off a sand bag rest and all were in about 2 1/2 inches and was about 6" high at 100 yds. I believe that's about where the rifle was zeroed in.