How much should I ask for this collectable ammo?

July 19, 2023, 04:14 PM

kz1000

These 2 boxes of ammo were in a lot I won in a local auction. They are surplus to my needs and I am selling them at OGCA this Saturday [I also bought a 25 round sealed box of 7.65 Frommer Short/7.65 Roth Sauer, unobtainium]. Thoughts?

Top: 1920's Franklin Arsenal .45 ACP [sealed].
Bottom: Unknown date FN .32 ACP [opened, mixed headstamps].

Here's a closeup of the .32ACP:

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"Yidn, shreibt un fershreibt"

"The Nazis entered this war under the rather childish delusion that they were going to bomb everyone else, and nobody was going to bomb them. At Rotterdam, London, Warsaw and half a hundred other places, they put their rather naive theory into operation. They sowed the wind, and now they are going to reap the whirlwind."
-Bomber Harris

July 19, 2023, 05:25 PM

mrvmax

I rarely find anyone wanting to buy old ammo. I've had a few people give it to me just so they don't have to worry about disposing of it. Id tend to sell it for whatever I could get from anyone interested.

July 19, 2023, 05:29 PM

OttoSig

See if there is a local museum you can donate to, even if for a display.

July 19, 2023, 05:57 PM

P-220

Take it to OGCA this weekend.

There are usually a couple of vintage ammo guys there.

July 19, 2023, 06:05 PM

lyman

Gunbroker, start at $9.99 or maybe even a penny start and see where it goes,

start it on a Sunday or Monday PM

July 19, 2023, 06:13 PM

parabellum

quote:
Originally posted by P-220:
Take it to OGCA this weekend.

quote:
Originally posted by lyman:
Gunbroker, start at $9.99 or maybe even a penny start and see where it goes,

start it on a Sunday or Monday PM

It's always helpful to actually read a post before responding to it. The post is about three sentences long, but you guys couldn't be bothered, it seems.

quote:
I am selling them at OGCA this Saturday

Please don't just read a subject line and then jump in. Read what is posted, please.

When I see this happening, guys, you're going to hear from me.

July 19, 2023, 07:55 PM

1flynDO

Hey where is the OGA these days. I need to renew my membership

July 20, 2023, 02:02 AM

stiab

I usually shoot older stuff like that when found, which is pretty often.

July 20, 2023, 01:16 PM

HK Ag

Nice auction win, I can see at least two collectors groups being interested in what you have.

1911 collectors and FN collectors.

I would remove the non FN headstamp bullets from the FN box, keep it pure FN.

I would imagine the OGCA has to have numerous collectors who would like these in their collections. Especially the .45 ammo, that condition looks amazing.

Collectors Firearms in Houston often has collectable vintage ammo listed for sale. You might do a fast survey and see where they price things.

Good luck!

HK Ag

July 20, 2023, 03:01 PM

Bisleyblackhawk

I gave two boxes (100 rounds of 1943 production) to a couple of WWII vets several years ago (thinking back…it was many years ago)…at my range’s trade day for their collections…to me that was priceless

********************************************************

"we've gotta roll with the punches, learn to play all of our hunches
Making the best of what ever comes our way
Forget that blind ambition and learn to trust your intuition
Plowing straight ahead come what may
And theres a cowboy in the jungle"
Jimmy Buffet

July 22, 2023, 03:22 PM

kz1000

Just got back from OGCA. Sold the FN .32 for $25, asked $60 for the box of .45, was refused. I would have taken $50, but there was no counteroffer. Did pick up some ammo. 2 32 round boxes of Indian .303 for $60. Grabbed an old box of WRA .30-40 Krag for $25, and a box of newly loaded .30-40 Krag for $30.

July 22, 2023, 03:49 PM

cas

quote:
2 32 round boxes of Indian .303 for $60.

Ooof. Not to rain on your parade, all I can say is good luck. That stuff can be extremely iffy.

July 22, 2023, 04:13 PM

Nismo

quote:
Originally posted by cas:
quote:
2 32 round boxes of Indian .303 for $60.

Ooof. Not to rain on your parade, all I can say is good luck. That stuff can be extremely iffy.

Is there are reason they packaged it in 32 round boxes? Why not an even 30?

July 22, 2023, 04:26 PM

kz1000

quote:
Originally posted by cas:
quote:
2 32 round boxes of Indian .303 for $60.

Ooof. Not to rain on your parade, all I can say is good luck. That stuff can be extremely iffy.

I'm aware. Saving it for when I run out of the good stuff.

July 22, 2023, 04:53 PM

71 TRUCK

quote:
Originally posted by cas:
quote:
2 32 round boxes of Indian .303 for $60.

Ooof. Not to rain on your parade, all I can say is good luck. That stuff can be extremely iffy.

Good afternoon. I have a question, when you say iffy what does that mean. I think I have a few boxes of this ammo I got years ago and have never shot it so what should I be looking for.
Thanks

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

As ratified by the States and authenticated by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State

NRA Life Member

July 22, 2023, 05:01 PM

cas

Lots of hang fires or not going off at all.

I bought a few boxes in the 90's I guess that were mostly good, an occasional dud.

In the mid 2000's when I worked at the range, I had many many boxes dumped on me by customers who couldn't get them to fire or they had serious hand fires, and just didn't know what to do with them.

Any I tried were the same. Not ever so discernible delays, but scary long hang fires.

Some I ended up pulling the bullets and dumping the cordite. Using them in boxer primed brass with modern powder. A little bit I dumped the cordite and reused the case with the original burden primers. It was lots of extra work and the results still weren't spectacular, so most of the ammo got cooked off to destroy it.

July 22, 2023, 05:04 PM

drill sgt

35 + years ago was given some old 45acp ammo that had been stores in the attic for MANY years...A neighbor family member had brought it home after returning home from WW1 action..... Most rounds were loose and not boxed but several boxes were literal turned to dust...But 2 boxes survived.... 7 years ago tried selling but nobody would make a reasonable offer and I was not going to give them away....Was really looking for a collector so as to go in a shadow box with a original issue 1911.... Boxes marked Lot # 35 dated 1917.... The loose ammo I took to the range and it fired with no problems....... Eventually gave to a local gun store who vacumned sealed them to preserve them. ......................... drill sgt.

July 22, 2023, 05:13 PM

cas

It's not the age in this case, but how it must have been stored combined perhaps with its original quality?

Most likely Pakistani 1960's vintage, I think that's what it all was when it came in. I shot LOTS of 30's and 40's British and Belgian 303 without any problem.

(which always struck me so odd, you wouldn't think there'd be any of that left over after all the wars between when it was made and the 1990's.)

July 22, 2023, 05:16 PM

71 TRUCK

quote:
Originally posted by cas:
Lots of hang fires or not going off at all.

I bought a few boxes in the 90's I guess that were mostly good, an occasional dud.

In the mid 2000's when I worked at the range, I had many many boxes dumped on me by customers who couldn't get them to fire or they had serious hand fires, and just didn't know what to do with them.

Any I tried were the same. Not ever so discernible delays, but scary long hang fires.

Some I ended up pulling the bullets and dumping the cordite. Using them in boxer primed brass with modern powder. A little bit I dumped the cordite and reused the case with the original burden primers. It was lots of extra work and the results still weren't spectacular, so most of the ammo got cooked off to destroy it.

Thanks.
I will have to double check to see what I have.

NRA Life Member

July 22, 2023, 06:35 PM

stiab

quote:
Originally posted by kz1000:
... asked $60 for the box of .45, was refused. I would have taken $50, but there was no counteroffer.

Sounds about right.