Avatar
Search
Forum Scope




Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
Lost password?
sp_Feed sp_PrintTopic sp_TopicIcon
1930s ammunition name change.
Avatar
Tim Martrini
Guest
Guests
1
October 7, 2015 - 11:23 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print

Hello   Just curious as to when the transition occur going from “WRACo” to “WRA” on the head-stamps on ammunition.   Thanks, Tim

Avatar
30Gov03
Plantersville, MS
Member
WACA Guest
Forum Posts: 19
Member Since:
October 19, 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
2
October 11, 2015 - 11:24 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print

According to Daniel L. Shuey, in Volume I of his “W.R.A.Co. Headstamped Cartridges and Their Variatons”, the change from “W.R.A.Co.” to “WRA” occurred over a period spanning from 1929 well into the 1940s, with “W.R.A.Co.” not completely disappearing from headstamps until after WWII.

Jim 

Avatar
mrcvs
Member
WACA Member
Forum Posts: 2213
Member Since:
September 22, 2011
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
3
October 11, 2015 - 5:11 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print

The book “History of Modern U.S. Military Small Arms Ammunition ” by Hackley et al, Volume 1 1880 to 1939 gives no indication of any headstamp other than W.R.A.CO. being used as a stamp, which suggests that this stamping was used at least until 1939. Does anyone out there have Volume 2. That book may have the answer.

Avatar
30Gov03
Plantersville, MS
Member
WACA Guest
Forum Posts: 19
Member Since:
October 19, 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
4
October 11, 2015 - 6:36 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_EditHistory

mrcvs said

The book “History of Modern U.S. Military Small Arms Ammunition ” by Hackley et al, Volume 1 1880 to 1939 gives no indication of any headstamp other than W.R.A.CO. being used as a stamp, which suggests that this stamping was used at least until 1939. Does anyone out there have Volume 2. That book may have the answer.

All the references to “W.R.A.Co.” headstamps in “History of Modern U.S. Military Small Arms Ammunition” Volume I refer only to government contract ammunition, and – so far as I can tell – do not specifically detail any Winchester headstamps later than the 1920s.  The change from “W.R.A.Co.” to “WRA” was gradual, beginning with the newly introduced .45 Auto Rim in 1929 and proceeding through the remaining cartridge lineup as headstamp bunters became worn or otherwise unusable, or changes were ordered to production lines, with two of the last known uses of the W.R.A.Co. headstamp coming in 1954 on 7.62 Russian ammunition and in 1955 on .401 Winchester Self-Loading ammunition – in spite of the fact that the last boxes for both of these had cartridge illustrations showing “WRA” headstamps.

There does not appear to have been a definite all-inclusive cut-off date for the transition.  The more popular cartridges made the change early, while many of the older and less-popular cartridges were changed much later – if at all.

I have not been fortunate enough to lay my hands on Hackley etc.’s Volume II, which covers the period from 1940 to 1945.  Those that I have seen for sale have been well beyond my budget.

Jim

 

Sources:

“One Hundred Years of Winchester Cartridge Boxes, 1856-1955” by Ray T. Giles & Daniel L. Shuey (2006);

“W.R.A.Co. Headstamped Cartridges and Their Variations – Volume I” by Daniel L. Shuey (1999); and

“History of Modern U.S. Military Small Arms Ammunition, Volume I, 1880 – 1939, Revised” by F. W. Hackley, W. H. Woodin, and E. L. Scranton (1998)

Forum Timezone: UTC 0
Most Users Ever Online: 4623
Currently Online: Maverick, 1ned1, 426crown, TR, MSU Marksman
Guest(s) 6
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Top Posters:
clarence: 7119
TXGunNut: 6488
Chuck: 5890
steve004: 5217
1873man: 4706
deerhunter: 2713
Big Larry: 2561
twobit: 2505
mrcvs: 2213
Maverick: 2042
Newest Members:
Andy
James Luoma
DM2012
redfish282000
MFoster
Daltsav
Monk1950
Redcedar7T
KrzHorse
drjjpdc
Forum Stats:
Groups: 1
Forums: 18
Topics: 14829
Posts: 132765

 

Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 2057
Members: 10063
Moderators: 3
Admins: 4
Administrators: Mike Hager, Bert H., JWA, SethJ
Moderators: Rob Kassab, Brad Dunbar, Heather
Navigation