doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Interesting Ammo collection

Being a cartridge collector I could spend a lot of time looking through that lot. There must be some to fill in gaps in my collection. Lagopus.....

Certainly, collector acquaintances should have the opportunity to acquire ammo one plans to liquidate. In the end, other means for fostering ammo collecting may be employed. One of the best ways to promote appreciation of ammo collecting is to contribute to firearms museums. Three internationally-known museums in the USA should be considered.

The most accepting of these is the National Rifle Association, Whittington Center, Raton, NM 87740. Contact Robbie Roberts, Curator at RRoberts@nrawc.org. A few items or a large collection of American and other small arms ammo will likely be accepted, and arrangements may be made for pick up or travel reimbursement.

A second museum is the NRA Museum, located at 11250 Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax, VA 2203. At this writing, space and travel monies are very limited. Ammo displays are especially desired. Contact Doug Wickland at nfmstaff@nrahq.org.

A third museum is the Firearms Museum, Buffalo Bill Historical Society, 720 Sheridan Ave. Cody, Wyoming 82414. Contact Warren Newman, Curator. American ammo is preferred, and travel/transportation reimbursement may be provided.

State/provincial and local museums should also be considered. A museum that displays firearms should also display ammunition. A single round and certainly a box correct in every respect to a firearm stresses the fact that ammo is as important as arms. You will have to be the judge of this because most curators have very limited knowledge of ammo. Imagine a Boyd and Taylor double displayed open with a modern fired shell in one chamber. Imagine further a curator who did not care. Take every opportunity to educate curators, firearms collectors, and others about production, utility, storage, and safety of ammo, boxes, crates, loading tools, etc.

Presently in the USA, Federal taxable income is reduced by 30 percent of the value of contributions to qualified organizations. Obtain the most recent IRS form 8283 and follow directions very carefully. If you plan to make a very large donation, discuss the matter with your accountant long beforehand. If form 8283 and/or your accountant indicate that a formal appraisal is required, it may be necessary to have two appraisers: (1) one experienced in appraising firearms for contributors to museums and (2) an expert regarding the ammo you wish to contribute, serving as a consultant to the former. Curators can identify firearms appraisers who have served contributors, and you can identify collectors or auction house people who are knowledgeable of recent transactions. Appraisals might be based on detailed inventories instead of hands-on examination. Obtain your accountant’s approval of written qualifications of appraisers and inventories before making contributions.

Having made major contributions to two of the museums identified above, I shall be happy to respond to inquiries for further information.

Stadt was an IAA member too. There are actually a couple introductory articles by him on shotshells on the IAA website:

https://www.cartridgecollectors.org/?page=introduction-to-collecting-shotshells

https://www.cartridgecollectors.org/?page=collecting-410-shotshells

He also wrote a book:
Stadt, Ronald. 1984. Winchester Shotguns and Shotshells. Armory Press. Tacoma.184p. ISBN: 0960498222

He has a few articles in the IAA Journal too. I can make copies if anyone wants:
Duplex or Duplicity 346/20
Francis E. Boyd Shotshells 438/18
More About J.A.R. Elliot 427/29
Mystery Shotshells 449/8, 453/50
The Winchester Wonder 315/11

and Donating Ammo and Whatever to Museums 487/26 which seems relevant and I'll paste in here: