doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Winchester Staynless. 12 ga. wooden ammo box

I've had this box for 45 years, given to me in 1979 by a friend from Vietnam in Missouri. My wife found it in the garage and has confiscated it for a keepsake box. I'm assuming it is original (except perhaps for the hinges and lock?) Don't think it's worth much but interesting that wife took an ammo box for her keepsakes.

Sold in the 70’s and 80’s. Very common. Nice box.

Hinges and hasp are original too, IMO.

Thanks. Looking at Google AI it had this to say:

The Super-X / Super Speed Connection: Winchester introduced the Super-X brand in the 1920s as a high-velocity, hard-hitting game load. Pairing Super-X powder performance with Staynless non-corrosive priming made these shells immensely popular for waterfowl and upland hunting because they protected valuable shotgun bores.

The "Staynless" Innovation: Introduced by Winchester in the late 1920s and heavily marketed through the 1930s and 1940s, "Staynless" was the trademarked name for Winchester's non-corrosive, mercury-free priming compound. Before this, primers used chemicals that left behind corrosive salts, rusting shotgun barrels if they weren't cleaned immediately.

Physical Construction: Shotshells from this specific "Staynless" era feature rolled paper hulls (often red or yellow, coated in wax for waterproofing) and a high brass base. They predate the modern plastic hulls that Winchester introduced in the 1960s..

So no real way to tell the age of the box - which I always liked because of its dovetailed sides and burned in lettering. It could be anywhere from 100 to 50 years old - perhaps the clasps might tell the story. I'm assuming the "3" indicates 3" shells, which seem to have been standard? At least it has a purpose now.

By the time Olin Corp. was putting the Winchester and Western names together on ammo boxes and cases/flats (and disgraced the Super-X name by putting it on Winchester marked ammo!) all the actual in use cases/flats were cardboard. There were two of these cases in the Ward's Auction that closed yesterday. One of this style sold for $23 --

https://www.wardscollectibles.com/a...nchester-super-x-wood-crate-12-ga-59962/

That is a nice box. But the age is from the mid 80’s to the 2010’s . I won quite a few of them at trapbshoots in that era. Still have some sitting around and have given more away. They also had other logos on them including Remington and others iirc. It’s not a crate Winchester shipped ammo in. All true shipping Super X crates had nailed on tops. I have them as well. It was a promotional item licensed by Winchester and sold empty. I recall seeing them sold in Orvis and Kevin’s type catalogs. They are great for storing and transporting ammo or dog gear.

Makes sense to nail ammunition boxes shut as was done in the military. You'd also assume there should be some sort of lot number or shipping stamped on it. So I'll assume it to be a reproduction (with really nice patina) or with added hinges and clasps.

There is one on e-bay with the same hinges/clasps - but no other info:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/178343433792?itmmeta=01M1877WJ3VWQYMZN2W9VB82ZR&hash=item298618d640:g:VpMAAeSw1stqZQes&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA4DKQclQvzFwZQpmMrsO4LuroZFgp1Jw56i6ekQG7GU3wtD1wCIG%2BfVT31CcZjNKp9ASE0dL6KasviV8xzR9ahwf9DMAPHlSv%2Bv%2BxzN3VoHh0KIvrnJ3bwYQLmfsU9m1EU2e2fP1lOoIyJeFj4bYkXyK%2B6oMMQr3VExY%2B6lzv9tqeQbu%2BquBa1MjQXSxUtK5F41uGh%2FbpaXuFsTtSrSR5zmtvVlaZiUJMc2qa6pDif9HdJTEZy7TO9RcSNKd394u26LjmTeKcJ%2BP7tDe96qvm2XKh%2FoRAeHSjofvmgrCH81%2BM%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR57Jn4eKaA

Google AI says this about the "3" (which seems quite doubtful - surely this is the length of the shot shell): The "3" Marking: The number "3" stenciled near the gauge information typically denoted a 3-dram equivalent powder charge, a standard power measurement for vintage 12-gauge hunting loads.

Gene, “Makes sense to nail ammunition boxes shut as was done in the military”.

Well, at the Battle of Isandlwana in 1879 the reserve Martini-Henry ammunition was packed in stout wooden crates which could be opened with a large screwdriver.

Worked well, until the neighbours called unexpectedly, there were a lot of crates to open, only one screwdriver and Death was staring you in the face.

Things changed after that. The typical .303 SAA box lid was secured with 2 clips, opened easily with a boot heel, to expose the grab handle to rip open the inner tin lining to get to 250 rounds in chargers and 50 round bandoliers (or 288 rounds in 32 round cartons).

Para - that's the conventional story about Islandlwana. . .but others say there was plenty of ammo till it ran out. And others that the Impis got close because of the clouds of black powder smoke (which led to the introduction of smokeless powders).

Nevertheless.. . .stories of African conflicts are always interesting - the Boar War and the "Khaki election" in UK being some of my favorites. Having been involved in not a few in the 20th and 21st century, including dealing with some of Mike Hoare's 5th commando lads, Rhodesia Light Infantry and the "mercenary bars" in Brussels, Savimbi, UNITA and the MPLA (with Cold War implications) and some of the recent stuff going on across the Sahel with ISIS and AQIM along with what has to be called a Fulani revolt covered by religion, etc.. . .perhaps not so "romantic" - just plain blood-letting.

I have several Martini-Henry's...Afghan copies - one is original.

On the pictured crate, (a modern reproduction), the "3" definitely indicates the length of the shell. The dram equivalent "3" is only used in low brass shells, never in Super-X 12 gauge shells. The dram equivalent was also not used alone, but only in the terminology of a complete loading like 3-1 1/8- 7 1/2.