Just posted these elsewhere on the Forum to reply to Mike Harrell.

Thought they might be of general interest.

Parabola,
Thanks for the very helpful information. Is it possible to determine if or when They stopped using corrosive and/or Mercuric primers?
Mike

Mike,

It varies. I have boxes of .300 Rook marked as “Non Rusting” and later “Non Corrosive” dating back to 1948.

In that calibre if the primer is stamped with an ICI logo they are Non Corrosive primers (No. 69 in that case) and I have seen the same on the No.78 primers for 6.5 Mannlicher.

They stopped applying that stamp at some stage.

Plain brass (?) primers may or may not be non-corrosive. Copper or copper washed primers probably are.

Wow, I know very little about these cartridges, but am amazed at how much good information can be found on this and a variety of subjects by you folks on the board.

I have an empty red and yellow box of Kynoch .32-20 cartridges with the date stamp 10 L I which must be 10th May 1960. The box clearly states

"These cartridges are fitted with NON-RUSTING CAPS".
The address is stated as Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, Metals Division, Witton, Birmingham, England.

There is no postal number for the district of Birmingham, let alone a post code (aka Zip Code for the cousins).

What about brown on brown and yellow on brown boxes?

Mike those were made before 1936.

From the above table the buff box of 9mm was made on 13 September 1932 and the yellow .318 on 16 February 1933.

They would certainly be corrosive rounds.

The circular “Non Fouling bullet” stamp on one of your boxes indicates the use of gilding metal instead of nickel for the bullet jacket. It does NOT mean Non-Corrosive.

Thanks.

Parabola,
Thanks,
Mike