Case Lot of 30-30 Ammunition

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • BigMatt

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Sep 22, 2009
    1,852
    63
    I have the opportunity to buy a case of vintage Remington 30-30 ammunition. I haven't been in the ammo market for a while, and this is stuff is sort of odd-ball so I thought I would ask your opinion.

    It is a case of 1000 rounds of 30-30 made between 1946 and 1960 (I believe). It is in pristine condition only having been opened in the last year. It is an oddball grain though and looks as though it was specially loaded since all the boxes have a label from the factory that they are 160 grain projectiles.

    I am wondering a value and if there is any addition or detraction from the value for the weird loading and factory box modifications.

    3nrDfh4.jpg


    EFbEtwM.jpg


    1ihy6Qb.jpg
     

    teddy12b

    Grandmaster
    Trainer Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    40   0   0
    Nov 25, 2008
    7,661
    113
    What's your plan with it?

    If it's to collect it and use for show and tell then it's worth whatever it's worth to you. Finding a complete case of ammo is going to be harder to find than a single box of 20rds.

    Hard to price it in today's world but look at gunbroker or other places that may have some vintage ammo for sale. From what I saw maybe $1 ish per round?

    Personally, ammo that old probably isn't something you're going to take hunting this fall unless you absolutely know it's been kept in a nice cool dark place all those year.
     

    AmmoManAaron

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    37   0   0
    Feb 20, 2015
    3,334
    83
    I-get-around
    You are correct on the manufacture date range, 1946 through 1960. The R125 on the front bottom right side is Remington's product code for a 170gr Soft Point bullet and that is what I'm sure is under the added label. Overlabeling as it was called was a practice in the old days to use up existing excess boxes that were on hand. It was most common in the 20s and 30s because that was period of product transition - corrosive vs new non-corrosive and smokeless vs black powder. Most people don't realize that black powder soldiered on in some factory loaded ammo for many decades after the invention of smokeless. Factories in that time period were also happy to do semi-custom loads upon request when buying a case quantity (black powder where smokeless had become the new norm being the most common).

    The 160gr RN-FMJ or "Full Patch" or "Metal Cased" bullet would have been used for plinking, prison guard training and/or issue, and even state trooper training and/or issue. As an example, the Oregon State Police used Winchester 94 lever action rifles for several decades.

    Hard to put a price on it in today's market. People have been buying up collector ammo just to shoot it because the price of fresh ammo has surpassed what had been the normal price for collector ammo.

    A case like that is going to be expensive and there are few to no collectors who will pay full market value for it. I personally would have a hard time breaking up that case and selling the boxes individually, even though you will get more money that way. There are a couple of well-known collector ammo dealers who do that though. They buy things like what you have and then make their money selling the boxes individually. It's not that rare of a box as it was made for quite a while, but the ones you have look great. Condition matters, so if they were beat up and mouse chewed I would say just shoot it. If you want to sell it, I would either put it on Gunbroker (where a collector dealer will likely buy it and break it up for resale) or consign it to a reputable auction house that has reach with real collectors - think Rock Island Auction house and a few others. In either instance, I would expect to actually see about $1K out of it, maybe you get lucky and get more or maybe you don't and you get less. A full case like that is hard to sell.
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,696
    113
    .
    Shoot the ammo, save the brass and put it in the empty wood box, then sell it to me. I'll make other cartridges from the brass and use the box for display.
     

    snapping turtle

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Dec 5, 2009
    6,463
    113
    Madison county
    If you had a table at gun shows already. You might sell a box to two boxes a show at say 40 a box. Collectors of lever action rifles will gobble up the vintage for the guns they have. Picture boxes I call them. A vintage rifle vintage ammo the old hunting hat and coat old hunting tag in the old pin on tag holder and a stump all in picture.

    50 boxes would take 50 Ish shows to move.
    That would bring 2k over time. Plus you get the wooden case. Now 22 long rifle vintage dog bone would move faster as more people seem to collect vintage 22 ammo as collector items maybe because of space and size.

    I attend gunshots all the time. Items I see for sale I think will be gone quickly I see carted to shows over and over. Items I think no one will buy ever at a gun show sell in minutes of the opening day of the show.

    I will take a box at 20 bucks. I don’t even own a 30-30.
     

    BigMatt

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Sep 22, 2009
    1,852
    63
    Thanks for the replies.

    I aim to sell it one way or the other. I don't have a 30-30. I collect guns of more obscure calibers.

    I will check a box to make sure, but I am sure it is in good condition.

    I will probably go $500 and see if that gets it. I hate selling ammo and really hate selling ammo if I am not making money.
     
    Top Bottom