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Headstamp question
- Thread starter mnoirot64
- Start date
Made by, or made for. I see so many variations in the style of headstamps from a given maker, that I wonder if they don't have subcontractors making cases for them?
I would be surprised if they did not buy formed cartridge brass from one or two large manufacturers. I know Olin makes their own brass in the East St Louis area as I've seen the huge plant many times. I really wonder how many brass manufacturers there are? Does Starline, Hornady, Remington and others make their brass? FWIW, Starline is my favorite pistol brass. It's top-notch!!
Depending on which die maker at Winchester grinds the "bunter die" that punches in the primer pocket and stamps the alpha-numerics in the case head, small variations will be seen. I've got two different lots of Winchester .300 Win Mag brass I used to make .30-.338 cases. One lot's characters have sharp points while the other has flat ones at their edges. Easy way to keep them separated.
Some of these dies are shown in :
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2007/06/how-cartridge-brass-is-made/
Each one lasts for many thousands of cases. Then it needs replaced.
Some of these dies are shown in :
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2007/06/how-cartridge-brass-is-made/
Each one lasts for many thousands of cases. Then it needs replaced.
Last edited:
Mike Irwin
Staff
In military service the headstamp bunters would have to be replaced annually to denote the change in the year.
That often required scrapping perfectly servicable bunters.
Except in 1944, when 1943's bunters were taken to the tool room and had the 3 ground off, leaving just an off-center 4.
This apparently wasn't done universally at every US cartridge manufacturer, and as the altered bunters wore out they were apparently replaced with ones with the complete year marking.
That often required scrapping perfectly servicable bunters.
Except in 1944, when 1943's bunters were taken to the tool room and had the 3 ground off, leaving just an off-center 4.
This apparently wasn't done universally at every US cartridge manufacturer, and as the altered bunters wore out they were apparently replaced with ones with the complete year marking.