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1870’s – 1890’s US ARMY CONTRACT FULL PACKETS OF
.45/70 CARTRIDGES – MANUFACTURED BY WINCHESTER, UNION
METALLIC CARTRIDGE COMPANY AND US CARTRIDGE COMPANY -
SPECIAL
OFFERING: This special
offering applies to all of the boxes of .45-70 Trapdoor
Carbine and Rifle ammunition listed below, the result of
good purchases I have been able to make from old
ammunition collections and can therefore, in turn, pass
the savings along to you.
Manufactured under contract by civilian cartridge
companies for the US Army during the middle to late
Indian Wars and into the Spanish American War, these
purchases of ammunition were very important within the
Ordnance Department’s efforts to keep not only the
regular army, but the state militias, academies and
civilian settlers on the frontier supplied with
ammunition. On several specific occasions, due to
production problems at Frankford Arsenal, the army found
it necessary to turn to these manufacturers to supply
the basic level of ammunition to the soldiers on the
frontier, and these cartridges have been found in relic
condition on the sites of frontier posts and
battlefields.
While manufactured by Winchester, Union Metallic
Cartridge (UMC) Company, and the United States Cartridge
Company expressly for the US Army, the surplus
production of these same packets which were in excess of
that needed to meet the government contracts were sold
on the civilian market. In some cases, the format
of the label leaves no doubt that the packet was made
specifically for the army, while in other cases it is a
little hard to determine whether the packet was made for
the army or the company was simply capitalizing on the
association of the .45-70 cartridge to the army and
styled the label to that end. In either case, the
packets offered here that date from the late 1870’s
would be appropriate to display with a Sharps or
Remington buffalo rifle.
These boxes are very displayable, are complete with the
original cartridges (unless otherwise noted), and all
date from the Indian War or Spanish American War period.
These packets would be correct to display with your
Springfield Trapdoor Rifles and Carbines, any of the
large bore single shot rifles, and the various woven
cartridge belts and cartridge boxes.
Each of the boxes is described individually below,
followed by photographs of that particular box.
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NO.
1
UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE COMPANY "RIFLE MUSKET
MODEL 1874" CARTRIDGE PACKET: A quite rare
early packet, dating from the late 1870's or early
1880's, was manufactured by the Union Metallic Cartridge
Company. The single top panel label references the
"MODEL 1874 US SPRINGFIELD MUSKET" and retains the
earlier patent dates, including 1872. This style
of box includes a strip of wood tacked to the interior
of the box beneath the rear rank of cartridges, causing
them to stand above the front rank of cases in order to
allow easy access for drawing the cartridges from the
box. This was an early feature that was later
discontinued. The box includes all 20 factory
loads, correct for this box as they have no headstamps. This box is in
very good
condition, showing no significant wear. There are
some minor seam or fold separations, but none that
significantly affect the integrity or detract from the
appearance of the box. The label is complete and legible,
and there is no
misshaping to the box. This is a very nice early box
that would display well with a Sharps or Remington
Rifle, as well as one of the early Trapdoors. (0604) $275
 
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NO. 2
UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE COMPANY "US
SPRINGFIELD RIFLE" CARTRIDGE PACKET:
Another scarce early Union Metallic Cartridge Company
packet, that dates from the late 1870's or early 1880's.
Bearing the front panel label, this packet bears more
resemblance to the Frankford Arsenal packets of the same
period, with an overall wrapper, folded and sealed on
the end panels and the same type of top-panel opening
method with a string. Opened without causing
significant damage to the packet, all 20 factory
loads are present and correct for this box as they have no headstamps. This box is in
very good
condition, showing no significant wear or soiling and
all of the edges are intact. The label is legible,
and there is no
misshaping to the box. This is a very nice early box
that would display well with a Sharps or Remington
Rifle, as well as one of the early Trapdoors. (0603) $225
  
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NO. 3
UNITED STATES
CARTRIDGE COMPANY PACKET OF .45 -70 CARTRIDGES –
PRODUCED FOR USE WITH THE FRAZIER’S PATENT LEATHER
CARTRIDGE BOX – A VERY RARE EARLY INDIAN WARS PACKET:
Manufactured by the United States Cartridge Company,
this full packet was designed for use in the Frazier’s
Cartridge Boxes patented in 1878. Frazier first design
intended that the soldier would remove the top lid from
a paperboard packet of cartridges and place the entire
open packet into the leather cartridge box, simplifying
and speeding up the process of resupplying the soldiers
with ammunition. This feature was short lived, with
Frazier’s subsequent cartridge box designs including
leather cartridge loops, so this particular pattern of
cartridge packet ceased to be necessary and was
discontinued, making surviving examples quite rare.
This US Cartridge Company
packet was made specifically for Frazier’s first pattern
box and it incorporates several features to that end.
First, the packet is labeled on the bottom, identifying
it as a packet intended to be used with Frazier’s
boxes. Second, the packet uses a much heavier and
stable strip of paper board arranged in a serpentine
pattern in the interior of the box which forms the
cartridge dividers as opposed to the flimsy slotted
dividers normally seen in cartridge packets of this
period. The single serpentine-shaped strip was more
durable and was designed to withstand being carried in
the soldier’s cartridge box without disintegrating. And
finally, there is a strip of scrap wood glued to the
inside of the top of the box above one row of cartridges
and another strip of wood glued to the inside of the
bottom of the box below the other row of cartridges,
creating a stepped arrangement which set the rear row of
cartridge heads above the front row to make it easier
for the soldier to grasp a single cartridge to reload
his rifle.
This packet is in very good
condition with the top, front, rear and bottom labels
all intact and fully legible. The packet is full form
with no misshaping and no open seams. There are six of
the original twenty cartridges present and all six are
of the specific type that is correct for this packet.
The cartridges produced under this contract for the army
by the US Cartridge Co. were headstamped “L R Month
Year” and were dated from May of 1879 through May of
1880 – only twelve months. Five of these six cartridges
are dated 1879 and the sixth is dated 1880. One of the
cartridges has a firing pin strike, but the cartridge
and bullet are still intact.
The short production run of
this pattern of packet resulted in a very low survival
rate, and specimens are quite rare today. With some
effort this packet could be filled, but the true value
lies in the packet itself and its unique labeling.
SOLD
NO.
4
UNITED STATES CARTRIDGE COMPANY COMPANY "US
SPRINGFIELD" CARTRIDGE PACKET:
Although the company name is not printed on the label,
this ca. 1880's packet was produced by the United States
Cartridge Company. The single top panel label
references the ".45 CALIBRE U.S. SPRINGFIELD" and the
cartridges have the 500 grain bullet, indicating these
were rifle cartridges. Eighteen of the original 20
cartridges are present, all with the 500 grain bullet
and all headstamped "U.S.C.CO. 45-70", and all have the
earlier large copper primers. This box is in
very good
condition, showing no significant wear or soiling,
all of the edges are intact
and there is no
misshaping to the box. I believe this box is
relatively scarce, and is particularly nice to find it
complete with the majority of the original cartridges. This box
that would display well with a Sharps or Remington
Rifle, as well as the Trapdoors.
SOLD
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NO. 5
UNITED STATES CARTRIDGE COMPANY COMPANY "US
SPRINGFIELD" CARTRIDGE PACKET:
Another ca. 1880's packet produced by the United States
Cartridge Company, and while very similar to the packet
listed above, there are some notable differences.
First, this box has rounded corners as opposed to the
square corners of the packet listed above, a definite
difference in the box construction method.
Secondly, while this label is the same format as the one
above, this label omits the bullet weight. I
suspect this packet may be an earlier version and it
contained the standard 405 grain bulleted cartridges.
There are six cartridges in this packet, all without
headstamps as was correct for the early US Cartridge
Company cartridges, all with the larger primers, and all
are loaded with the smaller 405 grain bullets.
This box is in very good condition, showing no
significant wear or soiling, all of the edges are intact
and there is no misshaping to the box. US
Cartridge Company packets from this period are not
common and this packet and the one above would display
well together to show the difference in style, and would
display well with a Sharps or Remington Rifle, as well
as the Trapdoors.
SOLD
  
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NO. 6
UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE COMPANY CARBINE CARTRIDGE
PACKET - UNOPENED EXCELLENT PACKET - LIKE NEW: This
excellent unopened box of 20 tinned rounds of .45-70 Carbine
ammunition was manufactured under government contract
for the Ordnance Department by the Union Metallic
Cartridge Company. While
these packets are not normally date stamped in ink, these contracts were issued at the
start of the Spanish American War to meet in the
increased demand for ammunition which Frankford Arsenal
could not meet alone. This box is in excellent
condition, showing no wear, none of the box seams have split,
the label is complete and legible, there is no
misshaping to the box as is often seen, and the opening
string is still present and intact. As a result of
being stacked in the crates and the downward pressure on
the boxes, the label is wrinkled, but has none of the
typical splits along the lower edge of
the box lid and the label is fully intact. The label follows
the same format as those labels on arsenal produced
ammunition to include “20 CARBINE BALL CARTRIDGES,
RELOADING; CALIBER .45”, the reloading instructions, and
the arsenal information, further testimony to this
packet being made expressly for a government contract.
This is an excellent box and one that will help complete
the story of the mass mobilization for the Spanish
American War. (0923) $225
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NO. 7
UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE COMPANY CARBINE CARTRIDGE
PACKET - UNOPENED EXCELLENT PACKET:
Another excellent unopened box of 20 tinned rounds of .45-70 Carbine
ammunition manufactured under government contract
for the Ordnance Department by the Union Metallic
Cartridge Company. This box is in excellent
condition, showing no wear, none of the box seams have split,
the label is complete and legible, there is no
misshaping to the box as is often seen, and the opening
string is still present and intact. As a result of
being stacked in the crates and the downward pressure on
the boxes, the label is wrinkled, and there is a slight
1/4" long split at the right edge of the label at the
bottom edge of the lid - a very minor point, but
mentioned for a full description. This is still an
exceptional packet and one that would display very well
to complete the story of the mass mobilization for the
Spanish American War. (0652) $195
 
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NO. 8
UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE COMPANY CARBINE CARTRIDGE
PACKET - UNOPENED: Another excellent
unopened box of 20 tinned rounds of .45-70 Carbine
ammunition manufactured under government contract
for the Ordnance Department by the Union Metallic
Cartridge Company. This box is in excellent
condition, showing only minimal wear due to the passage
of time and handling. None of the box seams have
split, the label is complete and legible, there is no
misshaping to the box as is often seen, and the opening
string is still present and intact. As a result of
being stacked in the crates and the downward pressure on
the boxes, the label is split along the lower edge of
the box lid for one third the length of the label
starting on the right side, but the text is intact, none
of the paper label has been lost and the edges match
well. This is still a very respectable
packet and one that would display very well to complete
the story of the mass mobilization for the Spanish
American War. (0618) $170
 
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NO. 9
WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY CARBINE
CARTRIDGE PACKET: Manufactured under government contract
for the Ordnance Department by the Winchester Repeating
Arms Company, this box of tinned rounds of .45-70
Carbine ammunition has been opened and retains 14 full
rounds and two primed cartridge cases, all with the
Winchester headstamps. Made under contract at the
start of the Spanish American War to meet in the
increased demand for ammunition which Frankford Arsenal
could not meet alone, this box is in very good condition
in spite of being opened, retaining the majority of the
label. The packet shows little other wear or sign
of age with no split seams. The label follows
the same format as those labels on arsenal produced
ammunition to include “20 CARBINE BALL CARTRIDGES,
RELOADING; CALIBER .45”, the reloading instructions, and
the arsenal information, further testimony to this
packet being made expressly for a government contract.
SOLD
  
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NO. 10
UNITED STATES CARTRIDGE COMPANY SMOKELESS POWDER
RIFLE CARTRIDGE
PACKET - UNOPENED SCARCE PACKET: This
scarce unopened packet of 20 rounds of .45-70 Rifle
ammunition was manufactured under government contract
for the Ordnance Department by the US Cartridge Company.
The fully legible label call out states the packet
contains "MODEL 1898" Brass shells loaded with "W.A.
SMOKELESS" powder, one of the earliest departures from
the previously used black powder propellant. nion Metallic
Cartridge Company. This contract must have been
let at the
start of the Spanish American War and were an early
effort to eliminate the tell-tale plume of smoke that
marked the soldier's firing position. This packet
is unopened and the pull string is still intact, however
the packet does show evidence of storage and aging.
The paper wrapper has some tattered edges and a couple
of open seams, but the box still holds it shape, is not
weak or fragile, and most importantly, the label is
fully legible. There is an old collection
inventory number on the bottom of the packet. In
spite of the wear due to age and handling, this is a
very respectable example of a very significant
development in the history of U.S. Army ammunition, in
particular the .45-70, which took place commensurate
with the beginning of the Spanish American War and this
packet would be an important addition to your ammunition
collection. (0601) $175
 
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NO. 11 UNION
METALLIC CARTRIDGE COMPANY SMOKELESS
POWDER RIFLE CARTRIDGE
PACKET - RARE 18 ROUND PACKET: This rare
18 round packet of .45-70 Rifle ammunition was
manufactured under government contract for the Ordnance
Department by the Union Metallic Cartridge Company.
The legible label call out states the packet
contains 18 cartridges loaded with smokeless powder.
The reason for the departure from the standard 20 round
packets which had been the standard since before the
adoption of the .45-70 cartridge is unknown, but there
must have been a particular reason this was done.
An early loading using smokeless powder, this packet was
likely produced at the turn of the 19th -20th Centuries.
All of the original UMC cartridges are present and all
have the proper bullet and headstamps. The packet
has been opened, but the pull string is still present.
The packet still holds it shape and is full form with no
weakness or open seams, but the wrapper does show
evidence of storage and aging. Although suffering
some loss at the edges, the important information on the
label is fully present and legible. A very rare
packet that in spite of the signs wear is still a very
respectable specimen and an important addition to an
ammunition collection. (0602) $150
 
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NO. 12
UNITED STATES CARTRIDGE COMPANY "CALIBRE
45-70 U.S. GOV'T" BLACK POWDER BLANK CARTRIDGE PACKET:
Produced by the United States Cartridge Company, this
excellent packet retains all 20 original blank
cartridges.
Blank ammunition was a regular issue item to the Cavalry
troops, used to accustom the horses to gun fire, and to
the Infantry for ceremonial occasions and funerals.
The packet has been carefully opened by slitting the
"guarantee" label without losing or destroying the
label. The top, front and end labels are all
intact with only minor scuffing. All of the original 20
cartridges have the "U.S.C.CO. 45-70" headstamp. This
packet is in
very good
condition, showing no significant wear or soiling,
all of the edges are intact
and there is no
misshaping. There are some old repairs to the
corners of the lid, but they do not detract from the
appearance of the packet. I believe this packet is
relatively scarce, and is particularly nice to find it
complete with all of the original cartridges.
These blanks were an integral component of the standard
issue of ammunition to the frontier soldier and have a
rightful place in any Indian War ammunition display.
SOLD
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NO. 13
UNITED STATES CARTRIDGE COMPANY "CALIBRE
45-70 U.S. GOV'T" BLACK POWDER BLANK CARTRIDGE PACKET:
Produced by the United States Cartridge Company, this
excellent blank cartridge packet is a slight variant
from the similar packet listed immediately above.
This packet was labeled with a standard ball cartridge
top and front labels with the "cartridge picture" and
the bullet weight information, and then both labels were
overstamped in ink "BLANKS". Whether this packet
was manufactured before the specific blank cartridge
labels were available or these ball cartridge boxes,
already labeled and waiting to be filled with ball
cartridges were used to fill an order for blanks is
anyone's guess.
Blank ammunition was a regular issue item to the Cavalry
troops, used to accustom the horses to gun fire, and to
the Infantry for ceremonial occasions and funerals.
The packet has been carefully opened by slitting the
"guarantee" label without losing or destroying the
label. The top, front and end labels are all
intact with only minor scuffing. The packet
retains nineteen of the original 20
blank cartridges and all have the "U.S.C.CO. 45-70"
headstamp. This packet is in
very good
condition, showing no significant wear or soiling,
all of the edges are intact
and there is no
misshaping. I believe these packets of US
Cartridge Company blank cartridges are
relatively scarce, and this variant is particularly
interesting.
These blanks were an integral
component of the standard issue of ammunition to the
frontier soldier and have a rightful place in any Indian
War ammunition display. (0739) $75
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NO. 14
UNITED STATES CARTRIDGE COMPANY "CALIBRE
45-70 U.S. GOV'T" BLACK POWDER BALL CARTRIDGE PACKET:
Produced by the United States Cartridge Company, this
.45-70 ball cartridge packet has been opened and is
empty, but still presents as a nice display piece.
The top, front and end labels are all intact with only
minor scuffing. The "guarantee" label is present
on the reverse, but has suffered some loss. The
packet is in
otherwise very good
condition, showing no significant wear,
only one edge open at the bottom of the packet which
could be easily repaired, and the packet still holds its
shape. These packets of US Cartridge Company
contract .45-70 cartridges are not common and this
packet would display very well.
SOLD
NO.
15
UNITED STATES
CARTRIDGE COMPANY PACKET OF .45 -70 CARTRIDGES –
SMOKELESS - FULL BOX:
Manufactured by the United States Cartridge Company,
this full packet is in very good
condition with the top, front, and end panels present.
All the labels save for the back label are intact and fully legible
- the back label have suffered some loss, but 60% intact. The packet is full form
with no misshaping. There are some minor repairs
done with scotch tape some years ago, but they are
limited. All twenty of
the original cartridges are present. A nice
old box from a company that was absorbed by Winchester
in 1926. (0522) $85
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