Shot Shell Headstamp Help

[cambria09]

Hello All. I found these shot shell ends a couple of days ago. I think the one on the left marked "UMC CLUB" was an all brass non-paper variety produced much earlier than the "New Club" paper version.

Am I right that the "CLUB" model was all brass (most of the shot and powder area is missing) and any idea on the date range for the "UMC CLUB"?

Thanks and HH. C9

 

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[cazisme]

is whole cylinder brass or just head

 

[cambria09]

is whole cylinder brass or just head

Hi cazisme. It is all brass. A lot of the cylinder is gone but what is left appears to be taller than a "high-brass" paper shell. Thanks. C9

 

[fyrffytr1]

Here is some interesting reading on the shot shell: Shotgunworld.com ? View topic - The History and Art of Shotshells
And this excerpt is from another site: "Union Metallic Cartridge Co. (UMC) was originally formed to provide firearms and ammunition to the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War. UMC was reincorporated in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1867. UMC began to sell unloaded brass shotshells in 1868, which is said to be the first commercially available shotshell in the USA. Twenty years later, in 1888, UMC began to sell loaded shotshells."

 

[turtlefoot13]

I can shed some light on this subject.

1. The Club line was made in both all brass and paper.
2. The New Club line followed the Club line of shells.

The all brass Club line of shells was a lower quality of all brass shells. UMC began selling the all brass Club line of shells in 1885 and actually discontinued the all brass Club shells in 1919 (after the Remington-UMC merger). The paper Club line of shells was around from 1885-1891 and was replaced by the New Club.

In a nutshell, your Club all brass shell will technically have a date range from 1885-1919, but I personally feel that it will be closer to the turn of the century. It does not have the "earmarks" of the earliest all brass shells. The New Club's date range (for all headstamp varieties combined) will be 1892-1910, with your particular style dating from approx. 1902-1910. It is what I refer to as Star Variety I and there is limited evidence to indicate that it was a factory loaded shell.

Give me a few and I will get you some scans.

You have some GREAT finds!
Doug

 

[River Rat]

This is the site I always use. Shotgun

 

[turtlefoot13]

Here are a couple of scans.


This is from the 1885-86 catalog. It shows six different all brass shells. This is the first mention of the Club line of shells.


This is also from the 1885-86 catalog. It shows the paper version of the Club line of shells.


This is a 1892 shotshell price list. Note the Club line of shells is not listed, but the New Club line is there.


This page from a 1900 catalog shows that the Club line was still being offered as an all brass shell, plus it also shows that it is the "second" quality of shells.

One more interesting note, many sites list the Club as being the first "named" line of shells. This is not correct. The first "named" line was the "Star" line of shells, which was introduced in 1884, with the Club being introduced in 1885.

Doug

 

[Ruchman]

This is also a helpful link for the future

Shotgun