Skip to main content
Live chat will not be available on Monday, September 7th in observance of Labor day. We will reply to your request as soon as possible.
Help Center Community Shop

25-20 Single Shot Antique Ammo

KySilverado
Hi All,
My uncle gave me these two boxes of unopened ammo tonight. This came about after a discussion of my wanting a couple rounds of original ammo to go with an 1885 Winchester I'd gotten a little while ago. To gauge the reloads I'll be doing and check the chamber.

My problem now is that they are damn near perfect and I'm not wanting to open one of the boxes.

Anybody care to speculate what these are worth? How much if I carefully open one?

IMG_0699Medium.jpg

IMG_0701Medium.jpg

IMG_0698Medium.jpg

IMG_0697Medium.jpg

IMG_0695Medium.jpg

IMG_0692Medium.jpg
0

Comments

14 comments

Date Votes
  • Floyd58523
    Please dont open them, hate to start crying on my computer. Plenty of open boxes in the world, very few in that condition.
    0
  • GuvamintCheese
    Do not open those up! Those are mint condition collectors pieces that will continue to rise in value. Buy an already opened box.

    $150 per box, maybe much more.
    0
  • KySilverado
    Thanks guys. I guess it was a stupid question. I couldn't cut one open if I tried. I was flabbergasted when he brought them out. Expecting tattered old boxes already open. I tried my darnedest to get him to keep them or let me pay him for them, guessing what they might be worth but he would have nothing to do with it.

    When did commercial black powder ammo end? Something like 1910?
    0
  • JohnnyBGood
    quote:Originally posted by KySilverado
    Hi All,
    My uncle gave me these two boxes of unopened ammo tonight. This came about after a discussion of my wanting a couple rounds of original ammo to go with an 1885 Winchester I'd gotten a little while ago. To gauge the reloads I'll be doing and check the chamber.

    Be aware that your Winchester may be chambered for the 25-20 WCF, which is different than the 25-20 SS. Check the caliber marking on the barrel.

    John
    0
  • KySilverado
    quote:Originally posted by cartod
    quote:Originally posted by KySilverado
    Thanks guys. I guess it was a stupid question. I couldn't cut one open if I tried. I was flabbergasted when he brought them out. Expecting tattered old boxes already open. I tried my darnedest to get him to keep them or let me pay him for them, guessing what they might be worth but he would have nothing to do with it.

    When did commercial black powder ammo end? Something like 1910?
    http://test.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=149357099

    Holy hell, those are neat! Can't help but notice they didn't sell. These are a bit nicer example and will NOW reside in the safe for a long while as they are.

    quote:Originally posted by JohnnyBGood
    quote:Originally posted by KySilverado
    Hi All,
    My uncle gave me these two boxes of unopened ammo tonight. This came about after a discussion of my wanting a couple rounds of original ammo to go with an 1885 Winchester I'd gotten a little while ago. To gauge the reloads I'll be doing and check the chamber.

    Be aware that your Winchester may be chambered for the 25-20 WCF, which is different than the 25-20 SS. Check the caliber marking on the barrel.

    John


    Thanks, I'm no expert with them and the reason I'm here.[:D] The barrel is marked 25 wcf. The resident expert has already put me straight as to the chambering.

    http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=427645&SearchTerms=1885,winchester
    0
  • GuvamintCheese
    Yours are a far nicer example! museum grade!!!![:p]
    0
  • MIKE WISKEY
    you probably have 1/2 (maybe 3/4) of the free worlds supply of new, unopened .25/20 s.s. ammo, nice find. you owe your uncle big time
    0
  • KySilverado
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    you probably have 1/2 (maybe 3/4) of the free worlds supply of new, unopened .25/20 s.s. ammo, nice find. you owe your uncle big time


    That is funny[:)] and yes I owe my uncle big time.

    Now for the rest of the story. He bought them from an area gunsmith several years ago that did the work on all his guns. 4 boxes of them. 3 unopened and 1 opened. He gave two of them to a a good friend that has since passed away so the worlds supply may be in the area. [:D]
    0
  • Hawk Carse
    quote:The barrel is marked 25 wcf.

    I don't understand what Bert was getting at, then. The WCF and Single Shot are not the same. WCF is currently available if your bore is better than the exterior.
    0
  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by Hawk Carse
    quote:The barrel is marked 25 wcf.

    I don't understand what Bert was getting at, then. The WCF and Single Shot are not the same. WCF is currently available if your bore is better than the exterior.


    Winchester introduced the 25-20 S.S. in the Model 1885 many years before the 25-20 W.C.F. repeater cartridge was invented. Due to that fact, Winchester marked all of the early production 25-20 S.S. rifles "25 W.C.F.". They did it because the 25-20 S.S. was not owned by anyone. I have documented several thousand Model 1885s that are marked "25 W.C.F." that are factory chambered for the 25-20 S.S. cartridge. When Winchester introduced the 25-20 W.C.F. repeater cartridge, they marked the barrels on the Model 1885 "25-20 W.C.F.", and changed the caliber marking for the 25-20 S.S. from "25 W.C.F." to "25-20 S.S." to avoid any confusion between the two. I can absolutely guarantee that KySilverado's low-wall is chambered for the 25-20 S.S. (based on the serial number).
    0
  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by JohnnyBGood
    quote:Originally posted by KySilverado
    Hi All,
    My uncle gave me these two boxes of unopened ammo tonight. This came about after a discussion of my wanting a couple rounds of original ammo to go with an 1885 Winchester I'd gotten a little while ago. To gauge the reloads I'll be doing and check the chamber.

    Be aware that your Winchester may be chambered for the 25-20 WCF, which is different than the 25-20 SS. Check the caliber marking on the barrel.

    John


    Hello John,

    Rest assured, KySilverado's low-wall is not chambered for the 25-20 W.C.F. repeater cartridge.
    0
  • dandak1
    The fact that they are marked "Black Powder" tells you that they were manufactured AFTER smokeless powder came out, so the earliest they are is the mid 1890's.
    0
  • Bert H.
    Those unopened boxes of ammo are worth at least $200 apiece... possibly a bit more. If they were W.R.A.Co. boxes, they would be worth $300+. Damn nice gift[^]

    Black powder ammo was still available as late as the the latter part of the 1920s.
    0
  • slumlord44
    They would sure look nice siting next to my Stevens .25-20SS.
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity