Can anyone tell me how old this cap tin is?
- Thread starter Chowmif16
- Start date
Bishop Creek
New member
The "UMC" on the label stands for Union Metallic Cartridge Co. and as I recall that name disapeared from the Remington labels around 1910 or so.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"The "UMC" on the label stands for Union Metallic Cartridge Co. and as I recall that name disapeared from the Remington labels around 1910 or so."
Sorry, but that is incorrect.
Remington and UMC became part of the same organization (under the umbrella of Marcus Hartley and Partners) in 1888.
Remington and UMC were consolidated as a single entity in 1912. Prior to that time Remington ammunition and UMC ammunition were produced in separate factories under their own brandnames.
After that, the UMC appeared, disappeared, appeared, disappeared, was used on some product lines but not others, etc., for decades. Often, even when the UMC logo wasn't prominently displayed on the box, cartridges would be headstamped REM-UMC.
It was used as an advertising mark, and remains in use to this day.
The TRUE way to tell the age of that tin?
One word...
DuPont.
DuPont purchased Remington in 1933.
The DuPont logo would not have appeared on any Remington products prior to that time.
My guess, your tin was made sometime between 1933/1934 and the start of World War II.
Sorry, but that is incorrect.
Remington and UMC became part of the same organization (under the umbrella of Marcus Hartley and Partners) in 1888.
Remington and UMC were consolidated as a single entity in 1912. Prior to that time Remington ammunition and UMC ammunition were produced in separate factories under their own brandnames.
After that, the UMC appeared, disappeared, appeared, disappeared, was used on some product lines but not others, etc., for decades. Often, even when the UMC logo wasn't prominently displayed on the box, cartridges would be headstamped REM-UMC.
It was used as an advertising mark, and remains in use to this day.
The TRUE way to tell the age of that tin?
One word...
DuPont.
DuPont purchased Remington in 1933.
The DuPont logo would not have appeared on any Remington products prior to that time.
My guess, your tin was made sometime between 1933/1934 and the start of World War II.
Last edited:
bedbugbilly
New member
Is that label "painted" or paper?
I checked some of the Remington tins that I bought back in the early '60s - still have a couple that are full even. Those tins are painted white with the label painted on and the edges are more rounded.
I think Mike is right on with what his estimate on the date or close to it. It certainly pre-dates the ones I have from the 60s.
In the 60s, about all I could find in my area as far as percussion caps were Remingtons - at least in rifle caps. "Alcan" caps were about it for musket size caps although I do remember picking up some German Musket caps once in a while at a NSSA shoot - still have those cans as well which were plain tin with blue labels. There was an old gunsmith (in his late 80s) that taught me a lot about BP shooting and he carried caps and BP. If I remember right, a tin of Remington caps cost about 35 cents and a pound of DuPont was around 75 cents for FFG or FFFG. If I bought a couple of pounds of powder at a time, he'd sometimes throw in a tin of caps. In fact, I bought my first muzzle-loader from him - I saved my mowing money and Dad helped me out when he saw how much I wanted it and then I paid him back. It was a 1863 Remington "Zouave" - it cost $65.00 which seemed like a million at the time.
I checked some of the Remington tins that I bought back in the early '60s - still have a couple that are full even. Those tins are painted white with the label painted on and the edges are more rounded.
I think Mike is right on with what his estimate on the date or close to it. It certainly pre-dates the ones I have from the 60s.
In the 60s, about all I could find in my area as far as percussion caps were Remingtons - at least in rifle caps. "Alcan" caps were about it for musket size caps although I do remember picking up some German Musket caps once in a while at a NSSA shoot - still have those cans as well which were plain tin with blue labels. There was an old gunsmith (in his late 80s) that taught me a lot about BP shooting and he carried caps and BP. If I remember right, a tin of Remington caps cost about 35 cents and a pound of DuPont was around 75 cents for FFG or FFFG. If I bought a couple of pounds of powder at a time, he'd sometimes throw in a tin of caps. In fact, I bought my first muzzle-loader from him - I saved my mowing money and Dad helped me out when he saw how much I wanted it and then I paid him back. It was a 1863 Remington "Zouave" - it cost $65.00 which seemed like a million at the time.
B Bug Billy,
Same story here on the Zouave as the first BP gun @ ~ $65-$70 + Shipping. I was in "love". In fact, I was daydreaming of it a lot and one night at the dinner table my dad suddenly asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?" I immediately denied any consortion with the opposite sex but the old man knew I was preoccupied with something. My thinking now is that he'd BTDT (girlfriends). BTW I've been happily married for 35 years. Still have the Zouave too.
Same story here on the Zouave as the first BP gun @ ~ $65-$70 + Shipping. I was in "love". In fact, I was daydreaming of it a lot and one night at the dinner table my dad suddenly asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?" I immediately denied any consortion with the opposite sex but the old man knew I was preoccupied with something. My thinking now is that he'd BTDT (girlfriends). BTW I've been happily married for 35 years. Still have the Zouave too.
Mike Irwin
Staff
It's painted. The wear on the edges shows wear through the paint.
Thanks
Thanks for all the replies!
I bought it about 5-10 years ago at an antique shop. I think it was only about 10 bucks.
I had figured that it was 20th century, and thought it was probably from the latter half.
Unfortunately, I can't open it anymore... My dad was driving it up to me with a bunch of my other shooting stuff and thought that the caps might be damaged by shaking. So he stuffed some tissue paper in it, then put a piece of tissue paper over the bottom part of the tin and put the lid on. It's so tight that I can't remove the cover. i don't want to damage it by using pliers etc. on it.
Cheers,
Thanks for all the replies!
I bought it about 5-10 years ago at an antique shop. I think it was only about 10 bucks.
I had figured that it was 20th century, and thought it was probably from the latter half.
Unfortunately, I can't open it anymore... My dad was driving it up to me with a bunch of my other shooting stuff and thought that the caps might be damaged by shaking. So he stuffed some tissue paper in it, then put a piece of tissue paper over the bottom part of the tin and put the lid on. It's so tight that I can't remove the cover. i don't want to damage it by using pliers etc. on it.
Cheers,
Mike Irwin
Staff
Put it in the freezer for a couple of hours. It may shrink it enough that you can get it open.
Mike Irwin
Staff
The thicker metal of the can bottom will shrink a bit more.
More importantly the thinner top will expand much faster from the heat of the hand, giving just a bit more room.
More importantly the thinner top will expand much faster from the heat of the hand, giving just a bit more room.