The variety of old cartridge boxes has always fascinated me, I enjoy finding them and always aim to keep them for display at the factory but end up selling them. It is very nice to have an original pack of ammunition with an old rifle, much like the old tools and the case it is all part of the story.
I have picked up a very nice assortment of ammunition in a variety of calibre's, some of which I illustrate above. I have 8 original bricks of Kynoch and many individual boxes. Over the next few days I will try and add to this post with some more shots of what is available.
Vintage J. Rigby & Co. ammunition
Vintage Holland & Holland ammunition.
Vance Daigle on June 13, 2015 at 8:58 am
Morning Simon,
Interesting topic, I have a great Ole Rigby in 400/350 and as of yet have not been able to locate any vintage ammunition for it. Being somewhat new at these vintage guns and cartridges is there a place that sells them in England? Are is it just pot luck and keeping an eye peeled for a box to show up on line?
Enjoy your stay in the States....
In Christ
Vance,
Simon Clode on June 13, 2015 at 9:48 am
I think I may well have a box of that! I will check on Monday and let you know. You often see this old ammunition on tables at the gun shows but more often it is the American made ammunition over here that I see now. The old Eley and Kynoch ammunition is getting scarcer to find especially in the more 'strange' and less common calibres.
Jonathan tomlinson on June 14, 2015 at 4:15 am
Good morning Simon
Another excellent post, thank you. In the line up of cartridges I note you have a box of .416 Rigby with Sackville st address. Would that or a similar box of cartridges be for sale.
If so please let me know, I am uk based up in Yorkshire.
Many thanks.
Kind regards
Jonathan
Simon Clode on June 14, 2015 at 9:35 am
Thank you. I am afraid I bought 3 old rigby 416's whilst here in USA and have sold one including the rigby boxed ammunition to the collector who had it.
Also I think the sending of ammo to UK is now very expensive unless hand carried.
Ned Cowell on June 19, 2015 at 5:40 am
It really is a fascinating subject - and these are super pictures as always. Do you ever come across the rimmed 375/303 Westley Richards? It appears in Barnes Cartridges of the World, and looks as if it must have been a very good cartridge for double rifles in the medium/large game class. But there seem to be few if any still extant. Also I see that Kynoch do not include it in their current line up. Is it simply the case that too few rifles were made in this chambering for it to have survived, or to be worth reviving? All the best, Ned.
E. James Radin on September 19, 2015 at 6:09 pm
Ned ,
I have a cased takedown Mauser in 303 Axite (375/303) by Thomas Bland with a prismatic scope . I also would like to find a box of original ammunition . I reloaded some from 38-72 Winchester brass , shortened slightly and thinned the rim , Worked well enough to allow me to take a nice Pa white tail buck last year . Very nice shooting cartridge , accurate with mild recoil . Jim
BJ Montague on March 11, 2016 at 1:40 am
Hello Simon, congratulations on the collection, there are some great old cartridges there. Recently I saw an empty box for the 375/303 and I have admit , I thought it must have been for either 375 or 303 and the manufacturer just used the same package by crossing out the irrelevant calibre , seeing this post I have learnt something today . The box has since sold.
I have an old John Rigby "Best HV " takedown in .275 , and have been trying to find an original box of ammunition from the 1920's era . Would you know of any boxes for sale or dealers I could contact who export to Australia .
Kind regards
BJ
Simon Clode on March 11, 2016 at 6:15 am
Thank you for your comments. I am afraid I don't know who would export as such prohibitive costs now. I would call Woodleigh and see if they know someone with a box, I am sure you can find one down there. I will see if I can dig something up down there!
BJ Montague on March 11, 2016 at 4:08 pm
Thank you Simon , I'll try some of the Antique Arms auctions here, they may know of collectors willing to part with a box.
Regards
BJ
350 Rigby Ammo – Hunt Sodak on December 8, 2017 at 3:22 am
[…] Vintage and Rare British Sporting Rifle Ammunition | Westley Richards – Jun 12, 2015. Interesting topic, I have a great Ole Rigby in 400/350 and as of yet have not been able to locate any vintage ammunition for it. Being somewhat new at these vintage guns and cartridges is there a place that sells them in England? Are is it just pot luck and keeping an eye peeled for a box to show up on line? […]
Trigger on December 16, 2017 at 3:08 pm
Vintage ammunition does come up from time to time, but it is really for collecting with the rifle rather than using. Kynamco in the UK would be worth contacting to see if they have any modern loaded ammunition.
Best regards
Trigger