UNITED STATES / CANADA / MEXICO

Headstamps are all Impressed characters unless stated.

A

A= Aguilla, Mexico

A dot = Industries Technos S.A, Mexico

 A arrow = Alcan, USA. Arrow may also go the other direction.

 A = American Cartridge Co. & Federal Cartridge Co. who took them over.

 Raised A = American Cartridge Co.  1891-1894

 A&W = Allen & Wheelock, Mass.1857-1868

 AL = Federal Cartridge Co.

 A in circle =, Smith & Wesson

A =, Smith & Wesson
 
 

B

B = Browning Arms Co. Made by FN Belgium

C

C in circle = Caverhill & Learmont, Canada, but made by Kynoch, UK.

 C =  Clergy Machine Co.

two sided C = Omark, CCI Inc. Both Raised and Impressed Versions.

 CCI HS (shot tower) = Cascade Cartridge Co.

CCI shot tower = Cascade Cartridge Co., both USA and Mexico.

CCI in 3 diamonds = Omark CCI Inc. Headstamp used by both USA & Mexico facilities.

 C = Creedmoor Cartridge Co.

 CC =  Cascade Cartridge Co.

C.D.L = C. D Leet, Springfield, Mass. 1862-1887.

C 12o'clock, F 6 o'clock  =Frankford Arsenal. C = Carbine Cartridge. F = Frankford Arsenal.

C F O = Construction Fastening Operation (Tool Cartridges).

Ci =  Omark CCI Inc, Mexico.

 C.T.M. Co. = Crittenden & Tibbals Manufacturing Co., 1850-1867

D-G
D = Dominion Cartridge Co., Montreal,Canada

Block D = Desa Industries. (Tool Cartridges)

E = Eatons Dept Stores Canada. Made by Dominion Cartridge Co.

 EP = Montgomery Wards Stores, Made by Federal.

F = Federal Cartridge Co.

FIE = Firearms Import & Export Co.

F.V.V & Co. = Fitch Van Vechten & Co. 1865-1868

G = Federal Cartridge Co.

G underlined = Gambles Stores

G with arrow = Gambles Stores

Large G = Fixrammer Corp. (Tool Cartridges)

Raised G in impressed Circle = Brown & Brothers

GG inter- twined = Gevelot, Canada
 

H-L

Raised H in depressed Circle = Winchester Repeating Arms Co.  

H =Winchester Repeating Arms Co.

 Scrolled H with D below = Winchester Repeating Arms Co.

Block H = Hornady Manufacturing Inc.

 Hi U Speed = Remington Arms Co.

HP = Federal Cartridge Co. (High PowerBrand)

 J.G. Underlined = Joseph Goldmark, NY.

J.G. = Joseph Goldmark, NY.

L. =  C. D Leet, Springfield, Mass. 1862-1887 on 32S and 32L only

L&K = Liddle & Keading
 

M-R

M = Phillip Medicus

M over W = Montgomery Wards Stores, made by Federal.

N = National Cartridge Co., Illinois. 1908-1909.
 

"NY.M.A" New York Metallic Ammunition Co 1864-?

O = Omark, CCI Inc.

O like 2 brackets put together [ ] = Omark, CCI Inc.

 O with line through top to bottom = Omark Industries, USA  

OWS = Old Western Scrounger.

Raised P in circle = Phoenix Metallic Cartridge Co., CT. 1872-1878. Purchased by American Ammunition Co in 1878.

Slanted P = Peters Cartridge Co. OH.

Block P = Peters Cartridge Co., OH

Peters HV =  Peters Cartridge Co., OH.

R design = Ramset Fastening Systems, USA

R = Ramset Fastening Systems, Canada

R with dot in = Ramset Fastening Systems, Canada

R in circle = Remington Arms Co.

Large R = Robin Hood Ammunition Co., VT. 1905-1916.

Large R = International Trading & Manufacturing Co. Inc.

Large scrolled R = Revelations Brand, Western Auto Stores

Block R = Revelations Brand, Western Auto Stores

R.E.M y = Remington Arms Co. 1951 contract for Israel.

REM = Remington Arms Co.

R 12 o'clock, F 6 o'clock = Frankford Arsenal. R = Rifle Cartridge. F = Frankford Arsenal.
 

S-T

S = Simpson Sears Dept. Stores Canada

 small S = Smith & Wesson

 large S = Smith & Wesson

S = Ramset Fastening Systems, USA

S.A.W. = Sage Ammunition Works.

Super X = Super-X Brand, Winchester Western, Canada & USA

Large T in Circle = Omark Industries Inc.

Small T in circle = Tool Co. (Tool Cartridges)

T T = True Value Hardware Stores.
 

U-Z

U with dot in = Remington Arms Co.

U267 = Remington Arms Co. Headstamps on experimental .267 Caliber Cartridges.

U dot below = Cartuchos Deportivos de Mexico, Mexico

U with dot below all on top of HS =  Cartuchos Deportivos de Mexico, Mexico

U on top of Headstamp = Cartuchos Deportivos de Mexico, Mexico

U = Union Metallic Cartridge Co.

Raised U in circle = Union Metallic Cartridge Co.

US = United States Cartridge Co.

 Large US = United States Cartridge Co.

U.S Raised = United States Cartridge Co.

U:S Raised = United States Cartridge Co.

US Raised = United States Cartridge Co.

U'S raised = United States Cartridge Co.

US raised = United States Cartridge Co.

US superimposed = United States Cartridge Co.

US 1776 1876 = United States Cartridge Co. Special 45-70 Anniversary Cartridge.

V = Navy Arms Co. Cartridges made by CBC, Brazil

VF = Navy Arms Co. Cartridges made by CBC, Brazil

W =  Winchester Western

Large W = Winchester Western

Raised W = James Warner, made by ?

Scrolled w =  Winchester Western, Canada & USA

XL = Federal Cartridge Co.

XR =  Sears Roebuck & Co., made by Federal

Z = Industries Technos S.A, Mexico
 
 

SYMBOLS

Diamond = Winchester Western, Canada & USA Manufacture.

O with lines through = Omark Industries, Canada

Maltese Cross = Union Cap & Chemical. Joined Western cartridge Co in the early 1910's

Maltese Cross with Dot = Union Cap & Chemical.

Hummingbird = Aguilla, Mexico (Modern headstamp)

Yellowjacket (insect) = Remington Arms Co.
 
 

AMERICAN METALLIC CARTRIDGE CO.:
BULLET: Paper covered shot loads. Belted ball, similar to USC Co. Some other bullets used.
CASE: No distinguishing features

CRITTENDEN TIBBALS MFG CO.:
BULLET: Early grooved type with very sharp pointed bullet point.
CASE: May have concentric circles on head, with 2 opposing radial marks.
                Not always a certain indication.

DOMINION CARTRIDGE CO. (Montreal, Canada)
BULLET: Single grease groove on large caliber rounds

ETHAN ALLEN CO.:
BULLET: Long double belted, pointed bullet with 1 grease groove (except the 41 Derringer).
CASE: No distinguishing features

PHOENIX METALLIC CO.:
   BULLET: Belted ball similar to the USC Co version, but smaller. Many bullets used.
Paper covered shot loads. Made Merwin and Cup-Primed Cases.
CASE: No distinguishing features, but rim may be undersized.

UNITED STATES CARTRIDGE CO. (USC CO.)
BULLET: Wide belted, round nose, target type with either no grease grooves, single, or double grease grooves.
CASE: Centrifuse causes 3 to 8 ticks on the inner side of the rim.

UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE CO.:
BULLET: Typical style, as well as one that has 2 equal sized grease grooves with a
                round nose.
CASE: May have very flat head, or the rim may be rounded without any centrifuse marks.

WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO.:
BULLET: Typical style, also single narrow grease groove with a slightly flattened tip.
CASE: 2 or 4 light dash marks on head.

I am not including the dimensions of cartridges smaller than .25 Caliber as they are fairly obvious to identify.  
 

2 mm	3mm	11 cal Whatzit	3.5mm
4mm	4mm Flobert	4 x 14.5 Swiss	4.5mm Interdynamics
.22 BB Cap, 1845	.22 CB Cap, 1850's	.22 Gov't BB	.22 short, 1857
.22 Long,1871	.22 Long Rifle,1887	.22 Extra Long, 1880	.22 WRF, 1890
.22 Win Auto,1903	.22 Rem Auto,1914	.22 Swiss short	.22 Stinger
.22 Win Magnum	4mm Long	-	-

NOTE: Cartridge length may vary considerably and is not an accurate measure in identification. The following measurements are the averages, or the ones most likely encountered.

A= Straight

B = Straight Tapered

C= Bottleneck Tapered

D = Bottlenecked

E= Rimless