Winchester Shotshell Headstamps

Winchester was founded in 1866. Western & Winchester were combined in 1932 by the Olin Corporation to form Winchester Western. In 1938 they purchased the USC Co., which was absorbed into the company.
As of 1980 named Winchester Olin Corp. Ownership has changed many times in the past few decades.
Firearms: In 1981, The U.S. Repeating Arms Company was formed by Winchester employees to purchase the rights to manufacture Winchester-brand rifles and shotguns in New Haven, Connecticut, under license from the Olin Corporation.
In 1989 the employee-organized corporation, USRAC went bankrupt and was taken over by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN), Belgium. Ammunition: Winchester continues to make sporting ammunition at its major plant in East Alton, IL, and now in Oxford, MS (as of 2012), and at a smaller shotshell plant in Geelong, Australia.

Some photo's supplied by our friends at aussiemetaldetecting.com

A special Thank You to Doug, Pete, Jim, Bob Reubel, Gary, Dan, Mike and George who provided many pictures for this page.

Winchester gauge (brass cases)

Winchester No (Raised ring, brass hulls)

4 Ga: 1886-1909, 8 ga:

1878-1923, 10 ga: 1878-1949,

12 ga: 1878-1949,14 ga: 1878-1919, 16 ga: 1878-1949, 20 ga: 1878-1949, 410: 1927-1933, .58 Cal: 1881-1919.

No 20 photo by Jacob Belinky

Winchester No (No Ring) (Paper and Brass Hulls)

Wichester Made in USA

Winchester Ga (Modern using being now at present)

Winchester AA (1965 to present)

Winchester American

(12 gage only)

Winchester Blue Rival (most cases were Blue)

Available in 10, 12 & 16 ga: 1894-1904, 14 & 20 ga: 1896-1904

Winchester Leader.

(4 & 8 ga: 1897-1920, 10 ga: 1894-1937, 12 & 16 ga: 1894-1943, 20 ga: 1897-1943.

Between 1901-1920 had 1901 on Headstamp instead of Winchester. Most cases were Red but have seen in Pink, Blue, Yellow, Peach, Green, Tan and Medium Brown colors. After 1933 had "Made in USA" on the headstamp.

Last pic by Bill

Winchester Metal Lined (various shades of green and red paper) (4 & 8 ga: 1897-1907, 10 ga: 1894-1907, 12 ga: 1897-1907). Those made after 1901 had "1901" on them.

Winchester Model

Winchester New Rival (1897-1901, 1920-1929) Olive green shells in 10, 12, 14, 16 and 20 gauges). Had "1901" on them between 1901-1919. After 1920 the 1901 was dropped and the paper was blue. 10, 12,16 & 20 ga: 1920-1929, 14 ga: 1920-1917. Yellow paper cases. Yellow Rival shells with New Rival headstamp made from 1899-1904. 10, 12, 14, 16 and 20 gauge. The last headstamp, the inverted New Rival was made in 1897

Winchester Nitro Rival
(1894-1904)

Winchester Normal Rival

Winchester Nublack (1905-1938) 10, 12 , 16, 20. (1911-1921 for 24 & 28 gauge. Sold in Black paper (loaded, Yellow and Red Paper casings as empties for self loading.

Some had "Made In USA" in the headstamp as seen below.

Winchester Nublue

(Reported-doubt existence)

Military (made for Mortar launching).

Winchester Pigeon (1898 - 1907)

4, 10 and 12 gauge only. Light Green paper cases.

Winchester Ranger (12, 16 & 20 gauge: 1925-1972, 10 & 28 gauge introduced in 1937). After 1937 has "Made in USA" on the headstamp.

Skeet shells introduced 1937, Super Skeet in 1940, Trap Loads in 1937, Super Trap in 1940, Mark in 1964. Hulls were Red Paper.

Winchester Repeater (10, 12, 16 & 20 gauge: 1896-1938, 24 ga: 1905-1921, 28 ga: 1905-1938, 32 ga: 1916-1925, 410 ga 2": 1916-1927, 410 ga 2.5":1923-1927, 410 ga 3": 1936-1937). After 1927 most had "Made in USA" on the Headstamp. They were Yellow paper cases. Between 1901 and 1920 many had a "1901" on the headstamp instead of Winchester.

No 28 picture by Dan Roberts

Winchester Speed Load "Made in USA". (1932-1933) These were Red paper cases.

Winchester Super Speed "Made in USA" (1937-1972) in 10, 12, 16, 20, 28, 410 2.5" and 410 3" cases)

20 gauge MIUSA on bottom photo

by Matthew Fenno

Winchester Super-X Industrial

WIN H S (2020's)

On newer PDX1 .410 Defender shotshells and .410 and 28 gauge Clay shooting shells.

WIN AA HS (2020's)

Winchester Western

"Dummy"

Winchester Winchester

Below sample made by Fiocchi, Italy

for them

Winchester Wonder, Winner and Winchester Winco. (Produced for Export Only) Circa 1919-1922?. Available in 12 or 16 gauge, loaded or empty. Case colors were green or yellow.

Winchester Yellow Rival (1899+)

Winchester FGC

(Made for a Gun Club)

Winchester "Dummy"

W-W (For Winchester Western)

Circa 1960's - 1980's

W-W "Dummy"

W-W AA (For Winchester Western)

WW No 12 M19

(Victory line of cartridges celebrating the firearms/cartridges used in WW2). 2020's manufactured.

W.R.A. (Military mortar launching)

WRA Nato (Flechettes)

W.R.A..410

WRA Super Speed .410

W.R.A. No 1

WRA Co Gauge (brass cases)

W.R.A. Co. Normal (1899+)

Normal Nimrod (1899+)

Normal Waterproof (1899+)

W.R.A. Co., Rival (Full brass). Rival were 2nd quality shells.

(10 ga: 1884-1929, 12 ga: 1884-1929, 28 ga: 1914-1949). Unknown when 14 and 16 gauge were done.

WRA Co Rival (Paper Shells)

W.R.A. Co. Selby Electric
(1884-1897)

W.R.A. Co. S.Q (Secong Quality) (1884-1894).

12 ga black cases,10 ga grey cases.

W.R.A. Co., Star. 1885-1894

(10 and 12 ga only: Cases tan or black)

WRA Super Speed

Circa 1930's-1940's.

W.R.A. Co XX (8 , 10, 12,16 and 20 ga: 1877-1881,

11 ga: 1877-1878, 14 ga: 1877-1881, 15 ga: 1877-1878).

These were the first shotshells made by Winchester (brass hulls)

No 2 Primer (brass hull)

W (brass hull)

WRA Co 1901

1901 Blue Rival (1901-1904)

1901 Leader (1901-1920).

4, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 20 ga. Most shells were Red but

have seen in Pink, Peach, Tan and Medium Brown paper cases.

Red dot from Heath Kushner

1901 Metal Lined (1901-1907)

4, 8, 10 and 12 ga only.

1901 New Rival (1901-1920)

Olive green cases in 10, 12, 14, 16 and

20 gauges)

1901 Pigeon (1901-1907)

Repeater 1901
(1901-1920) See Winchester Repeater for gauges and full years.

No 24 photo by Magne

1901 Yellow Rival (1901-1904)

(10,12,14, 16 and 20 gauge)

1901

V.L. & D Lightning W.R.A. Co.
(1897-1907)
Also
V.L & D New York W.R.A. Co.
1894-1900)

Winchester Charcoal

(reported but not observed and doubt exists)

Hosted By Curtis Steinhauer
www.cartridge-corner.com
cartridgecorner13@gmail.com

WINCHESTER SHOT SHELLS

(If you can add other headstamps please send via email and I will cite you for photo credit. Thanks.