Smokeless Powder Can Collections

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  • Last Post 16 August 2019
Bryan Austin posted this 14 August 2019

Hello all,

Wasn't sure how to title this but I thought I would start posting some photos of some old cans to see if you guys can give me a little information.

Can anyone give me an approx date of manufacture on this label can? I think it is approx 1935

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M3 Mitch posted this 15 August 2019

Offhand, I would say 1930's or earlier.  I have an old square Unique can, with that pop up lid, in my collection.  Not sure when it was made. 

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RicinYakima posted this 15 August 2019

It is pre-Sharps Handloading Manuel, 1936. The key is going to be the "rifle powder" on the label. Since it was originally both rifle and shotgun powder, it will depend upon the advertising. Will look at early magazine ads tomorrow.

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Bryan Austin posted this 15 August 2019

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M3 Mitch posted this 15 August 2019

The "11-35" at the bottom of the load data - might, just might, be the date of the load data anyway.  That's barely a SWAG.

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admiral posted this 15 August 2019

The "11-35" at the bottom of the load data - might, just might, be the date of the load data anyway.  That's barely a SWAG.

Good guess and since there is no .357 Mag data (which came out in '35) it's got to be early to mid 1930's

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Bryan Austin posted this 16 August 2019

That's what I was thinking, Nov 35

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M3 Mitch posted this 16 August 2019

Well, the .22 Hornet came out in 1930, commercially, and I think it's the newest cartridge in the load data.  So the can is newer than 1930 because Hornet, but (probably) older than 1935 because .357 Magnum is absent.  It could be from 1935, or even a little later, and maybe Hercules had not gotten around to making up any data for .357, in any case Unique is not a good powder for "full house" .357 loads, probably their position was the .38 Special data was usable for .357 Magnum as well. 

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RicinYakima posted this 16 August 2019

Right idea, but I believe that the November, 1935 date is the printing date of the label.

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Bryan Austin posted this 16 August 2019

duh, I figured we would be soon corrected!!   Just like the ammo box labels!

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M3 Mitch posted this 16 August 2019

I should have said "at least as old as 1935".  Why the .357 Magnum was not listed in the data, I am not sure, I guess it was just too new and they didn't want to shoot Unique data for it.

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