Sears brass

[igotta40]

I was sorting and inspecting 120 pieces of brass from a gent who sold off his hand loading gear to me and ran across this case. Just the one. I’m wondering how old it might be?

 

[Bush Pilot]

At least 3 years since they went belly up, sometime before that.

 

[igotta40]

I don’t remember ever seeing ammunition for sale at Sears. OTOH I never looked, either.

 

[kcofohio]

I don’t remember ever seeing ammunition for sale at Sears. OTOH I never looked, either.

I remember as a kid (early 70s) that Sears and Roebuck catalogs carried rifles. 30.06 is what sticks in my mind. Can't remember of any ammo advertised.

 

[Milt1]

I purchased my first handgun from Sears in the late 50's or early '60, don't remember the actual year.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Sears did sell guns and ammo years ago just like Kmart did.

I heard stories of my grandfather buying a rifle from the Seats Catalog and it being sent right to him house in rural PA. (rural at the time lol)
I do remember seeing ammo in the Sears stores but I am over Social Security age lol.

I'm have no idea who made the ammo for Sears but I'm sure it was a high quality company and probably made here in the USA.

 

[Riomouse911]

Never seen Sears ammo. I do recall my Dad saying he bought a gun from a Sears catalog in roughly 1965, wouldn’t surprise me if the ammo was from the pre GCA of 1968 era.

Stay safe.

 

[tmd16556]

They sold a lot, but usually had some other marketing name. Guns were either Ranger, JC Higgins, or Ted Williams. A Sears headstamp is new to me.

 

[Bobaloo22]

Here’s some old 22 ammo.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I remember their 22 shells, I don't remember their higher powered rifle loads. Dad always bought his ammo at Paul Jordan's hardware in Knox, Pa back in the late 60s. Dad would stop at the hardware store and he would send either my brother or I in for a box of Prince Albert and a box of 22 shells for later in the day. I was about 10 years old and Paul would look out the window and see Dad in the car and go ahead and sell me the stuff. He'd say "I'm not supposed to do this".
They weren't Sears 22 shells but I do remember seeing them in the Sears store, in Oil City. There was a Big Sears store there.

Here’s some old 22 ammo.View attachment 1170313

That brings back memories.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

The last time I saw guns&ammo in a Sears store was around ‘73. One of my buddies bought a Winchester/Ted Williams .30-30 on clearance that same year. The ammo looked a lot like Winchester’s yellow box offerings for the same fodder - JFSP - but it wasn’t SilverTip so, who knows who made it????
Sears was selling boxed ammo before smokeless. They were around a long time - longer than the .30-06.
Difference being, the .30-06 is still around. Sears isn’t.

 

[entropy]

Sears ammo of the era that case was usually Federal, but they contracted with several different manufacturers over the years, just like with the guns. That case is probably from the 60's, maybe early 70's.

 

[Remington1911]

Sears ammo of the era that case was usually Federal, but they contracted with several different manufacturers over the years, just like with the guns. That case is probably from the 60's, maybe early 70's.

You can say that about most of their "big" items. Mowers, washing machines all made by other companies and sears stuck their name on it.

 

[CQB45ACP]

You can say that about most of their "big" items. Mowers, washing machines all made by other companies and sears stuck their name on it.

Bought some Kenmore ammo at Sears.

 

[King Medallion]

I bought my 2nd Winchester 94 from the Sears Catalog, a Ranger in 30-30. That had to be late 90's as I was still married to my 1st wife. ( And no, she did not get it, but I have since given it to our son) It was made in 89.

 

[johnjohn]

I remember rifles in the Sears catalog in the 1950's.

 

[SingleActionAndrew]

120 years ago they sold hard drugs in the catalog!

Cool headstamp. Still a chance the name is a coincidence

 

[.45Coltguy]

Here’s some old 22 ammo.View attachment 1170313

I have two boxes just like that on my shelf. Oldies for sure.

 

[igotta40]

Maybe I’ll put a primer & bullet in it and keep it in the shop for a conversation piece.

 

[jmorris]

IIRC they quit selling guns altogether in ‘88, seems like they quit having ammunition made for them a few years before that.

 

[entropy]

The Sears logo is a little newer on this box, but still I'd guess no later than 1970.

 

[stringnut]

I can remember Sears selling ammo, but was too young to buy any. Also remember Montgomery Ward selling shotgun shells under their name. The box may still be at my dads place and I will have a look this weekend.

It would probably make an interesting collection of you tried to collect store brand cartridges.
Some of the store brand rifles were really nice guns. All kinds of companies sold them. My dad had a Western Field which was a Montgomery Ward brand. It was a Mauser 98 action made by Heym. The only thing cheap about it was the birch stock it was in. The bluing was fantastic, the action smooth, and nicely accurate. The old man had no idea it was a high quality rifle until I started to get into guns years after he bought it. It cost less than a Winchester, or, Remington at the time and price was the deciding factor.

 

[jmorris]

Another box I have at the farm if someone knows how different MFG’s do their lot #’s might tell you a date And who actually made them.

 

[entropy]

Most likely Federal considering the stamping font and positioning, but I have no idea on date other than the box graphics being in the late 50's-early 60's style.

 

[igotta40]

Speaking of store brands, I have a single shot 12 gauge stamped J.C. Penney, made by AyA of Spain. There’s a SxS 12 gauge at Collector’s I want but their price is too high. Stamped Abercrombie & Fitch. Can’t remember who made that one, but it might be from Belgium.