CENTERFIRE CARTRIDGES

HEADSTAMP IDENTIFICATION

(US, Canadian & British)

 

 These plus other countries headstamps (over 4500) are available on Headstamp DVD or USB

Centerfire & Rimfire Cartridge Headstamp Guide. Thousands of Real photo's and B&W drawings of actual headstamps, with descriptions of their manufacturers, country of origin and dates of manufacture when known etc. The Guide is fully searchable and contain more than 4500+ headstamps and more than 3500 cartridges along with cartridge photo's and full measurements.  Contains many new headstamps not found in other books, as well as some headstamps that were previously unknown. (Note: This Guide will not include large Military cartridges such as those over 25mm or their headstamps.) Link to order. Free updates via server download.

 

ORDER HEADSTAMP GUIDE

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

* at far right of listing Indicates a military only or mainly military headstamp.
  Dates after company indicates known dates of company in existence.

The headstamp descriptions listed do not include the caliber or dates that are often included on an actual headstamp. On most cartridge headstamps, along with the company information, you will also find the caliber of the cartridge. EX: "Dominion". On an actual cartridge the headstamp will read: "Dominion .38-55 Win". A military cartridge may also contain the year: EX on a .30-06 cartridge "TW 42". This is a Twin Cities Ordinance plant Cartridge made in 1942.

 

This page will NOT be updated due to the Headstamp Guide On DVD/USB being available and being more current and indepth. Page will be left up for your general reference. See how to order headstamp guide on main page or through this link.

USA

*see special note on Winchester and Western after USA listings

HEADSTAMP 
Other Headstamps Used
COMPANY NAME
YEARS IN BUSINESS
A - American Cartridge Company 1865-1894
A.A.Co. - American Ammunition Co.
ACCo
Austin Cartridge Co.
AN BN, CN ? possibly CIA use for Bay of Pigs invasion
AFF - American Frontier Firearms Modern
AHR - American Hunting Rifles Inc, MT current proprietory cartridges, notably the Howell line.
A.J - Alton Jones -
AMERC - American Ammunition Co (Modern)
AMRON - Amron Corp Modern
AMTECH - AMTECH Corp. (Modern)
APC - Austin Cartridge Company -
AS - Winchester (for Export to Britain WWII)* 1915
A-Square - A Square Cartridge Co -
B.E B E MPLS, B&E B.E Cartridge Co Inc 1948-1956
BELL B.E.L.L Bell Cartridge (mainly brass supplied) (Modern)
BBA - Buffalo Bore Ammunition  (Modern)
BHA - Black Hills Ammunition (modern)
B&M - Brass and Metal Manufacturing Co (export to Italy for WWI)* -
Browning - Browning Arms Co -
Buffalo Rock - Buffalo Rock Shooters Supply (Modern)
Bullard - UMC made for Bullard Repeating Arms Co -
CAS - California Ammunition Supplies (late 1970's)
CBC CBC Magtech Magtech Recreational Products (cases made in Brazil) (Modern)
CCC - Connecticut Cartridge Co 1962-1975
C.C.C - Creedmore Cartridge Co 1890-1892
C.C Co - Clinton Cartridge Co -
CCI - CCI Cartridges  (Modern)
Dakota Dakota Arms Dakota Arms (Modern) 
D E N  DEN Denver Ordnance Plant* -
DET triangles - Detonic Corp, found on 451 Detonic Magnum 1983-1985
DGW - Made by Mast Technology for Dixie Gun Works -
D M DM Des Moines Ordnance Plant* -
E C EC Evansville Ordnance Plant*
E C S ECS Evansville Chrysler Sunbeam   Plant* -
ELD - Eldorado Cartridge Corporation Modern
E.T Gates - E.T Gates (Cases by Starline Brass) (Modern)
EW E W Eau Claire Ordnance Plant* -
F-A  - Freedom Arms (Modern)
F (see chart below for more) FA or F A Frankford Arsenal* 1864 to present
FA (see chart below for more) F A, F.A, F A EXP, A or F Frankford Arsenal* 1864 to present
FAL - Frankford Arsenal Laboratory* -
FC  F C, Federal, Hi Power or a "Duck" Symbol Federal Cartridge Co. 1875 to present
Federal FC, F C  or Duck
Symbol or
Hi-Power
Federal Cartridge Co 1875 to Present
Frontier - Frontier Ammunition Co (1964-1983, changed name to Hornady)
GE - General Electric* -
G&H - Griffon and Howe (ammo made by Winchester) -
H then year NC National Brass and Copper Tube Co, Hastings on the Hudson, NY * 1875-1918
HDS .HDS. Huntington Die Specialties Made by Bertram
Herters - Herters, made by Svenska Mettalverken, Sweden -
Hoffman - Hoffman Arms Co, (Cases made by Western Cartridge Co) -
Hornady - Hornady Manufacturing Inc (previously brand name under Frontier) (1983-Modern)
Imperial Magnum - Imperial Cartridge Corp -
ILC independent Lock Co. US Military contract
INTERARMCO Interarms, MM Interarmco, Viginia, cases made in Belgium -
Jamison Jamison Ammunition South Dakota company that took over from bell. Modern
JASS J.A.S.S A Square made for "The complete Handloader, Colorado) -
K.B.W - Kathodian Bronze Works, NY* -
K S KS  Allegheny Ordnance Plant (Kelley Springfield Tire Company)* -
KTW - Kopsch-Turkus-Ward
(green teflon bullets, designed by above 3 ex policeman)
1960's -?
L C year LC year Lake City Ordnance Plant* -
L M year LM year Lowell Ordnance Plant* -
M year Milwaukee Ordnance Plant* -
Maxim MMC Maxim Munition Co* 1915-1918
Midway - Midway Cartridges -
MMI - Multiple Munitions Industry Cases by Starline
M S - Metal Specialty Co -
NA Co N.A Co Newton Arms Co -
NAA - North American Arms Corp -
NC H then year National Brass and Copper Co.* 1875-1918
NECO (formerly C C C) National Eastern Corporation -
NEVINS - Nevins Ammunition Inc., Boise, Idaho 1970's
Nonte Taylor - George Nonte, Handloader 1950's
P P.C Co, Peters Peters Cartridge Co 1887-1934
P @ 11 o'c, C @ 1 o'c, year @ 6 o'c - Kings Mill Ordnance Plant, Ohio 1941-1944*
P.C Co P, Peters Peters Cartridge Co 1887-1934
Peters P.C Co, P Peters Cartridge Co 1887-1934, then part of Remington-UMC
PMC - Precision made Cartridges (Modern)
Quality Qual-Cart Quality Cartridge Co 2000?
RA year R.A year Remington Arms Co Military cartridge* used in WW1 and WW2
RA-UMC - Remington-UMC when first merged 1911-1934
RCBS - made by BELL, Norma and Federal -
Rem Remington Remington Arms Co 1890-1912, then became Rem-UMC
E.Remington E Remington & Sons (Early) Remington Arms Co 1870-1890
Rem-UMC - Remington-UMC 1911-1960, then became R-P
RHA RHA Co, R.H.A Co, Robin Hood Robin Hood Arms Co 1887-1917
RHP RHP Co Robin Hood Powder Co 1887-1917
R-P Remington-Peters Remington Peters (Dupont Chemical Corp) 1960-present
SA Co
(on chart below)
S.A Co Savage Arms Company 1856-1917
SA Corp - Savage Arms Corp. 1917-1926
Savage - Used by both Savage Arms Corp and Savage Arms Co. 1890's-1926
SRA Co
(on chart below)
- Savage Repeating Arms Corp 1915-1920's
SD - Sparklet Devices Inc  -
SEARS - Sears Roebuck. Ammo made by other companies -
S L SL  St Louis Ordnance Plant*  -
SMCO - Stant Manufacturing Co*  -
Speer  Speer Weatherby (1960's) Richard Speer Co, Lewiston Idaho (Modern)
Standard Arms Co - Standard Arms Co 1910-1912
Super Speed - Winchester  -
Super - Super Cartridge Co (Brass maker) Modern
Super-X Winchester Super X Western Cartridge Co, then Winchester (Modern)
 

Savage Arms Co Markings.
 

T/C

-
Thompson Center Arms (Manufactured by Hornady)
(Modern)
Ten-x - California company specializing in obsolete ammo Modern
Texas - Texas Ammunition Co (Cases made by Starline) Modern
TACU 12 o'clock
The Aluminum cooking Utensil Corp, PA 20mm US Military contracts
Triton (Usually Silver Cases) Triton Cartridge Corp Modern
T W TW Twin Cities Ordnance Plant* -
U UT, U T Utah Ordnance Plant* WW2
U.C.C Co - Union Cap and Chemical Co 1902-1907
UMC U.M.C Union Metallic Company 1867-1911, then merged with Remington to form Rem-UMC
UMC-UEE - Union Metallic Co made for Spanish Co. 1900's
US USC Co or US with $ sign, U.S.C Co. United States Cartridge Co 1864-1938, then purchased by Winchester/Western
Velet - Velet Cartridge Company, Spokane -
WCC W, WC Co,W.C Co,  Western Cartridge Co Western Cartridge Co, purchased Winchester and used their markings after 1932. W.C. Co Markings prior to 1932. 
Western W, WC Co,W.C Co, WCC  Western Cartridge Co.
Winchester  Winchester Super-X, Super-X Winchester Olin 1950's +
Winchester Super-X Winchester, Super X Winchester Olin 1950's+
WRA Co Winchester, WRA Winchester Repeating Arms Co 1866-1932
WRA Winchester, Win Winchester by Western HS:1932-1950, Various owners from 1932+: Olin, Western etc.
WW-Super W-W,Winchester Western,
Winchester
Winchester Western Modern
W SM Co - Worchester Stamped Metal Co 1864-?
Z-Hat - Hawk Cartridges (Cases by Quality Cartridge Co.) 2001+
Zero - Zero Ammunition Co Modern
Star symbol, caliber, 
star symbol
- Starline Brass Co Modern

FRANKFORT ARSENAL Miscellaneous Headstamps
ON 45-70 Cartridges:

R on top, F on Bottom, 1 digit number on left, 2 digit number on right:
(R = Rifle, 70 grain powder, F= Frankfort Arsenal. 1 digit number =month made, 2 digit number = year made.
C on top, F on Bottom, 1 digit number on left, 2 digit number on right:
(C = Carbine, 55 grain powder, F= Frankfort Arsenal. 1 digit number = month made, 2 digit number=year made.
 

Most OTHER FA Cartridges

HEADSTAMP PURPOSE
FA PM year  Palma Match 
FA year P Palma Match
FA NM year National Match
FA INM year International Match
FA I&P year International and Palma Match
FA Test Year Hi Pressure test 
FA HP year Hi Pressure test
FA B11 year Berdan Primed
FA CWG year Chemical Warfare Grenade
FA CRG year Blank for launching Chemical warfare Grenades
FA PS year Blank for launching Pyrotechnic Signal Grenades
FA RIF G year Blank for launching Rifle Grenades
FA RG year Blank for launching Rifle Grenades
FA VB year Blank for launching Viven Bessiere Rifle Grenades

Some General US Military Bullet Bullet Tip Identificartions (Mainly 30-06 and 308 up to the year 1960. Some colors may still be the same)

Red Tip Bullet: Tracer
Orange Tip Bullet: Day Tracer
Black Tip Bullet: Armor Piercing
Silver Tip Bullet: Armor Piercing Incendiary
Green Tip Bullet: Frangible
Green Tip over White/Gray Tip Bullet: Frangible
Yellow Tip Bullet, red annulus: Spotter Tracer
Yellow Tip Bullet: Hi Pressure Test
Purple Tip Bullet: Incendiary
Blue Tip Bullet: Incendiary

 

The Winchester - Western Dates of manufacturing.

Winchester was started as the New Haven Arms from 1860 to 1866. From 1866 to 1932 operated as The Winchester Repeating Arms Company until it was purchased by Western in 1932. In  1932 the new Company became Winchester Western which lasted until 1944. In 1944 Olin Industries reorganized the company in to Winchester Western, a Division of the Olin Industries.
Western operated on their own from 1898 to 1932 until as stated above, they purchased Winchester Repeating Arms in 1932. In recent years it should be noted that the whole company has changed names many times due to financial difficulties, but the company has survived and the names have only been minor legal changes.

 


CANADA

DC Co dates:
DC CO: 1886 - 1911, DC Co  headstamps used until 1948
Dominion Cartridge Company (Canadian Industries Ltd.): 1911-1955. Dominion headstamps used from 1948-1966.
C.I.L: (Canadian Industries LTD) 1955-1966
IVI: 1967 to  1996.
1996+ Now part of the SNC Lavalin group
 
 
HEADSTAMP
OTHER HEADSTAMPS
COMPANY OR MANUFACTURER
Years in Business
DC Co D.C Co Dominion Cartridge Co 1886-1947
Dominion - Dominion Cartridge Co 1948-1966
C.I.L CIL Canadian Industries Ltd (formerly Dominion) 1955-1966
DAC - Dominion Arsenal * -
DC - Dominion Cartridge Co* 1886-1955
Eatons R Eatons Department Stores (mfr by Dominion) 1924-1950's?
F.W.L & Co - F.W Lamplough & Co 1903-1917
Gevelot 
Gevelot Canada Gevelot Canada -
Imperial CIL and IVI 1965-1988
IVI - IVI 1967-1980
MM Caliber, year (1940-1944) - Dominion made for China 1940-1944
RR Co R.R Co Ross Rifle Company* 1914-1919
SNC S N C SNC Lavalin Industrial 1980-present
VC - Canadian Government, Verdun, Quebec* WW2

Other Canadian Military Headstamps listed with the Commonwealth headstamps below.


  CANADA, ENGLAND and the Commonwealth
Military Headstamps and Cartridge Info

Military Markings for .303 Brit, .45 Colt, 45 Auto, 9mm, .38 S&W and .455 Webley/Colt/Enfield,.50 BMG, .57 and 5.77 Sniders.

.303's, .455's and other traditional Commonwealth Cartridges usually have headstamps that designated:  A) where or who made the cartridge, B) the year, C) the mark of the cartridge (model), D) the type of powder and E) sometimes even the purpose of the ammo.

B) the year may be 2 or 4 digits.
EX....43 or 1943.

C) Most marks (model) of the cartridge ranged from 1 to 8 in roman numerals.
(I, II. III, IV, V, VI,VII,VIII)

D) Powder may be identified by the following:
"C" on the headstamp (usually found after the Mark) denotes CORDITE Powder.
"Z" on the headstamp (usually found after the Mark) denotes Nitro Cellulose powder.
Later cartridges dropped the Z since most cartridges were now made with nitro powder.

E) The purpose of the ammo is denoted by a letter usually placed before the mark. The letters primarily used were:
 
B = Incendiary  H = Rifle Grenade Q = Proof 
D = Drill J = Illuminating R = Explosive
E = Smoke Discharger  L = Blank SPG = Tracer (before 1927)
F = Semi Armour Piercing O = Observing U = Inspection
FG= Semi Armour Piercing Tracer  P = Practice W = Armour Piercing
G = Tracer PG = Practice Tracer  WG = Armour Piercing Tracer

Therefore a typical headstamp (for this example: in a triangular pattern, with writing at 12, 4 and 7 o'clock) is interpreted as follows:

top (12 o'clock): "DAC" = Dominion Arsenal Canada
right (4 o'clock): "1943" = year
left (7 o'clock): "BVIIZ" = the B denotes this is an Incendiary round,
the VII denotes it is a Mark 7 model ,and the Z tells us that this cartridge has Nitro Cullulose Powder.

* The upwards arrows sometimes found on these headstamps (as in the C on the
   example) denotes the cartridge was made as "Government property". This is a
   British Royal Mark that is not to be duplicated by other Manufacturers.

Most commonwealth Modern Military Cartridges will now be marked as all other NATO countries, with a date, manufacturer, sometimes a purpose code and possibly a NATO symbol.
 
 

Commonwealth Military Headstamps (1880-1950)

HEADSTAMP
Other Headstamps

COMPANY or MANUFACTURER

A - Armscor (Pretoria Metal Pressings) South Africa
AF SAAF S.A.A.F Footscray, Australia
B J, M, N Birmingham Metals and Munitions, UK (later became Nobel Explosives)
BD - Halls Telegraph Co, Burghfield, UK. Not likely to exist in large numbers
BE - R.O.F Blackpole, UK.  1939 -1946
BM - British Munitions Co, UK 1890 - ?
CAC C.A.C or C A C Colonial Ammunition Co, LTD. Auckland, NZ
CP C-P, CAP Crompton Parkinson LTD, UK. 1939-1945
D - Canadian Industries Ltd. (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
DA DAC Dominion Arsenal, Canada
DAL LAC Dominion Arsenal Lindsay, ON. Canada
DAQ - Dominion Arsenal, Quebec. Canada
DC DI  or DIL Defence Industries, Montreal, Canada
DC Co - Dominion Cartridge Co, Canada
DF   DD NI, SI Dum Dum Factory, India
DI DC, DIL Defence Industries, Montreal, Canada
DIL DI, DC Defence Industries, Montreal, Canada
DI V - Defence Industries, Verdun, Canada
E - Eley Brothers, London, UK
G GB Greenwood and Batley Ltd. Leeds, UK. WW1 - 1958
GBF - Greenwood and Batley Ltd. Farnham, UK
GF3 - Gov't Factory #3, Blackpole, UK. 1916-1919
G18F1 - Gov't Factory #1, Blackheath, UK. 1916-1918
HN - R.O.F Hirwaun, UK. 1939-1945
I OK, KH Ordnance Factory, Khamaria, India
IA - Indian Arsenal
ICI - Imperial Chemical Industries, UK
ICIANZ - Imperial Chemical Industries, Australia/N.Z
J - Birmingham Metals and Munitions Co Ltd, UK (later became Nobel explosives)
K - ICI Ltd. (Kynoch),UK
K2 - ICI Ltd. (Kynoch), Standish, UK, 1939-1945
K4 - ICI Ltd. (Kynoch), Yeading, UK, 1939-1945
K5 - ICI Ltd. (Kynoch),Kiddrminster, UK, 1939-1945
KF - Government Ordnance, Kirbee India
KH I, OK Ordnance Factory, Khamaria, India
KN - Kings Norton Metal Co Ltd, UK. 1890 - ?
L - Lorenz Ammunition and Ordnance Co. 1887-1890
LAC DAL Dominion Arsenal Lindsay, ON. Canada
M N Nobel's Explosives Co Ltd, Glasgow, UK
MF - S.A.A.F No 1 Factory, Footscray, Australia
MG - S.A.A.F No 2 Footscary, Australia, 1940-1949
MH - S.A.A.F No 3 Hendon, Australia
MJ - S.A.A.F No 4 Hendon, Australia
MQ - S.A.A.F No 5 Rocklea, Australia
MS - S.A.A.F No 7, Salisbury, Australia
MW - S.A.A.F No 6 Welchpool, Australia
NI DF Dum Dum Factory, India
N M Nobel's Explosives Co Ltd, Glasgow, UK
OK KH or I Ordnance Factory, Khamaria, India
QA - Quebec Arsenal, Canada
RC RH Raleigh Cycle Co Ltd, Nottingham, UK, 1941-1945
RG RORG R.O.F Radway Green, UK, 1939 -
RH RC Raleigh Cycle Co Ltd, Nottingham, UK
RL - R.O.F Woolwich, London, UK, 1670-1957
RW - Rudge Whitworth (Cycles), Nottingham, UK, 1915-1918
S - Kirkee Southern Circuit, India
SA S A Birmingham Small Arms Co, UK
SAM U South African Metal Pressings, South Africa. 
changed ("U" from 1939-1961), SAM onwards
SI DF, NI Dum Dum Factory, India
SR - R.O.F, Spennymoor, UK, 1939-1945
ST - R.O.F, Steaton, UK
SWN - R.O.F Swynnerton (after March 1, 1946)
TH - R.O.F Thorpe Arch, Boston SPA, UK
TR - Dominion Rubber and Munitions Ltd. Trois Rivieres, Canada
U - Government Factory, Pretoria South Africa

ENGLAND
(Also see above for Military cartridge marking practices)

HEADSTAMP
OTHER HEADSTAMPS
COMPANY or MANUFACTURER

Years in Business

Abington Works - Abington Works 1874-1932
Accles LTd. - Accles Ltd. 1896-1899
Adams Strand London - MFR by Eley 1864-1881
ADDER - Birmingham Metals and Munitions* 1897-1920
BSA - Birmingham Small Arms Co* 1897-1920
B.M & M Co - Birmingham Metals and Munitions Co (commercial  Cartridges) 1897-1920
Bland - MFR Kynoch -
BLANCH - J Blanch and Sons, London -
Cogswell & Harrison - - -
E (year) - Eley Brothers, Military cartridge* -
Eley Eley Brothers, Eley Bros., 
Eley London, E.B, EB, Eley's
Eley Brothers Ltd. London 1828-1978 , became ICI, then IMI
Gibbs Gibbs No, Gibbs Trademark MFR Kynoch -
GB - Greenwood and Batley Ltd. -
G&B - Greenwood and Batley Ltd. -
G K - Early George Kynoch & Co -
Holland & Holland H&H, Hollands
Hollands Patent
MFR Eley -
Howdah "Cal" Jurras   Jurras -
Jefferey Jeffereys MFR Kynoch -
K KC, Kynoch, Kynoch & Co, Kynoch & Greener, Kynoch Birmingham, Kynoch Axite, GK Kynoch Co 1897+ before 1897 was known as George Kynoch & Co.1918 became part of Nobel Explosives,1926 became part of ICI Industries 
KNM Co KN Kings Norton Metallic Co, Birmingham -
N.A - National Arms and Ammunition -
N.D.S.F - North Devon Firearm Service -
Purdey - MFR Kynoch -
P.W & Sons - MFR National Arms and Ammunition for Peter Webley
& Sons
-
P.W &S Eley - Eley made for Peter Webley & Sons 
S.G & Sons - MFR Kynoch for Schoefield Goodman & Sons -
WR Westley Richards MFR Kynoch for Westley Richards Gun Company -
Vickers - MFR Kynoch (military only round)* -
Webley - Webley & Sons -
Wilkinson - Wilkinson Sword Company* -

 


Curtis Steinhauer 

Curtis Steinhauer
www.cartridge-corner.com

cartridgecorner13@gmail.com