Winchester Repeating Arms - Aussie Metal Detecting & Fishing

This page contains photos and date ranges of shotgun shell head-stamps produced by Winchester Repeating Arms. The date ranges below are not exact but an estimation of production dates based on available information. If you are aware of evidence that proves a date range on a brand of shell is incorrect then please email me with a photo of said evidence so I can change the date.

The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was formed in 1866. In 1931 it was bought by the Western Cartridge Company. For a more complete history check this blog out.

Winchester used the following headstamps on their shotshells ‘Winchester’, ‘W’, ‘WRA’ and ‘1901’.

The date ranges on most Winchester shotshells are different for shotshells sold factory loaded and shotshells sold empty.

Click on a link below to jump to that type of shell or scroll down to browse.

Headstamps
1901 Blue Rival
1901 Leader
1901 New Rival
1901 Pigeon
1901 Repeater
Winchester W
Winchester (1st Quality) Brass
Winchester (1st Quality) Paper
Winchester Blue Rival
Winchester Leader
Winchester Metal Lined
Winchester New Rival
Winchester Nublack
Winchester Ranger
Winchester Repeater
WRA M3
WRA 410
WRA Co Rival
WRA Co Selby Electric
WRA Co Star

1901 Blue Rival	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	No 12	Sold Empty Blue 1901 - 1904 Sold Loaded Blue 1901 - 1903 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1904

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 8	Sold Empty Red 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of https://www.wardscollectibles.com/	1901 - 1919
No 8	Sold Empty Red 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1919
No 10	Sold Empty Red 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of William Bowden.	1901 - 1919
No 12	Sold Empty Red 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1919
No 12	Sold Empty Red 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1919
No 12	Sold Empty Red 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1919
No 16	Sold Empty Red 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1919

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 10	Sold Empty Olive Green 1901 -1920 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1920
No 12	Sold Empty Olive Green 1901 -1920 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1920
No 12	Sold Empty Olive Green 1901 -1920 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1920
No 16	Sold Empty Olive Green 1901 -1920 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1920

1901 Pigeon	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	No 12	Introduced in 1901 until 1919 but this one has a new #4 primer which was only used from 1904 - 1907. Photo courtesy of https://www.wardscollectibles.com/	1901 - 1919

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 12	Sold Empty Yellow 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1919
No 12	Sold Empty Yellow 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1919
No 16	Sold Empty Yellow 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1919
No 16	Sold Empty Yellow 1901 - 1919 Photo courtesy of Doug' Turtlefoot' Budd.	1901 - 1919

Winchester W	Gauge	Comment	Date Range
	9mm	This is a rimfire round so there is no outside primer. The only headstamp is the letter 'W'. This is a unique style of shotshell. It was made for the Model 36 shotgun, which was a 9mm rimfire. The date range comes from the Winchester guide that Winchester recommended to me. It is also recommended by the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, holder of the original Winchester records. Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1920 - 1958

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
4	Dates are from an early Winchester booklet circa 1940. Photo courtesy of cartridge corner	1886 - 1909
4	Dates are from an early Winchester booklet circa 1940. Photo courtesy of cartridge corner	1886 - 1909
8	Dates are from an early Winchester booklet circa 1940. Photo courtesy of cartridge corner	1878 - 1923
10	Dates are from an early Winchester booklet circa 1940. Photo courtesy of cartridge corner	1878 - 1949
12	Dates are from an early Winchester booklet circa 1940. Photo courtesy of cartridge corner	1878 - 1949
12	Dates are from an early Winchester booklet circa 1940. Photo courtesy of cartridge corner	1878 - 1949
14	Dates are from an early Winchester booklet circa 1940. Photo courtesy of cartridge corner	1878 - 1919
16	Dates are from an early Winchester booklet circa 1940. Photo courtesy of cartridge corner	1878 - 1949

Winchester (1st Quality)	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	No 10	Sold Empty Brown 1878 - 1884 Dark Gray 1883 - 1884 Black 1884 - 1894 All gauges except 4 and 8 discontinued in 1894. No 4 discon. 1897 No 8 discon 1898 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1878 - 1894

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 10	Sold Empty Blue 1894 - 1900 Sold Loaded Blue 1894 - 1903 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1894 - 1904
No 10	Sold Empty Blue 1894 - 1900 Sold Loaded Blue 1894 - 1903 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1894 - 1904
No 10	Sold Empty Blue 1894 - 1900 Sold Loaded Blue 1894 - 1903 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1894 - 1904

Winchester Leader	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	No 8	Sold Empty Red 1897 - 1900 Sold Loaded Red 1900 - 1921 Photo courtesy of https://www.wardscollectibles.com/	1897 - 1921
	No 10	Sold Empty Red 1897 - 1900 Red 1920 - 1937 Sold Loaded Red 1894 - 1938 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1894 - 1938

Metal Lined	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	No 12	Sold Empty Dark green 1897 - 1907 Sold Loaded Dark Green 1894 - 1907 Photo courtesy of https://www.wardscollectibles.com/	1894 - 1907

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 10	Sold Empty Olive Green 1897 - 1900 Blue 1920 - 1927 1901 headstamp used 1901 - 1919 with olive green paper Sold Loaded Blue 1897 - 1927 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1897 - 1927
No 10	Sold Empty Olive Green 1897 - 1900 Blue 1920 - 1927 1901 headstamp used 1901 - 1919 with olive green paper Sold Loaded Blue 1897 - 1927 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1897 - 1927
No 12	Sold Empty Olive Green 1897 - 1900 Blue 1920 - 1927 1901 headstamp used 1901 - 1919 with olive green paper Sold Loaded Blue 1897 - 1929 Photo courtesy of Donnie Macklin	1897 - 1929
No 16	Sold Empty Olive Green 1897 - 1900 Blue 1920 - 1927 1901 headstamp used 1901 - 1919 with olive green paper Sold Loaded Blue 1897 - 1927 Photo courtesy of ozziammo	1897 - 1927

Winchester Nublack	Gauge	Comments	Date
	No 10	Sold Empty Yellow 1927 - 1937 Sold Loaded Yellow 1905 - 1938 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1905 - 1938

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 12	Sold Empty Red 1937 - 1972 Sold Loaded Red 1925 - 1972 Photo courtesy of Barri Lythe	1925 - 1972
No 12	Sold Empty Red 1937 - 1972 Sold Loaded Red 1925 - 1972 Made in USA added 1937	1937 - 1972
No 20	Sold Empty Red 1937 - 1972 Sold Loaded Red 1925 - 1972 Made in USA added 1937	1937 - 1972

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 10	Sold Empty Yellow 1896 - 1900 Yellow 1920 - 1937 Sold Loaded Yellow 1900 - 1938 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1896 - 1938
No 10	Sold Empty Yellow 1896 - 1900 Yellow 1920 - 1937 Sold Loaded Yellow 1900 - 1938 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1896 - 1938
No 12	Sold Empty Yellow 1896 - 1900 Yellow 1920 - 1937 Sold Loaded Yellow 1900 - 1938 Photo courtesy of Casey Bennett.	1896 - 1938
No 12	Sold Empty Yellow 1896 - 1900 Yellow 1920 - 1937 Sold Loaded Yellow 1900 - 1938 Photo courtesy of Bryce Carson.	1896 - 1938

WRA M3	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	81mm	Head appears to be brass with primer missing and no primer cup (non-magnetic). Brass height is medium-high with no design on the outside. This is not a normal shotshell head. It is a head from an ignition cartridge for a M3 mortar. The date range is somewhat speculation. I don't believe that it is possible to date this style of shell from just the head-stamp, as the date codes were on the paper on the other end. This date came from two main things. 1. The majority of the M3 ignition cartridges that are offered for sale are of WWII vintage. 2. This one was found in Germany with other WWII era relics. Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	WW2

WRA 410	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	.410	Sold Loaded Yellow 1916 - Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1916 - ?
	.410	Speed loads stamped super speed on headstamp. Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1932 - 1961/62

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 10	Sold Empty Brown paper 1884 - 1897 Sold Loaded Brown paper 1886* or 1894 - 1897 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd. * Some evidence exists of these being sold in 1886, first catalog example is 1894.	1884 - 1897
No 10	Sold Empty Brown paper 1884 - 1897 Sold Loaded Brown paper 1886* or 1894 - 1897 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd. * Some evidence exists of these being sold in 1886, first catalog example is 1894.	1884 - 1897
No 12	Sold Empty Brown paper 1884 - 1897 Sold Loaded Brown paper 1886* or 1894 - 1897 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd. * Some evidence exists of these being sold in 1886, first catalog example is 1894.	1884 - 1897
No 12	Sold Empty Brown paper 1884 - 1897 Sold Loaded Brown paper 1886* or 1894 - 1897 Photo courtesy of Darren Kelly. * Some evidence exists of these being sold in 1886, first catalog example is 1894.	1884 - 1897
No 16	16 Gauge was introduced in 1890 according to the Winchester factory records. Sold Empty Brown paper 1890 - 1897 Sold Loaded Brown paper 1894 - 1897 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1890 - 1897

WRA Co Selby Electric	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	No 10	Head and primer appear to be the same metal with no primer cup (non-magnetic). Brass height low with no design around the outside. The date range comes from the Winchester guide that Winchester recommended to me. It is also recommended by the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, holder of the original Winchester records. Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1884 - 1897

WRA Co Star	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	No 10	Sold Empty Black paper 1884 - 1894 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1884 - 1894
	No 12	Sold Empty Black paper 1884 - 1894 Photo courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1884 - 1894

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