Western 12 gauge 3" "Record"
 

A customer brought me a box of Western 12 gauge 3" "Record" shells . Lubaloy Super X #4's in paper hulls .

I'm curiouse as to what time period they may have been made .

Am I correct in assuming 40's ?

The box is stamped 1 3/8 ounce of #4's .

That’s certainly a “collectors item.”






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If I can get a decent Belgium A-5 12 MAG full choke barrel I just may try to use one or two of them to pot a gobbler !

those shells are probably from the 30 s.....and worth probably a hundred dollar bill if the box and shells are in good shape..... charlie

The first appearance of the Lubaloy Super-X loads that I have from Western is in the February 1, 1929, Western Ammunition for Rifle, Revolver and Shotgun. They are not in the March 1, 1928, edition. The 1 3/8 ounce
Lubaloy load was offered from then into the 1960s. The extreme high brass RECORD case was replaced by the Super-X case shortly after WW-II.

As you can imagine over this time period there were several styles of boxes. So far, I haven't been able to snag a picture of a 12-gauge 3-inch Lubaloy two-piece box from the 1929-1932 period. There are probably versions from 1929 and 1930 with the old corrosive primers and ones from 1931 and 1932 with the new Non-Corrosive Primer.

By 1933, Western had gone to the one-piece shotshell boxes and this style was in use --

Attachment 65206

into 1939, when the blue and yellow boxes came into use. By 1948, the RECORD case had been replaced by the regular Super-X case and the Super-Seal Crimp and the Super Seal Cup Wads replaced the roll-crimp and the Seal-Tite wads --

Attachment 65207

With all due respect to the A5 Craig those shells were made for the M12HD. Send some to me, my HD will eat them like M&M's.:):)

The label on the box is the first one you pictured . Sadly the box is missing the bottom and about seven shells .

I'm not much of a pump person although I've owned a couple Model 12's . I suppose instead of the A-5 I could use my 12 Mag Superposed . But I think I'd prefer a Bert Becker massaged HE Fox or a Model 21 3" !

No! No! Daryl, Along with the introduction of the Model 12 Heavy Duck, Winchester and Western introduced their 12-gauge 3-inch Super Speed and Super-X MAGNUM loads with 1 5/8 ounce of shot.