Let's consider sporting ammunition from 1900- 1939.
How expensive comparatively was the cost, to what we pay today? I expect the big bore nitro ammo and proprietary, too, was fairly expensive, any idea how much? How about ammo for the more common cartridges. I'm sure surplus ammunition for 303, 7x57 and 8x57, was relatively cheap, but how much for sporting? I read somewhere that Bell ordered, I believe 10,000 rounds for one of his expeditions. How much would be have paid?
Who were the ammunition manufacturers? Knoch and Eley in Britain, were there others? I know Bell and others preferred British ammo. Who were the continental manufacturers?
Again, I'm a curious person, I hope others appreciate any answers. Thanks again.

BTW If you only have prices at the time, I can use Google to figure today's prices.

Bell kept detailed records on all his expenses. He was a professional ivory hunter and treated it like any other business. I have seen some of the amounts he paid for various things, including ammunition. I just cannot recall where.

I have one of Bells books at home. I will check this evening when I get home. Maybe there are some references to expenses. Interesting question.

Now it's really becoming fun

The Euro's were consummate uber, anal makers of lists and adherents to the principles of process !
As a result of this they catalogued and numbered cartridge cases and bullets ! This very fact makes collecting and researching ammo relatively easy.

We can divide the ammo timeline by major event / events.

We have BP and we have smokeless ( they skipped the intermediate nitro phase of the Brits ) and we have Pre WW! and Post WW1 to WW2..... then after WW2 .

WW1 threw a big wrench in what was the Austro-Hungarian empire and thereby also what was of the most prominent rifle and ammo manufacturing scenes. Likewise WW2 effectively killed off Mauser and DWM.

This topic in itself is HUGE !!!!

Reprinted in Incidents of an Elephant hunter a chart from Bell list his expenditures for one year at 3100 pounds for a profit of 4200 pounds in that year identified as his best year.

In his worst year he list an expenditure of 3400 pounds and a little sw of 1837 pounds. These entries do not break down what made up the expenditures, but I am sure he does I other books.

So here is a good and solid beginning with all courtesy extended to to Mr Brad Dixon for his most excellent and singularly spectacular work:
European Sporting cartridges Vol 1 and Vol 2
This is worth gold to any searcher of perfectly useless knowledge





As I say the Euro's were very good at cataloguing their stuff !

This an extract from DWM 1926 list for the 404 Jeffery

I checked a couple of books I have at home. Could not find any reference to cost of ammo. Will keep looking.

This is from Stoeger's Catalog of 1939. I will leave it to others to convert these prices to today's dollars.

Imported D.W.M. Rifle Cartridges with Rim
[I have added the 'R' to the cartridges below for clarity]

All Prices Per 20

7x57R m/m - S.P or F.M.J _____ $5.40
8x57R m/m - German Model 88 - S.P or F.M.J _____ $5.00
8x57R m/m - S.P or F.M.J _____ $5.00
9x57R m/m - S.P or F.M.J _____ $5.00
9.3x74R m/m - S.P or F.M.J _____ $6.50
10.75x70R m/m - S.P or F.M.J _____ $8.75
9.3x72R m/m - S.P or F.M.J ______ $5.00
9.3x80R m/m - S.P. only _____ $5.00
Swiss Veterli, Model 78, 10.2 m/m - C.F.S.P. only _____ $4.00
8.15x46R m/m - F.M.J _____ $5.00
6.5x48R m/m S.&S. - S.P. _____$5.00
6.5x58R m/m S.&S. - S.P. _____$5.50
8x48R m/m S.&S. - S.P. _____$5.00
8x58R m/m S.&S. - S.P. _____$5.50
6.5x53R m/m Mannlicher Model 93, Holland & Romania - S.P. or F.M.J _____ $5.75
8x50R m/m Mannlicher Model 95 - S.P. or F.M.J _____5.50
French Lebel 8 m/m Army Cartridge - S.P. or F.M.J _____ $5.00



Imported D.W.M. Mauser Rifle Cartridges

All Prices Per 20__On Clips of Five Only

Mauser 6.5x54 m/m Short Smokeless - S.P. or F.M.J _____ $5.00
Mauser 6.5x58 m/m - S.P. or F.M.J _____ $5.50
Mauser 7x57 m/m - S.P. or F.M.J _____ $5.50
Mauser 8x51 m/m - S.P. or F.M.J _____ $5.00
Mauser 6.5x54 m/m Short Smokeless - S.P. or F.M.J _____ $5.00
Mauser 9x57 m/m - S.P. or F.M.J _____ $5.00
Mauser 8x57 m/m Model 88 - S.P. or F.M.J _____ $5.00
Mauser 8x57 m/m Model 98 - S.P. or F.M.J _____ $5.00
Mauser 9.3x62 m/m - S.P. F.M.J _____ $6.00
Mauser 10.75x68 m/m - S.P., F.M.J or H.P. _____ $7.00
Mauser 10.75x73 m/m (.404 Jefferies) _____ $10.00 [bullet type was not listed]
Mauser 11.2x60 m/m, Model 71.84 - S.P. only _____ %5.50

Special Rifle Cartridges

Caliber 6.5 m/m Japanese Army Model Arisaka _____ $6.00
Caliber 6.5x55 m/m Mauser, Krag Jorgensen, Sweden and Norway Rimless _____ $6.00
Caliber 6.5 m/m Italian Model 1891, Rimless (Paravicino-Carcano) _____ $6.00
Caliber 7.65 m/m Argentina, Bolivia and Turkey, Model 90/91, Rimless _____ $6.00
Caliber 7.62 m/m Mosin, Model 91, Russia _____ $6.00
Caliber 8x60 m/m Mauser, Rimless _____ $6.00
Caliber 7.7 m/m Lee Metford, Model 89 Great Britain _____ $6.00 [this is .303 British]
Caliber 8 m/m Krag-Jorgensen, Model 29, Denmark _____ $7.50
Caliber 8 m/m Schmidt-Rubin, Model 90, Switzerland _____ $7.50
Caliber 11 m/m German Army Model 71, Rim _____ $5.50
Caliber 6.5 Japanese Army Model Arisaka No. 481 _____ $6.00

Imported Rimless Cartridges for Mannlicher-Schoenauer Rifles

Mannlicher-Schoenauer 6.5x53 m/m - S.P. or F.M.J. _____$5.00
Mannlicher-Schoenauer 8x56 m/m - S.P. or F.M.J. _____$5.00
Mannlicher-Schoenauer 9x56 m/m - S.P. or F.M.J. _____$5.75
Mannlicher-Schoenauer 9x57 m/m - S.P. or F.M.J. _____$6.50


Imported British Rifle Cartridges [I believe these are Stoeger brand loaded in Europe.]
Nitro Express Single and Double Rifle Cartridges
Any of these cartridges in less than complete boxes, 75¢ each

Price per Box of 10

.280 Kynoch Flanged 150 grains Solid Point _____ $2.50
.280 Kynoch Flanged 150 grains Hollow Point _____ $2.50
.350 Rigby Magnum _____ $4.00
.375 Hoffman 300 grains Soft Nose _____ $2.50
.375 Hoffman 235 grains Soft Nose _____ $2.50
.416 Rigby _____ $4.00
.404 Jeffries 2 _____ $3.25
450/400 Kynoch 3 inch case 400 grains Solid _____ $4.00
450/400 Kynoch 3 inch case 400 grains Soft Nose _____ $4.00
.470 Kynoch 3-1/4 inch case 500 grains Solid _____ $4.50
.470 Kynoch 3-1/4 inch case 500 grains Soft Nose _____ $4.50
500/465 Kynoch 3-1/4 inch case 480 grains Solid _____ $4.50
500/465 Kynoch 3-1/4 inch case 480 grains Soft Nose _____ $4.50
.505 Gibbs _____ $4.50
.577 Kynoch 3 inch case 750 grains Solid _____ $4.50
.577 Kynoch 3 inch case 750 grains Soft Nose _____ $4.50



Popular English Kynoch Cartridges

Prices Per Box of Ten

.275 Magnum Flanged, SP, 160gr _____ $25.00
.275 Rimless Magnum Nitro Express, SP, 160gr _____ $25.00
.275 Mauser High Velocity, EX or S _____ $25.00
.280 Jeffery Rimless Express, .333/.280, CP, 140gr _____ $27.50
.300-.295 Rook Rifle Smokeless, S or HP, 80gr _____ $6.95
.30 Holland & Holland Super Rimless Nitro Express, HP, 150gr/180gr/220gr _____ $30.00
.318 Westley Richards Rimless EXpress, SN, 180gr/250gr _____ $25.00
.333 Jeffery Rimless Express, SN, 300gr _____ $27.50
.333 Jeffery Rimless Nitro Express, CP, 250gr _____ $30.00
.350 Rigby Magnum Rimless or Flanged, S, 225gr _____ $35.00
.360 No.2 Lang Nitro Express, SN, 320gr _____ $35.00
.375 Holland & Holland 2-1/2" Nitro Express, SN, 300gr/270gr _____ $25.00
.375 Holland & Holland Rimless Nitro Express, SN, 300gr/270gr _____ $25.00
.375 [Holland & Holland] Magnum Flanged Nitro Express, CP, 235gr _____ $27.50
.375 [Holland & Holland] Magnum Flanged Nitro Express, SN, 270gr/300gr _____ $27.50 [inferred from list]
.375 [Holland & Holland] Magnum Belted Rimless Nitro Express, CP, 235gr _____ $27.50
.375 [Holland & Holland] Magnum Belted Rimless Nitro Express, SN, 270gr/300gr _____ $27.50 [inferred from list]
.404 Jeffery Rimless Express, S or CP, 300gr/400gr _____ $27.50
.416 Rigby Magnum Rimless, HP, 410gr _____ $42.50
.425 Westley Richards Rimless Express, CP, 410gr _____ $42.50
.450 Westley Richards Nitro Express, SN & S, 480gr _____ 37.50
.450/400 Jeffery Nitro Express 3", SN & S _____ $35.00
.450/400 Magnum Nitro Express 3-1/4", SN & S, 400gr _____ $35.00
.465 Holland & Holland Magnum Nitro Express, SN & S, 480gr _____ $37.50
.470 Nitro Express, SN, 480gr _____ $37.50
.475/No.2 Jeffery Nitro Express, SN & S _____ $37.50
.500 Jeffery Magnum Nitro Express 3-1/4", S, 570gr _____ $37.50
.505 Gibbs Rimless Nitro Express, SN & S, 525gr _____ $37.50
.577 Nitro Express, SN & S, 750gr _____ $42.50
.600 Nitro Express, SN & S, 900gr _____ $45.00

SN=Soft Nose, S=Solid, CP=Copper Point, HP=Hollow Point, EX=Expanding

Grenadier, the DWM and Stoeger prices seem to be in the ballpark, but the Kynoch prices cannot be correct for 1939. Are you sure about them?

$5.00 in 1939 === $86.23 according to. http://www.dollartimes.com/inf...p?amount=5&year=1939

Wow, did they have big box world?

Captdavid

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Grenadier, the DWM and Stoeger prices seem to be in the ballpark, but the Kynoch prices cannot be correct for 1939. Are you sure about them?

Yup, those are the prices listed. In 1939 the exchange rate was 1 GBP to 4.348 USD!

Duties and taxes to import from England must have been horrendous. For example:

A Holland & Holland "Modele De Luxe" double rifle was $1400 in the USA but only 160 Guineas (£168) if picked up in London. Using the 1939 exchange rate that's only $730. The price is double if picked up in the USA!

The Jeffery Model No.1 Side Lock Ejector Best Quality rifle was $825 USA and £110 in London.

A Holland & Holland best quality magazine rifle with "attachable stock" was $320 but only 35 Guineas (£36.75) if picked up in London.

The Jeffery No.1 Magazine rifle in .404 was $315 in USA but only £35 in London.

Other British brands of rifles and guns show equally disproportionate prices in USA and London.

For comparison:

Mauser Type A in 9.3x62 was $175.00
Mauser Type A in .404 Jeffery was $250
Winchester's Model 70 Super Grade was $84.85 and calibers included .375 H&H and .300 H&H

I like air conditioning, but this is more proof I was born 100 years too late.