Collecting Ammo

Hey All,

I'm looking to start an ammo collection, and I'm after some tips on how to go about it please.

No intention of firing any rounds, I just get a buzz out of collecting, organising and cataloguing. Also, I have a great appreciation of the amount of precision engineering that goes into their creation.

I have no idea of the legal ins-and-outs of buying/selling and posting individual rounds, or even if anyone would be prepared to do so?
Thought I might start in rifle land; I only have an A Cat licence, so I don't know if it's even legal for me to collect pistol rounds?

So-far, I have;
Hornady .243 ballistic tip
PMC .308 WIN soft point
HXP .50 FMJ

Attachment 119804

Attachment 119805

Oh, here's a cool link for headstamp ID;
Headstamp Codes - International Ammunition Association


TIA,

Dave

Hey man do you come to palmy?

I got heaps of calibers and a few old big cases

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Originally Posted by ocium

Hey All,I'm looking to start an ammo collection, and I'm after some tips on how to go about it please...........I have no idea of the legal ins-and-outs of buying/selling and posting individual rounds,...................I only have an A Cat licence, so I don't know if it's even legal for me to collect pistol rounds?.........

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So far, no problem for you Dave. Your A cat covers you for buying ,possessing and selling all types of ammunition EXCEPT that declared "Prohbited" by the current "Law" which changes as often as the wind blows. Although I have not seen the "Law" I believe "Prohibited currently means tracer,steel cored and armour piercing, although I have never seen the definition of "armour, thus I don't know if it means piercing of protective clothing or "hard" militray vehicles such as tanks etc. Just remember that you can't sell/give/trade ammunition to anyone who does not also hold at least an A cat licence nor sell as an "In trade" person..

Join the NZ Cartridge Collectors Club, get your self a copy of 'Cartridges of the World' by Frank Barnes, tell as many of your shooting mates of your interest and you will be well on your way! Once you have established a small collection that you have identified and organized then you are automatically a 'bona fide' cartridge collector and therefore legally entitled to possess 'prohibited ammunition'. Essential items for you include a good set of digital vernier calipers and a multi drawer metal cabinet. Shallow drawers are best, and metal because wood can react with the brass and cause corrosion. Corrugated cardboard makes good drawer liners and prevents the cartridges from rolling about. There are many good books on the subject but 'Cartridges of the World' will keep you going for a few years. Other than general cleaning, do not Brasso your cartridges as that will detract from their value. A wipe with a lightly oiled cloth will provide enough protection from atmospheric corrosion. Store packets in clear Ziploc bags to keep them clean.

Contact for the NZ Cartridge Collectors Club is: Secretary: Henry Shields. His email is hs.shields@xtra.co.nz. He is not far from you, so rock up if you could. The Club has a large meeting with trade/swap tables once a year either in South Island or North Island, and a smaller event each year in both islands. Turn up to one of these and you will be gobsmacked by the cartridges available to a new collector.

As the others have said. And definately the NZCCC. Most try and pick a theme to collect, for example 'British sporting cartridges', 'the .303 British', 'American military', 'WW2', etc, etc.

NZCCC have an auction coming up this month.

If I'm heading down your way anytime, I will throw a variety in a bag. I'll likely be at the Sika Show in Taupo this month if you're about.

Have got some really unusual rounds here that you can have free. Go to Masterton often so can drop off for you to pick up if you wish.

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Originally Posted by garyp

Have got some really unusual rounds here that you can have free. Go to Masterton often so can drop off for you to pick up if you wish.

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Yes please!

Just be aware that any projectile with anything other than copper or lead in it is prohibited now...along with 22 bird shot....

Do you have anything in particular you want to collect or are you trying to do an overall cartridge collection?

I have friends that collect military cartridges.
Others that collect early commercial cartridges and the ammo boxes.
I have heard of others that just try to collect one particular cartridge and as many military variants and different manufactures and as they can.

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Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

Just be aware that any projectile with anything other than copper or lead in it is prohibited now...along with 22 bird shot....

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Such as tin, antimony, clay, wood, etc? Interesting, Can you please provide a link to the "Law" which makes it so?

Thank You.

Arms (Prohibited Ammunition) Order 2019 (LI 2019/137) – New Zealand Legislation

This was the OIC.

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Originally Posted by Nugget connaisseur

Do you have anything in particular you want to collect or are you trying to do an overall cartridge collection?

I have friends that collect military cartridges.
Others that collect early commercial cartridges and the ammo boxes.
I have heard of others that just try to collect one particular cartridge and as many military variants and different manufactures and as they can.

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Hi,

At this stage I'm just trying to lay my hands on anything cheap to form the foundation of what I hope one day will be a definitive (yes, Flash Gordon, Ming the Merciless crushing) collection; I know that's a hugely idealistic and almost impossible goal, but a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
I'll will it to my ungrateful grandson who will flog it for a bag of P no doubt (sigh).

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Originally Posted by zimmer

Arms (Prohibited Ammunition) Order 2019 (LI 2019/137) – New Zealand Legislation

This was the OIC.

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Why are tracers prohibited (and first on the list)? Heaven forbid we can actually see where our rounds are travelling.
I get the dum-dum (mercury fulminate) and AP prohibitions, but tracers - really?

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Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

Just be aware that any projectile with anything other than copper or lead in it is prohibited now...along with 22 bird shot....

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There is no restriction on the possession of 'prohibited ammunition' for 'bona fide cartridge collectors', and shot cartridges for rifled firearms are not prohibited. The 'multi-projectile' classification is for multiple projectiles of bore diameter and the law gives 'duplex loads' as an example. The wording is poorly written (and conceived) but the meaning is clarified by the reference to duplex loads, and the specific exemption for shotgun cartridges. When you fire shot cartridges in a rifle it becomes a 'shotgun', albeit of dubious usefulness.

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Originally Posted by zimmer

Arms (Prohibited Ammunition) Order 2019 (LI 2019/137) – New Zealand Legislation

This was the OIC.

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They can shove that list right up their lazy jacksy as far as I’m concerned.

I mean how many WW1 anti-tank rifles or 40mm Bofors are out there that this lot think we might use to take them down???

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Originally Posted by zimmer

Arms (Prohibited Ammunition) Order 2019 (LI 2019/137) – New Zealand LegislationThis was the OIC.

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Thank You...............Ye Gods, the system is having a bad hair day, it won't even allow "likes"

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Originally Posted by Mauser308

@gundoc, opinion on the likes of shellcracker 12ga explosive rounds? Fired at a target such as a bird to denotate in the vicinity and hopefully drive the thing away. We got very good at landing them near enough to on individual birds in the air, made them a damn sight more effective if you could do that as the bloody feathered fiends learned to ignore them after a while. My guess is that these are hooked in under explosive projectiles and therefore banned, but no such info forthcoming.

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The definition uses the words 'high explosive' which is not what is in Bird Frite shells. Black powder is not a 'high explosive' and is classified as a 'low explosive'. Further, the definition excludes ammunition for lawful scientific, industrial, agricultural, medical, etc. use. Therefore, agricultural use covers bird scaring ammo.

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Originally Posted by Finnwolf

They can shove that list right up their lazy jacksy as far as I’m concerned.

I mean how many WW1 anti-tank rifles or 40mm Bofors are out there that this lot think we might use to take them down???

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just seeing those two words makes me happy.

Say, I'm looking at categorising my cartridges and I'm wondering is there any way to ascertain the the weight (gr) of a round without disassembling it (perish the thought) or x-ray tech? There doesn't seem to be any direct correlation between bullet weight and grain weight?

I know it's just another column in my spreadsheet, but ultimately, I'd like to have a round from a single manufacturer (same brass, same projectile) in all the weights (gr) they offer...

I wouldn't get too hung up on projectile weight at this stage. If you are going to collect modern sporting ammo the weights are easy to find, usually. Likewise most military.
Very old ammo, not so. You can research online for that info or if you end up joining catridges collectors they have a wealth of knowledge and can help.

Weighing complete catridges - I have some sealed packets (beautifully tied with string) but in some cases no loose examples of same. I wouldn't dream of opening the packets to get at a single catridge. Substantial value would be destroyed.

I also have a few copies (years 2017, 2018?) of the NZ Cartridge Collectors Club 2 monthly magazines that you can have which would give you insight to the more serious collecting.

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Originally Posted by muzza

Theres a Cartridge Collectors Club meeting in Okato in Taranaki on Saturday the 21st of this month if you are interested.

NZCCC Home

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Just got in touch with Henry (NZCCC) and have applied for membership. The fuzz told me that I would need to be a member of a collectors club in order to qualify for bona fide collector status so I can look at a C & P endorsement with them.
$204 and no guarantees they will endorse me; I feel like my avatar looks.

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Originally Posted by ocium

............................ The fuzz told me that I would need to be a member of a collectors club in order to qualify for bona fide collector status so I can look at a C & P endorsement with them.
$204 and no guarantees they will endorse me; I feel like my avatar looks.

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Many thanks for that as i suspect it will also apply to those of us who collect a particular type / brand of firearm and are soon to be backed into a corner by "Constable Plod and his Bovver Boys" who will come around "for a friendly chat" to ask us why why we need 15 rifles.

Attachment 121323

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Originally Posted by Kiwi Sapper

Thank You...............Ye Gods, the system is having a bad hair day, it won't even allow "likes"

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WTF, how many massacre shooter have ever used such ammo - especially in NZ???

It's all part of the screwing down of all our fun 'to keep the public safe'....

Next time im down your way ill drop of selection of my reloads

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Originally Posted by muka88

Next time im down your way ill drop of selection of my reloads

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Thanks heaps! They will be greatly appreciated :)

Come up and see me in Carterton.
I've got some old CAC in 308W, and various others that you could be interested in - all 308.
Oh - this Sunday is out - taking the new bike for a spin with the Wairarapa Ulysses Club.
Sort something out after I get back from SI late October.
PM me and we'll sort something out ;)