Help me date this powder can please

[jdad]

It says "Gunpowder", not Black Powder.
No warnings or writing, on the back.
That's a flash mark, not bare metal near the top.

I am not positive, but I think this is early 1940's, but can't be sure.
If someone knows please pipe in.

[Malamute]

I'm curious as well, I have one.

[airedaleman]

Sometime in the 60's I'd say. Back in the mid and late 50's, my high school best friend and I were still buying gunpowder in red oval center-pour one -pound cans with that label pasted on. (The label predates the advent of smokeless powder.)

[Griff]

I wonder if you wrote to DuPont they'd favor you with a reply?

[jdad]

I thought the paper labels were completely phased out by WW2, but it wouldn't be the first time I was completely wrong.

[airedaleman]

I thought the paper labels were completely phased out by WW2, but it wouldn't be the first time I was completely wrong.

Back in the 50's (I started handloading in 1954 - Herter's gear all the way - for the 6.5mm Arisaka carbine that a cousin brought back from the Phillipines) even DuPont's IMR powders all came in center-pour cans with paper labels. If I remember correctly, the labels were colored differently for each powder.

[jnyork]

Pre-1964, three letter abbreviation of the state and no zip code.

[jdad]

Post 1950-pre 1964 sounds good to me.
Thank you

[stinkycat]

this one is oval shape like a flask, has a very small cap that is centered. on the bottom of the paper label is a 5 digit no. then de 29 de july 1924

[marlinman93]

No, it's 60's for sure. They made some repops of the old powder in the mid to late 60's, and the way to tell the old from the new is the old had a machine threaded cap that was black, but brass inside. New ones are red and stamped threads. That's the new one.
I've got one of both eras, and thought I got a real steal at $20 for the 2nd one. But got educated by a friend who showed me the difference. Still worth the $20, but not more than that.

[1894c]

I wonder if you wrote to DuPont they'd favor you with a reply?

I don't know--Homeland Security might surround you with a go-team from their regional swat assests...yikes... :)

[w30wcf]

I'd say that marlinman93 has it nailed.....

w30wcf

[jdad]

No, it's 60's for sure. They made some repops of the old powder in the mid to late 60's, and the way to tell the old from the new is the old had a machine threaded cap that was black, but brass inside. New ones are red and stamped threads. That's the new one.
I've got one of both eras, and thought I got a real steal at $20 for the 2nd one. But got educated by a friend who showed me the difference. Still worth the $20, but not more than that.

I went to the Albany show yesterday and found this can and an old 1/2 pound cardboard can of HiVel #2, for $10. I hadn't been to this show in over 4 years. I forgot it was $4, with an NRA card, and free parking to boot. I got there at 8:30 and was maybe 20 people back from the door, but when the doors opened, at 9, the line was the length of the parking lot. I was surprised that there was almost no junk or flea market stuff. There was really a little bit of everything, but IF I was in the market for an old Remington/Winchester bolt gun or vintage S&W revolver this was the place to get a GREAT deal.

[Mescalero]

jdad,
Thats good to hear, last one I went to was Ruidoso, N.M..
It was not worth the drive.

[John Boy]

New ones are red and stamped threads

Marlinman, when you say red caps are new, do you have a ballpark date when they converted over from the black caps?
Reason I ask: I have nearly a case of the red caps. The interesting item is the can's address is not Moosic (which they sold to Goex in 1977) but Wilmington, DE

While on the subject ... does anyone know how to decipher the manufacturer dates for red cap lot numbers? I have done extensive searching to no avail and contacted the Librarian at the Hegley Museum - no reply

Examples:
02-37, where 02 is FFg,etc and 37 is unknown
04-53
02-101
And the easy one:
FFg can (71JU04H) ... June 04, 1971 and the H is unknown

[chadbr]

>>> Help me date this powder can please

Have you tried just asking her out?




sorry... couldn't resist.

[20cows]

>>> Help me date this powder can please

Have you tried just asking her out?




sorry... couldn't resist.

Yeah, that's where my mind went with it.

[marlinman93]

New ones are red and stamped threads

Marlinman, when you say red caps are new, do you have a ballpark date when they converted over from the black caps?
Reason I ask: I have nearly a case of the red caps. The interesting item is the can's address is not Moosic (which they sold to Goex in 1977) but Wilmington, DE

While on the subject ... does anyone know how to decipher the manufacturer dates for red cap lot numbers? I have done extensive searching to no avail and contacted the Librarian at the Hegley Museum - no reply

Examples:
02-37, where 02 is FFg,etc and 37 is unknown
04-53
02-101
And the easy one:
FFg can (71JU04H) ... June 04, 1971 and the H is unknown

I can't give you an exact date, but the 1800's Dupont cans are machined brass caps, and either late 1800's, or early 1900's the stamped caps started appearing in most brands. Not sure when Dupont changed over to that cap. The new run in the 60's with the stamped cap as jdad posted is still collectable as it's 50 years old now, just not as collectable as the old machined cap can.

[chadbr]

>>> Help me date this powder can please

Have you tried just asking her out?




sorry... couldn't resist.

Yeah, that's where my mind went with it.

Must be a Texas thing

[JohndeFresno]

Pre-1964, three letter abbreviation of the state and no zip code.

I am impressed with all of the observations and lore. And that 3-letter State thing was brilliant - I looked and looked and didn't catch that.

And there is even dating advice for the lovelorn. This has GOT to be the best site on the Internet!