# Winchester Ammo Manufacture Dates



## d'Artagnan

Since at least 2000, Winchester ammo lot numbers have included the manufacture date encoded within. The date is contained in a LL## group, where L is a letter and # a number, making up or included in the lot number impressed into the box tab. Numbers preceeding the LL## probably equate to the production line. The first letter is the year:
R = 2000
S = 2001
T = 2002
U = 2003
V = 2004
W = 2005
X = 2006
Y = 2007 (skip Z and A)
B = 2008
C = 2009
The second letter is the month:
A = January
B = February
C = March
D = April
E = May
F = June
G = July
H = August (skip I and J)
K = September
L = October
M = November
N = December
The two numbers following are the numerical date, but reversed. Examples:
10 = 01
20 = 02
21 = 12
51 = 15
42 = 24
52 = 25
92 = 29
13 = 31
Examples from my Winchester boxes:
RM60 = 6 November 2000
RM80 = 8 November 2000
SB61 = 16 February 2001
31TD01 = 10 April 2002 (45 Auto)
30UA61 = 16 January 2003 (9mm Luger)
022VK30 = 03 September 2004 (9mm Luger)
71WM40 = 04 November 2005 (380 Auto)
30XF90 = 09 June 2006 (9mm Luger)
26YH80 = 08 August 2007 (9mm Luger)
31BN22 = 22 December 2008 (45 Auto)
30CA31 = 13 January 2009 ((9mm Luger)
Check out 2006 and 2007 Winchester ammo recalls and you will see the pattern.


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## speef

Sorry for the thread necromancy, but this was the best info I've found and I wanted to add to it. I have some 1990's ammunition that fits this pattern, and I have some that I just bought today that does as well.

Winchester shotgun shells do not seem to follow the pattern below. For example, I have a box of "Winchester Super Speed Xtra Game Loads" .410 shells purchased in October of 2010 and says "Carton No. V4101238 E128223 K7516 9009266_100405_4/10"- so I am guessing that the "4/10" means that it was manufactured in April 2010 in this case.I have some "Winchester Universal" 20 gauge shells that just say "U207' on the box. Every box of non-shotgun Winchester ammo I have seems to follow the pattern below.

I am copying the info from the original post below and adding to it. Thanks to the OP!

Since at least 1993, Winchester ammo lot numbers have included the manufacture date encoded within. The date is contained in a LL## group, where L is a letter and # a number, making up or included in the lot number impressed into or stamped onto the box tab. Numbers preceeding the LL## probably equate to the production line. The first letter is the year:

K = 1993 (I have early '90's ammo stamped 79KH71)
L = 1994 (I have early '90's ammo stamped 075LG50)
M = 1995
N = 1996
O = 1997
P = 1998
Q = 1999
R = 2000
S = 2001
T = 2002
U = 2003
V = 2004
W = 2005
X = 2006
Y = 2007 (skip Z and A)
B = 2008
C = 2009
D = 2010
E = 2011
F = 2012
G = 2013
H = 2014 (H confirmed by multiple types of ammo in 2014)

The second letter is the month:
A = January
B = February
C = March
D = April
E = May
F = June
G = July
H = August (skip I and J)
K = September
L = October
M = November
N = December
The two numbers following are the numerical date, but reversed. Examples:
10 = 01
20 = 02
21 = 12
51 = 15
42 = 24
52 = 25
92 = 29
13 = 31
Examples from my Winchester boxes:
RM60 = 6 November 2000
RM80 = 8 November 2000
SB61 = 16 February 2001
31TD01 = 10 April 2002 (45 Auto)
30UA61 = 16 January 2003 (9mm Luger)
022VK30 = 03 September 2004 (9mm Luger)
71WM40 = 04 November 2005 (380 Auto)
30XF90 = 09 June 2006 (9mm Luger)
26YH80 = 08 August 2007 (9mm Luger)
31BN22 = 22 December 2008 (45 Auto)
30CA31 = 13 January 2009 ((9mm Luger)
Check out 2006 and 2007 Winchester ammo recalls and you will see the pattern.


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## d'Artagnan

Apparently I took too long typing my first reply and now it's gone into internet emptiness.
1. Winchester used its own lot number system until about 1958 when it moved from New Haven, CT to East Alton, Illinios. The lot number system it now uses is, in fact, the system Western Cartridge Company (also of East Alton, IL) used since the early 1900's. Anyway, it repeats every 20 years. Also note that Winchester ammo is in the midst of moving from East Alton, IL to Oxford, Mississippi.
2. On the carton number ending in 4/10, the 4/10 is, indeed, the date April 2010, the date the box was printed by one of Winchester's contractors -- not the date the filled box rolled off a Winchester production line. The printing date, when present, is quite helpful in that in high-production calibers like 9mm Luger, the box will be filled soon after printing as reflected in the lot number. On the other hand, on low-production calibers like 38 S&W (the 1877 cartridge, not the 1902 38 S&W Special cartridge) the lot number may equate to a date years after the printing date.
3. I don't know the significance of U207. Lately I've noted irregularities in Winchester lot numbers which may be associated with the move to Oxford, Miss. Specifically, the lot numbers printed on the inside of the end flap are in a format like on the 1980's Winchester boxes and unlike those 5 years ago. Also I've noted boxes without lot numbers.


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## d'Artagnan

Ahh, your years aren't quite right:
Winchester skipped A, I, J, O, Q, and Z so there are only twenty letters used hence they repeat every 20 years:
B 1948 1968 1988 2008
C 1949 1969 1989 2009
D 1950 1970 1990 2010
E 1951 1971 1991 2011
F 1952 1972 1992 2012
G 1953 1973 1993 2013
H 1954 1974 1994 2014
K 1955 1975 1995 (2015)
L 1956 1976 1996 (2016)
M 1957 1977 1997
N 1958 1978 1998
P 1959 1979 1999
R 1960 1980 2000
S 1961 1981 2001
T 1962 1982 2002
U 1963 1983 2003
V 1964 1984 2004
W 1965 1985 2005
X 1966 1986 2006
Y 1967 1987 2007


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