Description
WWII .45 Blank Cartridges for Line Throwing Gun – Original Western Cartridge Co. Box
These WWII .45 blank cartridges for line throwing gun are an original full box of 20 blank cartridges, cal. .45, produced by Western Cartridge Co. under Contract No. W-849-ORD-2901. The box is lot marked 6242 2 17 44, and all cartridges are still present. With its clear wartime contract printing and complete contents, it stands as a strong piece of U.S. military ammunition packaging from the 1944 period.
WWII .45 Blank Cartridges for Line Throwing Gun
The label is the story here. It reads 20 Blank Cartridges Cal. 45 For Line Throwing Gun, followed by the contract number and maker. That wording immediately separates this box from ordinary pistol or submachine gun blank ammunition. It was packed for a specific utility purpose tied to a line-throwing gun, which gives it a more specialized place in wartime material culture.
Construction / Configuration / Pattern
This is a wartime paperboard ammunition box for 20 blank cartridges, cal. .45. The front panel is printed TOP, then 20 Blank Cartridges Cal. 45 For Line Throwing Gun, followed by Contract No. W-849-ORD-2901 and Western Cartridge Co. The lot marking at the bottom reads 6242 2 17 44. The box remains complete, and all cartridges are still present inside. The inner dividers are also intact, which helps preserve the original packing format and adds to the display value of the set.
Historical Context / Provenance / Development
Line-throwing cartridges belong to a narrower and more specialized corner of military ammunition history. They were not general combat loads. Instead, they supported practical utility work where a projectile or launching device was used to send a line over distance. In military use, that kind of equipment had obvious value aboard ship, in rescue work, and in other situations where getting a rope or messenger line across a gap mattered more than conventional weapon use.
That specialized purpose is what makes a box like this more interesting than a simple blank carton. The label does not leave the intended role vague. It identifies the cartridges directly for a line throwing gun, which ties the box to a very specific operational function. Collectors often respond to details like that because they move an item out of the generic ammunition category and into a more story-driven one.
The Western Cartridge Co. marking adds another layer. Western was a major American ammunition producer, and wartime contract boxes like this preserve the clear, no-frills language of military packaging at a time when function mattered more than branding style. The 1944 lot date also places the box squarely in the mature wartime production period, which strengthens its identity as a real service-era pack rather than a later commercial leftover.
Condition
This example is in very good condition overall. The box remains complete, and all cartridges are present. The corners remain solid, the printed text is strong, and the box presents cleanly for display. Light handling and storage wear are visible, but nothing detracts from the overall look. As a complete wartime pack with contents, it has strong collector appeal.
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Focused Key Phrase: WWII .45 blank cartridges for line throwing gun
Slug: wwii-45-blank-cartridges-for-line-throwing-gun
Meta Description: WWII .45 blank cartridges for line throwing gun by Western Cartridge Co., full 20-round box with 1944 lot marking and complete contents.
Tags: .45 blank cartridges, line throwing gun, Western Cartridge Co, WWII ammunition box, military blank cartridges, 1944 cartridge box, utility ammunition, wartime ammo packaging
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WWII .45 blank cartridges for line throwing gun box
Western Cartridge Co .45 blank cartridge box
1944 lot marked line throwing gun ammunition
Full box of 20 .45 blank cartridges
Wartime .45 blank cartridge box with contents
