Rare Antique Winchester Experimental 5” Naval Artillery Shell Casing. Pre Prod For Sale

Up for sale is an incredibly rare, museum-quality piece of American naval ordnance history. This is a massive 5-inch/40-caliber brass naval artillery shell casing manufactured by the legendary Winchester Repeating Arms Co. in New Haven, Connecticut.What makes this specific casing exceptionally rare is its manufacturing date stamp: February 1893 (2-93).The U.S. Navy's 5-inch/40-caliber rapid-fire gun system was not officially designed and adopted until 1895 for early battleships and armored cruisers. Because this casing predates official adoption by two years, it represents an incredibly scarce pre-production experimental trial piece. During this era, the military contracted commercial manufacturing giants like Winchester to produce early test lots.Unlike standard, mass-produced service casings that are heavily cluttered with anchor proofs, re-work stamps, and inspector marks, the base of this casing features a remarkably clean, crisp factory roll-stamp. It retains only the foundational Winchester manufacturer text and the "2-93" date stamp, indicating it was part of an early developmental lot that was never recycled into standard fleet service.

Specifications:

Manufacturer: Winchester Repeating Arms Co., New Haven, Conn., U.S.A.

Date of Manufacture: February 1893 (2-93)Caliber/Type: U.S. Navy 5-inch / 40-Caliber

Length: 27 7/8 inches

Diameter (Base): Approx. 5 inches

Condition: Excellent antique condition with a beautiful, authentic, untouched dark aged patina. The historic factory stamps on the base remain crisp and highly legible. The casing has deliberately been left unpolished to preserve its collector value and historical integrity.

This is a premier centerpiece for any advanced Winchester, U.S. Navy, or Spanish-American War era ordnance collection. Please review the photos carefully to appreciate the condition and crispness of the markings.