founded in 1898 – 1944
East Alton, Illinois

Cartridges made by Western are stamped WCC

• 1886 Franklin W. Olin received an engineering degree from Cornell University
• 1892 one of several investors in the Equitable Powder Company in East Alton, Illinois
• 1893 they made blasting powder for coal mining in southern Illinois
• 1898 Olin formed Western Cartridge Company
  – manufactured rifle powder and shotgun shells
• 1900 Union Cap and Chemical Company (UCC)
  – formed with the Austin Cartridge Company (Ohio)
• 1907 purchased the Alliance Cartridge Company
• forerunner of the Olin Corporation (1944)
• 1931 Western Cartridge Company acquired the Winchester Repeating Arms Company
• 1935 formed Winchester-Western
•  World War II produced 3 billion rounds of ammunition
• 1944 Olin businesses were brought together as Olin Industries, Inc.

Western Cartridge Company