bullet I.D.

ole44

January 05, 2012 06:36

my dad gave this old bullet to me just not sure what it is?

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  perry shooter

  January 05, 2012 06:42

  my first guess is 45/70 but we need better measurement of the bullet diameter at least with a scale of 1/64 of an inch

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  JohnnyBGood

  January 05, 2012 06:45

  It is, more accurately, a cartridge [:)]
  
  My money would be that it is a 45-70. The "F" for Frankford Arsenal, and the 2-92(82?) the date.
  
  Johnny

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  rufe-snow

  January 05, 2012 06:57

  Don't look correct for a 45-70 of that time frame. Back then brass was used for the cartridge case and lead for the bullet.
  
  My wag is that it's a functioning dummy made out of plated steel.
  
  Test it with a magnet. If it's steel it's a dummy. On the other hand if the magnet don't stick it might be a nickel plated proof round. The finish doesn't look correct for a proof round though.

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  charliemeyer007

  January 05, 2012 07:08

  I too vote for 45-70 2.1" The case look like a tined one. The crimp looks odd to me.

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  JohnnyBGood

  January 05, 2012 07:10

  quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
  Don't look correct for a 45-70 of that time frame.
  
  Some 45-70 rounds were tinned. That may account for the silvery color. I don't know what the purpose/advantage of tinning was supposed to be. The crimp doesn't look right, but I still lean toward a 45-70.
  
  Johnny

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  ole44

  January 05, 2012 08:16

  Heres the measurements , bullet is .446 and casing near bullet end is .480 and the other end is .500

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  ole44

  January 05, 2012 08:18

  it looks like to me the bullet is seated nearly 1/2'' into casing

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  XXCross

  January 05, 2012 08:23

  It's a Frankfort Arsenal 45-70. It could be either a rifle load (70gr) or a carbine loading (60gr) Almost certain to be a "balloon head case. Tin washed cases were common in the era. From the pictures, it appears that the bullet has a "parting line" like one would expect from a cast bullet..if it is a parting line,that part isn't correct. (handload?)

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  hrf

  January 05, 2012 09:26

  May be a dummy round, as the bullet also looks tinned and not lead.
  
  If so, the bullet is probably hollow and much lighter than a live round.

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  heavyiron

  January 06, 2012 08:03

  Hi,
  
  The lighting on this cartridge is what confused me at first, but after looking at it for a while, I think it to be a 45-70 rifle load with tinned-brass case, berdan primer, large ring base, 500 grain bullet, and Pattern 1888 case. The 0.446 inch bullet diameter at the case mouth is correct for a 0.458 inch bullet base diameter. It is possible the cartridge is a reload. Short of some clearer photos and other dimensions such as OAL, base diameter, rim diameter, neck diameter, case length, this is the best guess.
  
  The Pattern 1888 case was tinned both inside and outside. The tinning on the inside of the case was to prevent the chemical degradation of the black powder from galvanic reaction with the brass and also to prevent the fulminate of mercury primer from reacting with the brass. It was easier to tin the entire case rather than either just the inside or the outside, so Frankford Arsenal tinned the entire case.
  
  The headstamp denotes a February 1892 date from Frankford Arsenal. In March 1895, fabrication of the cartridge for the regular Army was stopped, but its manufacture for militia use continued. This cartridge was manufactured about the time the 30-40 Krag was adopted for military use.
  
  There are no references to a function dummy being manufactured by Frankford Arsenal; however, an enterprising individual could have made one in a home workshop.
  
  There was a dizzying array of 45-70 cartridges including a variety of blanks, rife, carbine, gallery, reloading, shot, and multiball loads and cartridges made from brass, copper, and Bloomingfield gilding metal.
  
  Best,
  
  Heavyiron

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