Military Bullet?

[Cappy Z.]

I got bored so I dremeled one of my 'bullets' I found on the St. Augustine Beach a few years ago.

I was shocked to see the bright color..almosy brassy gold?

A very heavy bullet in terms of weight for its size.

Any idea year and make?

Thanks.

[Monty]

Probably an armor piercing bullet. Not enough info to ID for certain. Best guess from looking at the picture. Monty

[BioProfessor]

By convention, all military issued ammo must be full metal jacket so the brassy look could be just a thick part of the jacket.

What is the caliber? When you dremeled your bullet what did you find? Was it NOT lead inside. If not, then Monty is probably spot on.

Is there a cavity on the rear for it to have been a tracer round as well?

Daryl

[Cappy Z.]

Here's the 'back end' of the bullet.

[BioProfessor]

Is the hole "yours?" Looks like a standard boat tail to me. Never hit lead??

If it is armor piercing, I think the tip holds the key.

Did you calculate the caliber? (decimal diameter in inches)

Daryl

[TiredIron]

Cappy,
Looks like a U.S. 50 BMG M2 or M33 Ball projectile. Do you have any way of accurately weighing it in grains or grams? All .50 BMG Projectiles are .510 in diameter. All weights listed below are in grains.
There is no way to nail down an actual date....but I would say that due to all the intense U.S. Military Training activity that went on in that immediate area from 1939-1945, you could safely say it was about then.
They have had WWII depth charges wash up on that beach after storms....so your libel to find anything.

TiredIron

M33 Ball
weight: 647gr.
BC: 0.670
ID:none


M2 Ball
weight: 700gr.
BC: 0.670
ID:none


Tracer
weight: 630gr.
BC:
ID: Red or Maroon Tip


Armor Piercing (AP)
weight: 708gr.
BC:
ID: Black Tip


Armor Piercing Incendiary (API)
weight: 649gr. / 622.5gr.
BC: 0.650
ID: Silver Tip


Armor Piercing Incendiary Tracer (APIT)
weight: 619gr.
BC: 0.650
ID: Silver with Red Tip


SLAP / SLAP - T
weight: 355gr.
BC:
ID:


Raufoss MP
weight:
BC:
ID: Silver with Green Tip


Spotter / Tracer
weight: 828gr.
BC:
ID: Yellow with Red Tip

[Cappy Z.]

No, the hole was/is there. The butt end has a dia. of 10mm The widest portion is about 13mm.

Might try to have it weighed later.

Thanks for all the feedback. I was hoping it was solid gold.

[TiredIron]

About 12.95mm would be the actual measured diameter of a new projectile. A fired projectile would be close and possibly a hair less. Dang Metrics......
Its still a U.S. .50BMG......or if you wish...a 12.7X99 Nato Projectile. Nato and its Ammunition designations didn't exist when this was probably fired though.

TiredIron

[Bigcypresshunter]

No, the hole was/is there. The butt end has a dia. of 10mm The widest portion is about 13mm.

Might try to have it weighed later.

Thanks for all the feedback. I was hoping it was solid gold.

lol Cappy

[Monty]

10mm would make it a .40 cal! No such animal in a military round that I am aware of. Monty

[Cappy Z.]

If it IS solid,
That is a hand turned copper or brass solid .50 BMG, designed for civilian target shooting.

i know of no past or present MILITARY copper solids...

It IS solid..and I think heavy as lead or brass.

[Cappy Z.]

If it IS solid,
That is a hand turned copper or brass solid .50 BMG, designed for civilian target shooting.

i know of no past or present MILITARY copper solids...

It IS solid..and I think heavy as lead or brass.

i don't have one anymore, but a lot of target shooters that use a .50 or a .50 upper buy hand turned copper or brass solid bullets. They are also made by a company called "barnes"
The funny thing is, they're NOT used by the military, they are civilian target rounds and VERY expensive.
Curious as to why it would be THERE....

There are no markings of any kind on the bullet. None. I had to dremel a half dollar size chunk of blackened sea sand crustations that completely surrounded the butt. Looks like yellow powder in the tiny hole. I wonder if this is a collectors item?

[TiredIron]

If you'll weigh it accurately the correct answer still is in the sixth post.
a.There is no "AC" Tracer.
b. Barnes and Bore Tech solid brass projos never use a military style canalure.
c. Solid "match projos' are CNC produced, not hand turned.
d. Our U.S. Military Special Ops teams are using match ammo and not the same
fodder the M2HB vehicle mounted weapons use.
Clean up your other found example and see if they too appear the same.
Just drop them in a container of vinegar for a week. If you wish send one to
me and I'll slice in half...and send it back with a new one. I don't believe
your yellow powder is from a tracer or incendiary...thats just not how they
are constructed. Weigh it. His 10mm measurement was just the tapered
tail.
TiredIron

[TiredIron]

Sorry if your offended....there is no aggression in my post...just accurate information. There is no military designation called "Aircraft Tracer". I own,
shoot, load, and score matches involving these weapons for the last 35 years. Yes I guess you could say "I am" an expert in this particular field.

TiredIron
You do know what a CNC automated lathe is...right?

[Cappy Z.]

Gentlmen! Soldiers! Americans!

I just want to know if I can sell it for a few dollars!!!!!

[TiredIron]

Sorry Cappy......no worries Rando,
Your found projectile has only value for your pouch. Umpteen millions of them were spent during the Military training from 1918 till today. John Browning had no idea what a fine weapon he designed that it would still be in use today.... much like most all his designs. As a kid on Okinawa and the Philippines I collected literary thousands of these....and each one was a treasure to me. So...keep it, reflect on our soldiers still using that exact round in the Middle East today, enjoy it. Even if you had a five gallon bucket of them it would have low scrap value due to the combination of copper and lead. keep finding them and give them to young boys.
Here are a few cutaways...couple exotics.
http://cartridgecollectors.org/cmo/cmo06jan.htm
http://cartridgecollectors.org/cmo/cmo06may.htm
http://cartridgecollectors.org/cmo/cmo08dec.htm



adios
TiredIron
I still buy new surplus Tracer, AP,API, APIT....for $.18-.75 each.
Thats why I say yours has more "found" value. HH
So Rando.....do you have an FAL R1..?

[TiredIron]

This ain't my first rodeo....
Conclusion drawn from your Avatar is all. Anybody with a Rhodesian Army Poster
either has an R1... or wants an R1...perhaps waited till the STG58's got to expensive. Own them, build them, shoot them....fine weapons. If your into the R1 explicitly you might have the web gear....at least the hat. I'm not always right but
can get it close. We're creatures of habit.

Tirediron
If you ever need parts let me know.

[Cappy Z.]

So, do I hear a dollar?

8)

[Gunny71]

the FAL in any configuration rocks.
I have two with RA serial numbers on them and one STG 58.
I do not think a finer battle rifle was ever made.

[Monty]

Uh....., or should I say DOH! I got the 40mm from the base of the bullet, 10mm, but forgot it was a boat tail bullet! Overzealous to figure it out . M nty