4 ring bullet? Help!!

[winslow]

Found this in the woods near California-Oregon border. Nothing else around. Any ideas on age and what type of gun was used?

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Lever action of 1890s to 1940's would be my guess.

 

[Tedyoh]

45-70 Government possibly - early as 1866

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

At first glance, the bullet does look like a .45-70... but the ruler below the bullet clearly shows its diameter is smaller than a .45-70 bullet's "approximately" 7/16th-inch diameter. This bullet's diameter looks to be "approximately" 3/8-inch, which could be either a .36, .38, or .40-caliber. Its length indicates it is for a rifle, not a pistol. Unfortunately I do not recognize it off the top of my head, and would have to do some research to ID it. At the moment, I think it is from the late-1800s, but might be from the early 20th-Century.

We need super-precise measurement (in hundredths-of-an-inch) of its diameter to be 100%-certain about its ID.

By the way... it is not a "4-ring" bullet. Its body has 3 grooves and a "rebated" base to fit snugly into the metallic casing's lip. The rebate is actually not a ring or groove.

 

[winslow]

Thanks Cannonball !

 

[cheese]

I'd say a .30 caliber or maybe 8mm modern cast reload. Probably not very old. Bullets like this are still made today. By the size of it, I'd guess it's 200-250 grains.
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