bullet ID please

[Batch]

Hello everyone!

I spent a few minutes this weekend introducing my girlfriend to what we do for fun and she came up with this bullet. As the photos may not show the details very well, I will expand on 'em here. First, the bullet appears to be copper jacketed - scratching the surface revealed copper color and the tell-tale green patina is evident. Second, there are four rifling grooves approx 2mm wide equally spaced around it. Third, the crimp mark from the casing (I assume) is visible in the first photo approx 12 mm from the "tail" end. Finally, the "tail" end of the bullet is not smooth but very rough - looks almost as if it had been cut from a sprue. I suspect this is a fairly common German round but I know nothing about ammo. Just looking for basic ID and yrs of manufacture...thank you in advance for your help.

HH to all,

Batch

 

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[DigEmAll]

Most likely from an 8mm Mauser.  That bullet looks like it is a boat-tail spitzer and the rifle was used by the Nazis during WWII and is still a popular round.  The rifle is very popular because they are easily customized, rechambered, and used for hunting or target rifles.  It was a very strong action, and comparesd with the US Winchester Model 70.  (From which many a sniper rifle has been constructed.

 

[RatRacer]

LOOKS like a bullet- can see the rifling grooves...

 

[nhbenz]

I know nothing on the topic, but I believe DigEmAll to be pretty sharp on the topic. Here's a link for comparison (half way down the page): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauser Also, being 8mm diameter, shown in photo 2, I completely agree with DEA (DigEmAll). But since I'm here and have a chance to learn, why does the tail end of it sorta' look like it had previously had a string attached?

 

[nhbenz]

And how could it have ended up in Germany?! A dang mystery!

 

[SomeGuy]

Might be a tracer round.

 

[DigEmAll]

Here are some 8mm round manufactures.

Krag-Jorgenson, Hungarian Mannlicher, Breda, Siamese Mannlicher, and Lebel.

These are like our manufactures such as Cor-bon, Federal, S&B, CCI, ACME, Action, and all those thousands of others that aren't on the net.

Each Manufacturer made ten different type of load from the 8MM and each load had ten different types of bullets.

We can sit here and make a brass acorn out of this or just let it go.

 

[SomeGuy]

The rifling mark is highlighted in yellow, the crimping cannelure in white.

I still think it's a tracer, you can't tell anyting about a color code that may have been on the tip at one time, but the base looks like it contained a tracer.

 

[DigEmAll]

Thanks SomeGuy. I also agree that it looks like a tracer round. I didn't want to sat that earlier because I am not keenly familiar with what kinds of rounds were available in the WWII 8mm.

 

[Batch]

Thanks everyone!

SomeGuy, I appreciate the highlighting of the original photos to bring out the crimp and rifling grooves...That's a HUGE help!

DEA, I appreciate your quick-n-knowledgeable reply AND I loved the brass acorn reference...that thing will go down in TreasureNet history!

Doc, the boat tail end is not hollow (nor does it look like a string was attached, nhbenz) BUT it does appear to possibly be melted and/or severely corroded. Thanks for detailed spitzer info...I have not put calipers to it but I can if anyone would like.

RatRacer, looks like a bullet...smells like a bullet...let's call it a bullet <smile>!

As a side note, my girlfriend thinks the attention/response from you folks was, and I quote, "kewl".

Thanks again to all for the help...I'll try to return the favor some day.

HH to all and to all a good night,

Batch

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Hi-o Batch: Sorry, was out of the loop for 3 days, I am in Tucson right now.

That is a an 8 mm Tracer round, or possibly an Incendary tracer/ armour/ piercing one. External shapes are similar, but it does not have a boatail, it has a square base. with a slight crimp to keep the compound/compounds internal. It has 4 groves with a right hand twst, typical German riflling..

Tropical Tramp.

 

[blurr]

Doc,

I'm not a bullet "guy", but have done my fair share of shooting. What in the world made you think it wasn't a bullet? Again, I'm no expert, but the shape in the photo is the shape of a bullet. Also, metal deteriorates over time, so it is still consistant with a bullet. I could see if you were questioning the caliber, but jeez come on it is a BULLET! You don't just post for the sake of typing do you? just giving you a little grief.

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

doc link
Tell me about tracer ammo, wouldn't the bullet be hollow after it burned out?? Regards,
Doc
***********

It would be except for the burned residue which may not be leachable. Many times a hard whitish/yellowish crust depending upon what it was composed of and for what purpose.

Tropical Tramp

 

[DigEmAll]

That bullet looks like it is a boat-tail spitzer...

Opps.... my bad guys... I was sitting here asking myself "Where the heck did they get boat tailed from?"

Soooo... I read the posts again and.... well.... Opps.


That SHOULD have read : Semi- boat tailed spitzer or Semi- square based Spitzer.  It is not a square base, nor is it a boat tail.  It falls in the middle.  I really did mean to say SEMI-boat tailed. (even that is a term made up by me! LOL)


As for the bullet being hollow Doc, what remains is a type of ash that is left over after it burns out.  The ash is almost as solid as the composition of the pre-burn material.