Cartridge ID Help

[AU24K]

These are some cartridges I've found.
The first pair is of a live round. It is 1 1/4" tall.
The second pair is also live, but appears to be a blank. It is 2 5/8" tall.
The third pair is spent. It is 5/8" tall
The fourth pair is also spent. It is 1 1/2" tall.

Thanks in advance.

Best,
Scott

PS. Do any of y'all collect these kind of things?

 

[Rob Mitch]

Your second set of pictures is a blank made in Lake City Arsenal in 1968. It looks to be 7.62X51 which is the military equivelent of .308. The 4th set looks to be 7.62X39 Looks rusty so probably a steel case. Steel cases are common in this caliber. I think that particuler head stamp is Chineese but could be wrong. Lots of this cal has been imported and sold here.

 

[Hawkeye P]

That top one looks like a .455 Webley, especially if the markings are any indication. The older blackpowder kind. The overall length matches up, too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.455_Webley

 

[AU24K]

I've looked this site over pretty good...

http://cartridgecollectors.org/headstampcodes_bottom.htm

Does anyone know of other sites?

Best,
Scott

 

[Monty]

The 3rd one is for some caliber semiautomatic pistol, probably .45 ACP. I don't collect them but I handload them and they are really too common to be worth anything. But a new collector might want them. The 3rd one isn't a blank. A blank would have a crimped spot in the place where a bullet usually goes. It is a US. cartridge from the Lake City Arsenal. Monty

 

[AU24K]

I am trying to get a grip on what kinda junk I'm saving. I've got tons and I ain't gettin' no younger...

I have just dug out some earlier found cartridges in one of my boxes, a box,
in another box that was marked, well, never mind....
Should I throw them away or what? Spend precious time sorting, cataloguing, appraising, marketing, etc? ME? I like swapping!
What you got? Here's summa what I got!

http://cartridgecollectors.org/headstampcodes_bottom.htm

I've also posted here about cartridges.

Best,
Scott

 

[Monty]

At every gun show there are usually 2 or 3 tables that have thousands of cartridges and/or bullets that might interest a collector. I don't know if there is a collectors group, but you might google it and see what turns up. I save most of the junk, I mean "junque" I find, but I don't know why, just like to get it out and go through it once in a while and remember the hunts where I found it. Monty

 

[homefires]

Photo #4 is a .308 blank. We use to collect them by the ton at Ft Carson.

Here is a site to help with others.

http://members.shaw.ca/cartridge-corner/idpics.htm

 

[l.cutler]

#3 is a .25 auto pistol cartridge.

 

[kenley]

Sorry Monty, The military round is a blank. I have a clip & eight on my desk as I type. The crimped rounds are for grenade launchers. There were two rounds taped to the shaft of the grenade. The large pistol round is .455 Webly & Scott revolver. The small rimless is .25 Auto (ACP)

 

[Monty]

I give up, I can't tell #1 from #2 from, etc, etc. From the picture I thought the military rifle round had a bullet in it. I was going to guess 6.5 MM but I suppose it doesn't have a bullet in it. Dang, there went my ID percentage back down to about .26%! I am usually pretty good at this but my brain went to sleep on this one I guess? M nty

 

[Sky Pilot]

Kenley,
I gotta go with Monty on this one.
I am aware that Scott's brass isn't from a 5.56 NATO, but......
Blank cartrides for an M-16 (and most others!) are crimped!
Now I don't know what kind of rounds you've got, but if they have anything in the end of the cartridge, I'd consider them "live".
I suppose you speak from experience (that's why I'm asking what kind of cartridge you have), I know I do.

Here's a link: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/AMM016-5.html

Regards, Sky Pilot

 

[diggerfororo]

The 3rd one is for some caliber semiautomatic pistol, probably .45 ACP. I don't collect them but I handload them and they are really too common to be worth anything. But a new collector might want them. The 3rd one isn't a blank. A blank would have a crimped spot in the place where a bullet usually goes. It is a US. cartridge from the Lake City Arsenal. Monty

The 3rd round IS A BLANK. I worked at Lake City from 1965 to 1971 and could have loaded that very round. That is 7.62 blank round for link belt only. Most likely used in training with the recoiless rifle. After the plate of cases were charged with powder they were run through a wad press, which placed paper wads in the extended neck. Next the plate was run through a crimping press and end of the neck was curled over the wads. Next water proofing was placed in the end of each round. Each plate held 346 rounds. And thats all I have to say about that

Les

 

[Sky Pilot]

Les and Kenley: I misread Monty's post.
However, we agree on one thing it seems:
"I am aware that Scott's brass isn't from a 5.56 NATO, but......
Blank cartrides for an M-16 (and most others!) are crimped!
Now I don't know what kind of rounds you've got, but if they have anything in the end of the cartridge, I'd consider them "live".

So you're the man I can thank for having to clean all that fouled powder from my rifle after training maneuvers, eh?
I'd say you made a lot of them during those years, especially the 7.62 belt and 5.56 rounds.
I know I fired a lot!! LOL!!

And that's all I have to say about that!

Regards, Sky Pilot

 

[kenley]

Sky Pilot
My only experience was shooting the things in a M-1 Garand and BAR in my 4+ yrs in the Marine Corps. I can see where it would be practical to crimp a .223. I have a number of 30-06 blanks. Crimped 30-06 were for rifle grenade only. They came packaged with the grenade. Although I have never fired a M-14 or M-16, I own a Garand and fire it in the DCM matches.

 

[Sky Pilot]

Kenley,
Thanks for the pics!

If I'd had my wits about me, I would have realized you were talking about a stripper clip!
Yeah, the 30.06 is a different beast altogether.
I've never fired a BAR, but it would definitely be a blast I'm sure!
I have fired an M-14 and they are actually (in my opinion) too unruly.
How does your thumb like that M-1 Garand?
My youngest son fired one for the first time a few years back and WHAMMM!! Lost a nail to it!
Semper Fi!!

Sky Pilot

 

[mick56]

Here are some M16 blanks.

 

[homefires]

The one with the Extended Extruded bullet form is a blank from a .308.

Back then they did not use NATO designations for our ammo.

My father and I use to Cut them down (Remove the End of Case ) and reload them for .308!

We could find them by the Can full after maneuvers. They just left it out there to rot back then.

 

[turtlefoot13]

Here's another site that might be of some help.

http://www.oldammo.com/picindex.htm

Doug

 

[NGE]

The 3rd one is for some caliber semiautomatic pistol, probably .45 ACP. I don't collect them but I handload them and they are really too common to be worth anything. But a new collector might want them. The 3rd one isn't a blank. A blank would have a crimped spot in the place where a bullet usually goes. It is a US. cartridge from the Lake City Arsenal. Monty

Monty, I have found the "blank" cartridges still loaded, they have a red paper cap stuffed down the top and packed really tight, they used them for training in the woods around here during Vietnam war.....NGE