cartridge id please

[johnnyi]

I'm guessing the little one is a blank? The big one is apparently unfired, but the bullet does NOT belong to it. I stuck in in there to see if it fit, as I found it in the same area. When would this bullet date from, and what was the original bullet's shape? Was thi military or civilian? Thanks for looking

 

[DaChief]

Believe it is a Buffalo Round or was used for that often.

Fired from a rolling block type Sharpes Rifle

The W.R.A. on the casing I believe refers to "Winchester Repeating Arms" The WCF refers to Winchester Center Fire There is a Remington UMC Version also. See the last photo for pictures of the base of both.

This info came from a web site on the bullet.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/buffalo_cartridges.htm


Here is a web site that showcases the gun! Definetly a Buffalo Gun.

http://www.gunblast.com/BillyDixon_Sharps.htm


.45-90, .45-100, and .45-110 Sharps (Straight)

This series of Sharps rifle cartridges are all based on the same basic case trimmed to lengths of 2.875", 2.60", and 2.40". The original was the 2.875" (2 7/8") .45-110, introduced in 1876. The .45-100 (2.6" case) was added at the end of 1876 and the .45-90 (2.4" case) appeared during 1877. The base diameter of these big rimmed, straight taper cases was .500" and the neck diameter was .489". All of these cartridges used standard .458" diameter bullets.

The .45-90 was virtually identical to the .45-70 with a longer case, and .45-70 ammunition can safely be fired in .45-90 rifles. This was quite useful on the frontier, where .45-70 Government ammunition was widely distributed, and made the Sharps .45-90 a popular buffalo rifle.

All of the cartridges in this series could be used with bullets weighing 320 grains to 550 grains. The heavier bullets were the best for hunting buffalo, and the larger cases favored the heavier bullets. Factory loads for the .45-110-550 launched a 550 grain bullet at a MV of 1360 fps with ME of 2240 ft. lbs.

Frank Mayer, a well known buffalo hunter, tried various rifles but preferred his Sharps .45-90-420, which was equipped with a 20x telescopic sight made in Germany. He found that the 420 grain bullet shot flatter over ranges out to 300 yards, and killed faster than the lighter bullets he had tried. Mayer's .45-90 Sharps rifle had a 32" barrel and weighed 12 pounds.

 

[johnnyi]

Thanks Dachief. It is cooler than I thought. I thought it was much newer. I'll mark this solved.

 

[DaChief]

Welcome. I added a little more with a site on the actual gun that fired it.

Nice Find!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Good work Chief. . Nothing left to be said.

 

[steif]

Yes, excellent information!! I would only add that the 45-90 was also chambered in Winchester 1886 and Marlin 1896 lever action rifles as well, and some others I'm sure. I think the round actually started in the early 1870's in the Trapdoor springfield chambered in 45-90 in the officers and marksmans rifles.

The blank on the left does look like a more modern 5.56 crimped blank, the letters on the headstamp will confirm this. these are still used in the m-16's by the army.

 

[kenley]

The "blank" is actually the type used to fire a rifle grenade. I don't remember the mod. number and all that, it's been too long. The rifle grenade came with two of these taped to the tube between the fins and the war head. I fired my share.