NEW Digging Tool... and a -bullet- from my first playground!!?

godisnum1 · Sep 23, 2007

So I had to go out and buy a new digging tool today because I just realized that I accidentally left my old one down in Texas last weekend, and my brother & sister-in-law already left for Florida for good as of yesterday...
This is the tool I bought; I must say it's pretty stinkin' amazing!!! It made things ALOT easier than my last tool!

And here's my finds... (I'm gonna need some ID help on the bullet, please)
It consists of the bullet casing, of course, a '81 penny, a rusty chunk of iron or something?, and a little metal casing that's tapered like a star at one end. It's only like 1 1/2 inches long and has a groove that goes around at one end and makes it look like another half maybe slide onto this one?

Bran <><

Baldingboy · Sep 23, 2007

The cartridge is from a 45-70 Wichester Westerner. This is a large slow caliber cowboy type rifle that has gained popularity again among shooters the last few years.

Montana Jim · Sep 23, 2007

The cartridge is a modern Winchester Western (W-W) .45.70 casing.

Dang Baldingboy! I typed too slow... LOL... good work.

I don't even wanna know about that "applicator" looking thing... LMAO

godisnum1 · Sep 23, 2007

Ok, thanks! I'm still wondering about the bullet though, because it was found smack dab in the middle of a playground (in a LARGE field), next to an Elementary School, and right in the middle of a neighborhood!! I guess I'm just having a hard time seeing that large of a bullet fired that close to everything around where it was found. I do know the history of Missouri, so would it definitely (without a doubt) be a "modern" bullet casing? I'm just wondering... my friends and I were discussing this when I got back to the house. Thanks again!

Oh, one more thing... does "GOVT" not mean "Government"? Like Government issued? Again, just wondering.

Bran <><

pj4566 · Sep 23, 2007

in the 1800's the army adopted the 45-70 as it's cartridge. they used it in the indian wars and later it was replaced by the 30-40 krag cartridge. any way that explains why it is called the 45-70 gov. could be somebody had it in his pocket and just got rid of it because it does not look that old.

birdman · Sep 23, 2007

Looks like that new digger could do some damage!

Natman · Sep 23, 2007

Nice finds..don't be too alarmed finding casings near those areas, sometimes the shells were left behind before the land was developed, and sometimes kids like to keep spent casings and then lose them.

If I find a spent shell on top of the ground and it smells like gunpowder (like the shotgun shell I found at a school about a month ago) or an entire cartridge lying on the ground in a public area, that really concerns me.

Nat

desertfox · Sep 23, 2007

Godisnum1 You already have your answers to your questions on the casing and round you found, so, nice digging tool, I bent my Pro one up last month and had to buy a new one, too, I bought the same one as you. Got it at Lowe's for 10 bucks. Love it! HH

Desertfox

Cynangyl · Sep 23, 2007

David and I have actually found several spent casings at schools and usually figured it was there before the school but yesterday we found a very sharp dart and a sewing needle at the bottom of a kiddie slide...now THAT could hurt! Nice tool ya got there and thanks for doing your part in cleaning up the school areas!

mastereagle22 · Sep 23, 2007

I have the same digger, I keep it as a backup. It is a solid piece of equipment but does not do well in dry ground. I am also amazed at where I find bullet casings. The other day while in Lake of the Ozarks I found a 7.62 casing right in the middle of a tot lot. Wonder how it got there. Good luck with you digging and the new digging tool.

godisnum1 · Sep 23, 2007

Thanks for all the comments!!

After the great IDing by you guys, I found the bullet on Wikipedia which said that it was a bullet that was created in the later 1800's by the government. While it IS currently used by people today, it's usually only used in reproduction models of those rifles. But in the place where I found it, I'm pretty sure it's an original bullet case from back in the day and not a modern reproduction bullet.

As far as that digging tool... that thing is *wicked* cool!!!! Not bad at ALL for 13 bucks!
You're right though, mastereagle22... it definitely is difficult to use in dry ground situations. That was basically all I was digging in yesterday, as we haven't seen much rain around this part of the Ozarks in a while. I was stinkin' determined though to make it a great hunt... and it was! But that tool is the best I've used so far... so I can't complain!

Bran <><

SC_hunter · Sep 23, 2007

I also have the same digger..one suggestion...make the ends "pointier"...It will go in hard ground much better..Nice finds btw..looks like a lot of digging..

godisnum1 · Sep 23, 2007

Good call, SC! I was almost thinking of doing that, though it'll have to wait until the next time I go back home to Florida so I can use my dad's tools. Unfortunately I basically have no tools of my own up here with me, outside of my emergency road kit in my truck.

Bran <><

DDEXPII · Sep 23, 2007

nice

HH

piggman1 · Sep 23, 2007

45/70 was originally for the buffalo guns. It got it's name fron a 45 cal. bullet behind 70 grains of black powder. It's a hefty load. I shoot a 50 cal. black powder with a 40 or 45 saboted bullet behind 110 grains of black powder. It will knock a deer on it's butt. I find a lot of shell casings in playgrounds around here, it's the spent bullets I find that make me wonder. Way to go on the finds!