Not a huge find but kinda cool.

[Dirtfishin 208]

I didnt hsve long to hunt today so I played in my yard again. And found this. It looks like it's from to 20' or 30's from the way the base of the shell is cast. Also looks like 45 cal. The best part? I am in the city limits and the house I'm at wasnt built till 48. Really think this shell casing is older than that. Pretty cool find, old pieces of history are awesome.

 

[A2coins]

Looks like a 12 gauge shell casing not a clear pic

 

[A2coins]

Welcome also

 

[Simon1]

Maybe get a clearer picture of the end of it. Also, place it beside a quarter or nickel so we can see a size comparison. In seeing it in your hand I would say it is to small for a 12 ga. and larger than a 410, so possibly a 20 ga. or 16 ga. in my opinion.

 

[firemanphob]

my guess would be 45-70 but impossible to tell without seeing the whole thing and dimensions.

 

[Hawks88]

Interesting find. Congrats

 

[Hawks88]

Welcome to tnet from Niagara Falls.

 

[BLK HOLE]

Welcome to T-Net from Northern Virginia, kinda looks like a 20 ga to me...

 

[Dirtfishin 208]

Here is another pic of it with a dime for scale. It's all brass and I think the top part has been broken off making it shorter than it was when fired. I'm still thinking 45-70 or something close. Still to be found in city limits is kinda cool.

 

[diggerdeeper]

Hi there, I'd say your cartridge casing is probably a 45-70 as you thought, and most likely dates to the late 1800's or very early 1900's.
The 45-70 was the official government cartridge and used in the well known "trapdoor" Springfield single shot from the 1870's until the 1890's when it was replaced by the 30-40 Krag.
Only early production cases were unmarked, so you have to go by the diameter of the case mouth. 45-70 would be about 7/16" or bit larger and 50-70 would measure right at 1/2".
If you think your shell is broken off, you should be able to go online and find case measurements for the 45-70, as it is still in production, and the dimensions won't vary much from the 1870's on.