Bullet????

[SkiWhiz]

Think that I posted this in the wrong place so I will put it here.

I have found a number of bullets in my day, all of them that I have found have been fired except the one I found the other day. It was really hot out and I was about to quit detecting for the day when I dug an unfired bullet. I didn't pay much attention to it just put it in my finds pouch and headed for the car. When I got to the car I took out the bottle of water that I bring with me to clean my hands,etc. and gave the bullet a quick clean. I noticed that it had a bird-shot type end on it, it wasn't clean enough to read what it was, I figured that I would clean it better when I got home. When I got home I forgot all about it, I had it in my car on the passenger floorboard. After remembering it I went to car to get it & it was gone, I ask my wife about it and she said she tossed it out. Its no big deal but am curious what is was, if it was old, etc. I would say it was about twice the size of a .22 magnum in length and diameter and it was a center fire. I have never seen or even heard of a bullet other than a .22 or a shotgun having bird-shot. Wish that my wife didn't toss it so I could show you's what it looked like.

I am not sure it had bird-shot but the end of the bullet was shaped like it would.

[Longhair]

Look anything like this?

[SkiWhiz]

Originally Posted by Longhair

Look anything like this?

The end of the bullet (the part that comes out of the gun) doesn't extend as far but the case that holds the powder is similar size.

[Longhair]

Was it a crimped end like the ones pictured?

[007tallguy]

sounds like it might have been a round with shot in it or it could have just been a blank.

Pete

[SkiWhiz]

Went out to the car and found the end of the bullet, the wife must of not seen it when she tossed the rest of the bullet out. Here it is

My wife said she thinks she tossed it the other part out in our driveway (our driveway is large and is dirt not hardtop), if I find it I will post a picture of it.

[Geez]

Well, I hope someone can solve this one. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about firearms, but I've never seen anything like that. Blank cartridges have the end of the case crimped like that, but why have a crimped projectile?

[Longhair]

It looks like someone cut the end off of a blank. Maybe to get the powder. The third pic still shows the wadding inside.

[Geez]

Originally Posted by Longhair

It looks like someone cut the end off of a blank. Maybe to get the powder. The third pic still shows the wadding inside.

Duh. Yeah, that makes sense. Thanks Longhair.

[SkiWhiz]

Originally Posted by Longhair

It looks like someone cut the end off of a blank. Maybe to get the powder. The third pic still shows the wadding inside.

The end came of from the "cartridge" when I tried to clean it, the stuff you see inside in the picture is the same stuff that is in the "cartridge". I am thinking that it is powder that has turned a bit yellow. I am going to carefully take the powder out of the end of the bullet (the crimped part) and see if there is anything else there. I will comb the driveway with a fine tooth comb tomorrow to see if I can find the rest of it. At first it wasn't any big deal now I am very curious what it is.

[007tallguy]

so, the whole length of it was brass and it broke when you were cleaning it. well, if no lead shot fell out, then i'd say yup, it's a blank.
and yes, you'd pretty much need the rest of it (the head-stamp)to determine what "caliber" it was.
i know some of them are made to look realistic and others have to be shaped the right way so they'll feed properly, such as in an semi-auto, magazine fed rifle. something flat on the end would jam up whereas the crimped ones would chamber smoothly like a live shell would do.

Pete

[Longhair]

Yep! And they are also commonly used to propel rifle grenades, as well as being used in parades, funerals, etc...

I believe that that stuff in the tip and below the break is still just wadding. When fast burning powder us used in a large capacity case, it's not uncommon to fill the rest of the case with an inert material that will keep the ignitable substance against the primer, assurring a reliable and complete burn. If you don't, then the powder ends up at the bullet instead of the primer due to recoil, or at the very least it lays along the bottom of the case where it is still unreliable and may not burn completely.

If you want to know if that stuff actually is the propellant, pluck some out of the tip and touch a match to it. If it is nitro cellulose (gun cotton) then it will burn quickly (not flash or explode).

[SkiWhiz]

Originally Posted by Longhair

Yep! And they are also commonly used to propel rifle grenades, as well as being used in parades, funerals, etc...

I believe that that stuff in the tip and below the break is still just wadding. When fast burning powder us used in a large capacity case, it's not uncommon to fill the rest of the case with an inert material that will keep the ignitable substance against the primer, assurring a reliable and complete burn. If you don't, then the powder ends up at the bullet instead of the primer due to recoil, or at the very least it lays along the bottom of the case where it is still unreliable and may not burn completely.

If you want to know if that stuff actually is the propellant, pluck some out of the tip and touch a match to it. If it is nitro cellulose (gun cotton) then it will burn quickly (not flash or explode).

I took the powder out and lit it with a match, it burnt real slowly. There was nothing but powder in the end of the bullet, no bird shot,etc.

[Longhair]

Being as corroded as it was, I'm sure that it wasn't as dry as it normally would be in a cartridge, which would explain the slow burn.

You can nitrate your own cotton. Even do it twice to speed up the burn rate if you want. It's neat stuff to play with. Check out a few videos on YouTube.

[porkchop]

edited, misread the part about it being centerfire.