Can anyone help me identify this cartridge?

Herk30 · Oct 24, 2008

My brother and I came across this while sorting through my grandfathers reloading stuff. I couldn't get a good picture of the headstamp, but here's a picture of it next to a standard 223. The headstamp says WRA at the top and 43 at the bottom. It looks like the primer is crimped on three sides evenly spaced.

Maelstrom · Oct 24, 2008

I'm guessing it's a .50 BMG, made by Winchester Repeating Arms in 1943 based on the headstamp.

Galil5.56 · Oct 24, 2008

I'm saying .50 cal.

Pictured below to the left is a 50 cal, 20mm, and 25mm rounds, with a spent 25mm case to the right that I fired out of my Bradley.

rcmodel · Oct 24, 2008

Looks like WWII .50 cal to me, except the bullet is seated shorter then it should be.

If the primer is dented, someone stuck a fired bullet back in it.
If not, they probably pulled the bullet and dumped out the powder, then put it back in too far.

rcmodel

Herk30 · Oct 24, 2008

The bullet had definitely been pushed in farther than it should be seated. The primer is still live, so I am assuming there is still powder in it. How in the world would you go about pulling the bullet to empty the powder out without destroying the whole thing? What are the chances of it actually being dangerous/live? It looks cool sitting on my desk, but it makes me a little nervous at the same time. Especially when it falls over.

rcmodel · Oct 24, 2008

I would probably drill a 1/2" hole in a block of maple and saw a slot in one side down to the hole.

Then clamp the bullet in it, in a vice, and see if you can "twist/wiggle" the case off of the bullet.

The bullet is probably not as tight as it should be, and may likely already have been out once.

rcmodel

Remo-99 · Oct 24, 2008

I'm a little worried about old military rounds myself, if unable to positively ID the round. Since many of them often had incendiary or HE cores, although these are usually identified with a painted tip, which may or may not have been worn off over the years.

Here's just one example
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raufoss_Mk_211

Can anyone help me identify this cartridge?

Herk30

Member

Attachments

Maelstrom

Member

Galil5.56

Member

rcmodel

Member in memoriam

Herk30

Member

rcmodel

Member in memoriam

Remo-99

Member

Similar threads