Old Ammo Questions

[Randy in Arizona]

I have an old box of cartridges labeled:

12 REVOLVER CARTRIDGES
Model 1882

The tape used to seal the box is stamped: APR 13 1885

Headstamp is: (vertical 6 & 12) R F (horizontal 9 & 3) 4 85

The lead bullets are mostly covered with white lead oxide,
The cases are mostly still coppery metallic in appearance.

They look like 45 Long Colt, but I am not an expert on old cartridges.

The box is split on 8 of its 10 corner seams but not torn up otherwise.

What are these?

What might they be worth to a collector?

TIA, RAZ

 

[Gordon]

Holy mackerel, they look like Schofield Cartridges!

 

[SDC]

Nice find. They appear to be Schofield cartridges, all right, loaded in April of 1885 ("4 85" and the box tape). The box and label definitely make them worth more, but I've got no idea how MUCH more; you can probably get a better answer in the forum here: http://www.notry.com/cart.htm

 

[Jim K]

Cartridge, Caliber .45 Revolver, Ball, Model of 1882. That was the military cartridge designed to be used in both the Colt Model 1873 (SAA) revolver and the S&W Schofield. The original Colt cartridge (which we call the .45 Colt) was too long for the S&W cylinder, and cartridges originally made for the S&W had rims too big for the Colt. The compromise cartridge was of S&W length with a Colt size rim. It was the standard issue revolver cartridge from 1882 until adoption of the .38 revolver, and even then was issued whenever either .45 revolver was issued. It can also be used in the Model 1909 revolver, even though that gun had its own Model 1909 cartridge.

The cartridge was also made commercially, usually with ".45 COLT" headstamps, but some are marked ".45 C GOVT" or ".45 S&W". All government production was at Frankford Arsenal; there was no contract production.

Experts differ on the meaning of the "R" with some indicating it means "Revolver" and others saying it means "Reloading". Since this was the first revolver cartridge that could be reloaded, and tools were issued for that purpose, I am inclined to the latter idea. (Previous .45 revolver cartridges were Benet primed and not reloadable.) Also, I can see no reason to mark the round for use in revolvers since it is obviously not a rifle cartridge.

In any case the "R" was dropped in 1886.

"F" indicates Frankford Arsenal. The 4/85 is the manufacture date, April 1885. HTH

Jim

 

[Burt Blade]

Bring those puppies to a large SASS or NCOWS match, and you might find a buyer.

What a cool find!