Bullets to Spare

FLOOD · Jul 21, 2022

Found this cluster of 14 unfired rifle cartridges at one of the properties I was exploring today. The shells are Union Metallic Cartridge (UMC) Company 38-55 Calibre. They were at a depth of about 6-8 inches. These are likely early 1900s based on the location and the history I have on the place. In the past, I've found plenty of casings, and separate bullets, and infrequently an unfired round. This is the most unfired rounds in a spill that I've come across.

dickyoung · Jul 21, 2022

Typically those come 20 to a box. Maybe the guy loaded his rifle and lost the box out of his coat and didn,t realize it.The box probably deteriorated over time.Or he might have missed a deer and threw away the cartridges in frustration! Unusual find like that.

EmuDetector · Jul 21, 2022

Cool little find. Looks like a dropped box of ammo!

atomicbrh · Jul 22, 2022

dickyoung said:
Typically those come 20 to a box. Maybe the guy loaded his rifle and lost the box out of his coat and didn,t realize it.The box probably deteriorated over time.Or he might have missed a deer and threw away the cartridges in frustration! Unusual find like that.

This. That was never a military caliber.

MTJosh · Jul 22, 2022

dickyoung said:
Typically those come 20 to a box. Maybe the guy loaded his rifle and lost the box out of his coat and didn,t realize it.The box probably deteriorated over time.Or he might have missed a deer and threw away the cartridges in frustration! Unusual find like that.

This is most likely it. Guessing gun held five below, one in the chamber, this was the other 14 in the box. Forgot the box or box fell out of pack/jacket after loading his rifle.

Cool find. If you can clean them up, collectors pay good money for old cartridges. Obvioulsy would not fire them, but they still collect them. So many odd calibers back then. I have never found a 38-55 before. Found a 45-90 yesterday here in Montana

teotwawki12 · Jul 22, 2022

Well, if they just read UMC and not Rem-UMC, I'd have to say they were made prior to the 1912 merger? That's my understanding with shotgun shells anyway

FLOOD · Jul 22, 2022

Yeah, they are pre Remington cartridges. I gave them to a friend who collects.

hole'~mole' · Aug 4, 2022

Hmmm, are you sure all those cartridges are 38-55 ?
I have a fair number of years collecting and shooting vintage rifles, including 38-55.
Some of these shells appear to be bottle necked to me.
38-55 was a straight tapered shell similar to, but smaller than a 45-70.
I was thinking at least some of these might be 30-30, 30-40, or 32 Special.
There was a 38-56, which was based on a necked down 45-70, and designed for used in the 1886 Winchester; but these don't look that large.

stetam · Aug 4, 2022

hole'~mole' said:
Hmmm, are you sure all those cartridges are 38-55 ?
I have a fair number of years collecting and shooting vintage rifles, including 38-55.
Some of these shells appear to be bottle necked to me.
38-55 was a straight tapered shell similar to, but smaller than a 45-70.
I was thinking at least some of these might be 30-30, 30-40, or 32 Special.
There was a 38-56, which was based on a necked down 45-70, and designed for used in the 1886 Winchester; but these don't look that large.

Here ya go

hole'~mole' · Aug 4, 2022

Thanks for the pic. The 38-55 was popular back in the day. Very accurate in single shot rifles and hit hard enough for whitetail deer at short ranges. The largest cartridge chambered in the 1894 Winchester I believe.

dickyoung · Aug 6, 2022

.348 Winchester maybe? But I,m assuming he read the headstamp.

FLOOD · Aug 7, 2022

stetam said:
Here ya go

Guys, thanks for the feedback. I'm still on the learning curve with the various shells I'm finding, especially the older ones and these are coming out of an old (late 1800s to early 1900s) shooting park. Unfortunately, the headstamp pics I took are blurry and I can't make out the full stamp info. I no longer have access to the shells, but I think I erred, as pointed out with what these particular shells likely are. For dimension, they were longer than my middle finger. They were definitely UMC Company, but their appearance, with the casing tapering, tends to be closest to the REM-UMC 32 REM that I have shown in the photo lineup as shell 7, left to right. They're def not 38 55s now that I have taken a second look. The first pics posted hereafter, are the specific shells that were part of the large cluster I recovered, and then the next pics are a lineup of the types of shells I'm finding at this site. From left to right, the shells pictured are:
1) Union Metallic 22 Rimfire
2) USC Co 32 WCF
3) WRA Co 32 WCF
4) UMC 32 WCF
5) USC Co 32 WS
6) UMC SH 38 55
7) REM-UMC 32 REM
8) Federal 40 S&W
9) H Stamp - believed to be a Winchester Blackpowder 32 Short

Thanks for the review.

Bullets to Spare

FLOOD

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