Wandering through the desert and found this

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

Hoping some of you who know a bit about old cartridges can help me out. I found this old cartridge a couple of months ago when Chukar hunting. There are a couple of battle sights that are documented here in NW Wyoming and I've found some internally primed 45-70 spent cartridges in the area of those battles. The metal on them looks similar to this 45. I didn't take a picture of the inside but it has two flash holes similar to a Berdan primed case. The dimensions are very similar to a 45 Colt and it is shown beside a loaded 45 Colt. Rim dimensions as well as overall length are within a few thousands of a 45 Colt. The area I found it would have been a likely battle sight, but there was a lot of snow so I couldn't look around much.

I brushed the base of the case looking for any lettering but it appears there is none. But that's why the metal around the primer is shiny.

Anyway, let me know what you think? Maybe some of you know an approximate time when these were made?

NoWood Cartridge 1.png

NoWood Cartridge 1.png

[JimT]

Inside-Primed .45 Colt

45colt.png

[Bill in Oregon]

Jim beat me to it, Jon. Cool find. I don't have my references handy, but might have been from Frankford or one of the other government arsenals.

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

Thank you Jim and Bill. Always nice to find a relic of the past.

Any idea what years these were produced?

[765x53]

A perfect illustration why it was never chambered in a lever-gun.

[JimT]

I read that Frankford Arsenal produced the inside primed cartridge in 1873 and 1874. I don't know how long they may have been produced by others.

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

Thanks Jim T.

[AJMD429]

A perfect illustration why it was never chambered in a lever-gun.

Yikes, I guess...!!!

[ollogger]

Never have found any old 45s but have found 50-70 inside primed & 45-70 with primers
the size of shot gun primers, South East Wyoming the calvary from Fort Laramie passed close
by a few miles west of our place, can still see wagon ruts in places where they hauled logs & fire wood close to Wheatland


neat find & fairly rare im sure




ollogger

[Nath]

Wow, I wonder what it could tell if it could speak!

[Scott Tschirhart]

Are those inside primed cases copper?

[Malamute]

Are those inside primed cases copper?

Yes. I believe the inside primed copper cases were the primary issue with earlier trapdoors jamming empties in the chamber and extractor tearing through the rim.

I stopped at some remote hill on a two track road to shoot a 1911, I shot up a 100 rd box, when I picked up empties I was a couple short, but in with them was I believe a UMC 45 colt shell. Bob Edgar said it was pre-1918 I believe.

A neighbor lady found a loaded inside primed 50-70 in their yard. Someone visiting me found an inside primed 45-70 case. I told her "Lets see if we can reload it!" she was horrified.

Someone else found a pile of inside primed 50-70s on a flat top butte at the edge, possibly someone making a stand, there were at least one known engagement nearby.

[Griff]

Wow, I wonder what it could tell if it could speak!

"Hey... I'm right here, can't you see me... Don't leave me here!"

[Nath]

[GunnyMack]

Never found any old ammo in the desert but when I lived in CO I was out scouting a spot to deer hunt when I stopped to glass I heard a little voice saying LOOK DOWN. There between my feet was a Mercury dime.
Another really neat thing I found was a chunk of meteorite! I was miles in on foot calling coyotes when I found this large black hunk laying on the ground. I knew what it was and picked it up, estimated it about 40lbs and started walking back to my truck. Sadly I ran out of steam and decided to go back empty handed then at a later date go back for it. Darned if I could find it again. No GPS back then...