Bullet in an old park

[myelo1023]

Found this bullet at Memorial Park here in houston, right up against and a little under a tree root (really LARGE root). Anyway, it was about 4 inches down. The mark indicates U.S.C. Co and has 17 on the bottom. It looks like it has been "fired" by the indention, but the bullet is still on top. What does that mean? Didn't fire?

Anyway, I found where they said that the number indicates the year manufactured, so this would be 1917? Is this correct? I forgot to put a coin for size comparison, but my calipers measure the fatest part of the bullet (at the top) at .45.

any help id'ing would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

 

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[myelo1023]

it's a .45 auto manufactured by United States cartridge Co. in 1917
Don

What do you think it was used for Is if fired...or what is the deal w/that?

 

[Blacksheep]

Primer has a detent, as if fired. Could have been a mis-fire (bad primer) or an empty cartridge that
had a bullet inserted just "because" by a kid etc.

Neat item!

 

[Monty]

Looks like a weak strike on the primer ( indentation is not as deep as it should be). That is indicative of a weak hammer spring in the pistol or the shooter "limp wristed" the gun while trying to fire it. (If you hold some auto pistols too loosely in one hand the hand absorbs the inertia from the firing pin causing a misfire). It took shooters years to figure out why they misfired like that and some guns failed military trials because of it! It was the shooter, not the guns! Anyway, the identification of the cartridge is absolutely correct. For some reason some folks sneak into the public parks late at night and try out their new guns it seems. I have found dozens of cases and bullets in public parks. I have found several bullets in the kiddies chips and sand around the slides and things. Monty

 

[ivan salis]

looks like a misfire to me -- very old shell --1917 ---it was for use in a 45 army type pistol ---the model 1911* colt army 45 autoloading pistol was invented to help US military officers deal with the machette weilding bamboo chest plate protected moro tribesmen in the phillipines which the US got from spain in the settlement for the spanish american war (1901)--- the tribesmen were decendants from old arabic spice traders and local women cross bred -- unlike most folks of the phillipines they were big and strong --and muslim *-- they refused loyality to any outside govt* and said they had the right of self goverment -- so the fight was on --- the normal officer issued weapon 38 cal revolvers were too weak to go thru the layered bamboo chest protecters (and got many officers killed) plus they were slow in reloading as well --so the clip fed 45 cal "hand cannon" was invented .

due to its extreme old age its most likely a dud (*seeing the dent in the primer)--but its still could be live * if the primer was not hit deep enought to cause the primer to go off and burn the gunpowder within ( thus *firing the bullet part )---- for safety if you wish --you can take 2 sets of pleirs and pull apart the case and bullet dumping the powder out and then putting it back together.

 

[myelo1023]

looks like a misfire to me -- very old shell --1917 ---it was for use in a 45 army type pistol ---the model 1911* colt army 45 autoloading pistol was invented to help US military officers deal with the machette weilding bamboo chest plate protected moro tribesmen in the phillipines which the US got from spain in the settlement for the spanish american war (1901)--- the tribesmen were decendants from old arabic spice traders and local women cross bred -- unlike most folks of the phillipines they were big and strong --and muslim *-- they refused loyality to any outside govt* and said they had the right of self goverment -- so the fight was on --- the normal officer issued weapon 38 cal revolvers were too weak to go thru the layered bamboo chest protecters (and got many officers killed) plus they were slow in reloading as well --so the clip fed 45 cal "hand cannon" was invented .

due to its extreme old age its most likely a dud (*seeing the dent in the primer)--but its still could be live * if the primer was not hit deep enought to cause the primer to go off and burn the gunpowder within ( thus *firing the bullet part )---- for safety if you wish --you can take 2 sets of pleirs and pull apart the case and bullet dumping the powder out and then putting it back together.

Very interesting information! Thanks Ivan! And I think I will take your advice on removing the powder....I just don't want to take any chances...you never know...don't want me or anyone in my family to end up on the morning news.

 

[GL]

If that bullet is from 1917 it is very cool. The 45 acp was designed in 1904 for Colts semiautomatic pistol line. In 1917 this could have easily been from a revolver as well. In 1917 a Colt revolver was designed to fire this round to help out the troops and fill out the ranks where the 1911 was absent. The Colt M1917 used half and full moon clips to hold the bullets together in a sort of 3 or 6 round ring. Made for easy loading and ejecting and made firing rimless ammo a no brainer for revolvers who normally use rimmed ammo.
Cops used these pistols to a limited extent but usually they had 38s back then.
Another possibility is a Thompson.

Sometimes a round fails(dud) and the shooter must then either manually cock the hammer for a second attempt(semiauto) or they will rack the action back to eject the dud and chamber a fresh round to continue firing. The failed round ejecting to the ground most likely to never be seen again. Revolvers would have ejected the moon clip with the dud and spent cases all together. Either way, duds can easily be dropped and forgotten.

Another option is old ammo failing at a later date. Surplus bullet from WW1 dropped in 1980 after it went click instead of bang.

 

[ivan salis]

for a revolver the rim would be wider than the body to help with extraction -- otherwize it would be hard to impossible to get out --- in auto loaders the rim is equal or smaller than the case body. --the half moon adapters to allow 45 apc rounds to be used in 45 long colts revolvers were hated by folks who used em

 

[dkw]

for a revolver the rim would be wider than the body to help with extraction -- otherwize it would be hard to impossible to get out --- in auto loaders the rim is equal or smaller than the case body. --the half moon adapters to allow 45 apc rounds to be used in 45 long colts revolvers were hated by folks who used em

I respectfully disagree..

GL has it right. It's very possible that it was from a revolver.

http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_firearms_pistol_m1917.php3

 

[myelo1023]

If that bullet is from 1917 it is very cool. The 45 acp was designed in 1904 for Colts semiautomatic pistol line. In 1917 this could have easily been from a revolver as well. In 1917 a Colt revolver was designed to fire this round to help out the troops and fill out the ranks where the 1911 was absent. The Colt M1917 used half and full moon clips to hold the bullets together in a sort of 3 or 6 round ring. Made for easy loading and ejecting and made firing rimless ammo a no brainer for revolvers who normally use rimmed ammo.
Cops used these pistols to a limited extent but usually they had 38s back then.
Another possibility is a Thompson.

Sometimes a round fails(dud) and the shooter must then either manually cock the hammer for a second attempt(semiauto) or they will rack the action back to eject the dud and chamber a fresh round to continue firing. The failed round ejecting to the ground most likely to never be seen again. Revolvers would have ejected the moon clip with the dud and spent cases all together. Either way, duds can easily be dropped and forgotten.

Another option is old ammo failing at a later date. Surplus bullet from WW1 dropped in 1980 after it went click instead of bang.

Yep, pretty excited it is from 1917. Extremely unlikely that it was later dropped, as it was found at a WWI training camp that was turned into a huge park. It was private propertly leased out to the government for that purpose, then reverted back to the original owners who later sold it to the city for a park. Most likley, was either at the firing range or something and just didn't go bang.

Thanks for the info!! I'm learning a lot about bullets here...what would really be cool is if I could find the gun!