If they have grooves (often with red paint in them) they are dummies for test cycling the action and checking feed. If the nose is curled in they are likely blanks.
I fouind a bunch of those cases with grooves in the sides and looked them up one time. There was a particular machine gun that was prone to sticking cases in the chamber when over heated and the grooves prevented it. Sorry I can't remember which one. Also, some had grooved chambers for the same reason as well as the blanks you cited for testing cycling. I couldn't see the two examples in question they were so small on my screen, but probably either blanks or grenade launching ammo. I think it is solved. Monty
I think the Tokarev rifle used a fluted chamber that collapsed the case slightly to make extraction easier (they initially ripped the rims off the cases when dirty). H&K use a similar fluting with their blow-back system. Usually it's around the neck as well as the sides. Guess it's a possibility.
I believe it was the HK with the fluted chamber I am thinking about. I tried to reload some of the cases from the 7.62 Nato round and right away found out it wouldn't work. I trashed nearly a thousand cases that was given to me because of it. That was when I was still green behind the ears...............well more so than now! M nty