✅ SOLVED Double sided bullet cartridge? What is this?

[TrpnBils]

I found this thing tonight at a World War I era "academy" school site. We've found several WWI era buttons and LOTS of indians, wheats, and a couple of old nickels here too along with a couple of gun parts, but this is the only thing like this I've ever seen.

It's brass, hollow, and looks just like every other bullet cartridge I've ever dug, except it's got a rim on both ends. One end says UMC 38 Short and the other is more corroded so it's hard to read, but it has a "55" on it along with some other letters I can't read, and that end is definitely a little bigger than the "38 short" end.

I don't know much about guns, so help me out!

 

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[TomPA]

Could be 2 empty casings shoved together. Look closely at the rim of the smaller cartridge to see a space.

 

[releventchair]

Would make a good wooden match safe.
Or toothpick case, or needle case...
The .38 is likely a lot shorter than the outer case.
The 55 don't ring a bell.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

The one to the left (.38 Short - 0.357" cal) of your first image looks the smaller and inside a .38-55 WIN (0.377" cal) case.

Could be matches, needles, a "buryin $20" (for casket and headstone) or gold dust! Open carefully over a bowl. (Or salt & pepper.)

 

[TrpnBils]

I dunno - it really doesn't look or feel like they would come apart. I can't see any kind of a seam or gap on either end, but it does seem like a good idea. Pulling/twisting doesn't seem to make it want to budge either, although if that's what it is I could definitely see it being stuck due to corrosion.

 

[releventchair]

Gap is on the .38 end. Line shows on the keyboard background.

 

[TrpnBils]

Two pairs of channel locks and some WD40 helped the situation. Nothing inside, but it's a first for me. Pretty cool! Thanks guys!

 

[BosnMate]

Neat find.