Lead whatzit and an old rifle shell

[tncreeker]

Is this lead thingy maybe just a left over from making something? The groove stops and the hole in the end goes no where. So what do you all think? Other thing is a rifle shell, has U.M.C.,90-1 on the base. Any idea of age? Thank you all for any info you might be willing to share
Lori

 

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[creskol]

The lead whatzit looks like an old fishing slip weight.
Bullet , I think, is a Remington 45-90 but I am not bullet expert.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Tncreeker wrote:
> Other thing is a rifle shell, has U.M.C.,90-1 on the base. Any idea of age?

Super-precise measurement of the bullet's diameter is needed for certainty in identifying it. But based on comparing the cartridge in your photo with the tape-measure, it appears to be a .30-40 Krag Rifle cartridge, from the 1890s or very-early 1900s. That cartridge's length was 3.089-inches ...and there are very few rifle cartridges which are 3 inches long. Compare your cartridge (and its bullet) with the one on the right in the photo here: .30-40 Krag - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The "UMC" marking on it stands for Union Metallic Cartridge company. Use of that marking ceased shortly after 1912, when the UMC Co. was purchased by Remington. Thereafter, the marking became REM-UMC.

About the "90-1" marking:
Usually, when two numbers appear side-by-side (not separated) on a cartridge's base, the numbers represent either the bullet's caliber or the "year" date of manufacture. The .30-40 Krag Rifle dates from 1892. So, either the "90-1" on your cartridge doesn't mean 1890, or the zero is actually a 6, or I've misidentified your cartridge.

 

[tncreeker]

Thank you Cannonballguy,,after reading your post and checking out wicki, I got out the strong glasses and a needle. After a little more cleaning,,,WALA,,,its an 06. The other mark is just a scrape. Puzzle solved. Thanx so much for the explanation and web link.