What type and era bullets are these? - Solved

[M_M]

I have two types of slugs here. The lower ones I am most interested in. I found them in a California desert where I believe shootouts may have occurred.

I think this gunslinger was charging a hill and was sliding into a ditch for cover. By the spread it looks like the top right slug missed him while the top left one went thru him. As he was sliding down these other slugs slide out of his belt, were saturated with his blood and dried out in the desert heat till I came along.

If it is mineralization I don't see how the top right slug doesn't have it since it was sitting next to the others. The circle to the right looks like a type of cap. I found a rifle bullet somewhere else. It was live so I left it. I don't know what to do with those things.

What are the bullet slugs type and era?

 

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[l.cutler]

Re: What type and era bullets are these?

Sorry to put a dent in the story, but they are modern wadcutter bullets. They are commonly used for shooting paper targets.

 

[DigginThePast]

Re: What type and era bullets are these?

l.cutler is right about the wadcutters. Additionally, the .38 caliber wadcutter bullet became commercially available around 1910.


The live round you found can be disabled by using a pair of pliers to pull/twist the bullet from the case. The gunpowder can be poured out and burned off. No big deal really.

 

[M_M]

Re: What type and era bullets are these?

Thanks for the info l.cutler and DigginThePast! The wadcutter is one weird looking bullet. It is good to know what is really going on over there.

 

[Monty]

If you had ever shot matches you wouldn't think they wre weird bullets. Some matches are won by mere thousandths of an inch. Wadcutters insure a perfectly round hole in the target that can be accurately measured to determine the precise score of the shooter. Monty