✅ SOLVED Wild West Shotgun Shell or Rifle Casing???

[Old Pueblo]

Hello everyone. Today I have this old casing, which to me looks like its an all brass shotgun shell or possible a rifle casing. I have no idea. There are no markings on it, which tells me its early, and it was found along the edge of a small wash out in the desert near Tucson, Arizona. If anyone can identify this, please do so. Thanks


The washer is in there just keep the thing from rolling across the table.

 

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[BosnMate]

Looks like an early .45 rifle cartridge, but to get a positive Id, you need to measure the case across the mouth in 1/1000 of an inch. The army developed the .45-70 cartridge in 1873. The neck diameter of the .45-70 is .480 inch, and the case length is 2.105 inches. Your case isn't long enough to be .45-70, but the primer and lack of head stamp makes me think it was manufactured in the early 1880's. Your case is to long to be a Colt revolver cartridge. Those are 1.285 inch.

 

[Old Pueblo]

Awesome, Ill try to find something to get better measurements for you. While I'm at it, please take a look at this and let me know if you know anything about it:


http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/535358-1876-centennial-casing-how-old.html

 

[Old Pueblo]

I cant find my little measuring tool right now so Ill have to talk to my stepdad, who should have an electronic one that will work very well. Ill post photos after I talk to him about it, but that will be later. I dont know if this helps at all, but these are photos of the cartridge in question next to a 45-70 casing, dated November 1882, from the Apache Wars. The one casing is definitely wider at the base where the headstamp would be than the 45-70 round is, while the 45-70 is much longer than the other one. The 45-70 is really bent at the mouth, so I did not take a picture of it with the mouth of other cartridge for comparison.

 

[ecmo]

As previously stated, measurements of cartrige cases need to be done with a digital or dial caliper.What you may have is a .45-60. WRA(Winchester Repeating Arms) shortened the .45-70 case to work in their model 1876.

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[pistol-pete]

Without measurements, dia. is bigger than 45's,looks like a 50-70 to me. Have one and fire it often, looks right.

 

[knighthunter]

Looks kinda like a .577 cal, possibly from a Snider rifle. Looks alot like one we used to have kickin around home.

 

[Old Pueblo]

Sorry guys, I was having trouble finding something to measure it with, but I found this: Hope it helps

 

[BosnMate]

I agree with Pistol-Pete, 50-70.

 

[Old Pueblo]

According to the dimensions for this thing found here, I think you're right. Thanks a lot to everyone of you. I have other interesting things Id like to show you guys, so until then.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50-70_Government