[Elliott's Kin]

I was given a cartridge which I can't identify. It's brass, 1.75 inches long, a rimmed case about 5/8ths across the rim. It has a very round exposed lead bullet which is right at 1/2 inch in diameter. The case is tapered. There is no head stamp and the primer looks to be between the size of a small pistol primer and a large pistol primer. To me the rim of the case appears to like that of a rim fire cartridge - folded - instead of being formed like current cases.

Thanks for any information.

[mete]

Is that a case length of 1.75" ? If so it's a 50-70 Gov't. If it's cartridge length the 50 Maynard 1865 except the rim is .770".

[Elliott's Kin]

The 1.75 is the case length - thanks.

[Jim K]

It sounds like a .50-70 cartridge, that was used in the "trapdoor" rifle before the .45-70. The primer may be a Martin type (left in picture). If so, the primer was not separate, but a part of a folded over case. I had a picture about how they were made, but I had already attached it to another thread and can't figure out how to access it here.

Jim