What is the rarest single empty brass case, loaded round (just one) or shotgun shell you've ever found at a shooting range?

I found a 20mm dummy round at my club a couple of years ago. It had a colored tip. A former army ranger buddy told me it was a practice round from a military jet. It has found a special place in our club house. And I also found a new wrapped condom in the first aid box, there too. I guess someone might need that in an emergency too.
And about the same time, not at the club, but not too far away in town, there was a live hand grenade put in the local St. Vincent DePaul collection box for after hour donations.
 
Back in 62 i was in the US Army stationed in NO LA. We did field exercises in the Fla. panhandle called St.Joe spit near Mexico beach. Anyhow It was all sand, feral hogs and steers. The Air Force must have used it for strafing or tatget practice at some time as i found many .50 Cal fired brass and spent bullets that had the rifleing marks on them. Still have them in my memory box. When i get home I'll post the headstamps if anyone is interested.
 
Not sure which would be the rarest, but I recently found a .223 Rem Ackley improved (shown next to a regular .223 Rem, a .224 Valkyrie, a .458 Socom and a .338 Lapua.
So, which one is the “rarest”?
IMG_2039.jpeg
 
Don't mean to Jack the thread, while this doesn't count as a "casing" find it is an interesting story. Way, way back when I was living in Clarksville TN, right outside of Ft Campbell KY, I found a live, unfired 30mm canon round in my backyard. Along with two empty beer kegs. It was corroded, the primer was still intact but there was no blue paint signifying a dummy round. It was proudly displayed in my home for years until a friend of mine, former 82nd Airborne, warned me that it was dangerous to have a corroded, presumably live round hanging around. With great sadness I finally dropped it off a bridge into a local river.
 
I would like to say the hybrid 9mm/40 s&w is rare but times must be so tough these days people can't even afford to pay attention...

A8B76B5D-B0E9-48AA-8BD2-2E0345253512.jpeg
 
Most unusual was my first exposure to a .38/.45 Clerke which goes by several names and can be seen here. The spent case had a split neck which explains why it was left behind. On a good day after forming and loading the brass you are doing well to get 3 loadings. I actually have a set of RCBS loading dies for the round.

Ron
 
Brought home a 30mm shell from a General Electric shooting range once. I wanted a loaded one but they wouldn't let me leave with it. So I settled for the casing. Not "rare" but not something everyone has sitting on their book shelf.

Picture added. The 30mm case next to a live 50BMG round. Another range pickup.

I got one of those GAU8 (I think?) 30mm rounds from a friend that seems to have been a training round used on something probably in a classroom for loading practice. It has a blue steel and aluminum tipped projectile with polymer driving bands. Theres a hex nut in place of the primer.
17056068481167032951814794830603.jpg

Rarest aside from that would be .320CF (Roughly the European equivalent of .32S&W but slightly longer with a heeled bullet), which I have because I bought the very last box I could find on the web to feed my Belgian Bulldog.
 
@RevolvingGarbage
Is that a Velociraptor next to the master chief? :D

I have a bag of brass and loaded ammo I've found over the years. All different calibers and kinds.

The oldest piece of 50 BMG brass that I have is from 1922 or 23. So it dates back to when the M2 was first adopted by the military.
 
Back in 62 i was in the US Army stationed in NO LA. We did field exercises in the Fla. panhandle called St.Joe spit near Mexico beach. Anyhow It was all sand, feral hogs and steers. The Air Force must have used it for strafing or tatget practice at some time as i found many .50 Cal fired brass and spent bullets that had the rifleing marks on them. Still have them in my memory box. When i get home I'll post the headstamps if anyone is interested.

I would be very interested in seeing them if you don't mind going to the trouble.
 
50 GI. Looked like a 45 ACP but a little bigger, didn't even know such a round existed.
 
IMG_1837.jpeg IMG_1838.jpeg IMG_1839.jpeg IMG_1840.jpeg
The last is a .38Spl. Solid copper or bronze “highway patrol” bullet.

The .38 WCF (.38-40) is a balloon head case. The “FA NM37 is a .30-06 training round with flutes pressed into it and a hole in the side.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top