Can you tell if the "cut" begins at the bullet end or the rim? If the
former, could it simply be a sloppy extractor, running out of its
normal path and cutting into the cartridge while pushing it out of the
breech? Lots of old 22's were relatively poorly made and heavily
used. It would not be surprising to see the extractor mechanism bang
up the cartridges in the course of their operation.
PEM
On Feb 11, 2009, at 11:46 AM, Cathy Spude wrote:
Hmmm...interesting responses you've gotten and all sound like viable
ideas.
A co-worker of mine, Doreen Cooper, found a number of Colt .45
cartridge cases that had been cut in a similar manner in a military
context dating to 1902 in Skagway, Alaska . Here is what her armaments
analyst, Charles Atkins, had to say:
"A cut in the case, in the area that formally held the bullet, is rare
but not unknown in Alaska. This cut is used to unload the case and
salvage the powder and lead. This was accomplished by placing the
loaded cartridge on a hard surface, probably containing a groove to
stabilize it.. Then a knife like tool was placed in such a way as to
cut the brass case lengthwise over the bullet. The tool was then
struck, cutting the brass case and releasing the bullet. The bullet
could then be removed and saved for recasting into whatever shape or
size was needed and powder could be saved and reloading into another
cartridge."
Cooper went on to suggest that the soldiers inhabiting the small sheds
where these cartridges were found were salvaging bullets and powder
for use in personal weapons for hunting wild game in off-hours.
Here is the citation:
Cooper, Doreen C.
2004 Gold Rush Life in Skagway: The Second Avenue "Cabins." Report
submitted to General Services Administration, Auburn, Washington, by R
& D Consulting, Skagway, Alaska. p. 95.
Hope this helps.
Catherine Holder Spude, PhD
7 Avenida Vista Grande #145
Santa Fe, NM 87508
505-466-1476 home
505-913-1326 cell
"Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you are standing outside
the fire," Jenny Yates and Garth Brooks.
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Avery, Paul" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 6:07 AM
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Cartridge Case Question
> Hello all,
>
> We did some work recently at an 1830s plantation house in North
> Carolina. We recovered a fairly large number of cartridge cases from
> what appears to be an early 20th century deposit. It was located just
> off of the front porch, so it looks like they were sitting on the
> porch
> and plinking. There were some unusual calibers, including several .32
> Winchester Self-Loading Rifle and .22 Winchester Automatic. The most
> unusual thing though, was that there were more than a dozen .22 short
> and .22 long cases that appear to have been jabbed with a knife. The
> cut goes through one wall of the case and runs lengthwise just above
> the
> rim.
>
> Is this just random behavior indicative of boredom or is there more to
> it than that?
>
> Someone suggested that the cases were sticking in the person's gun and
> they used the knife to remove the case. That makes some sense, but
> there isn't enough space between the edge of the cut and the mouth of
> the case on the .22 shorts for it to be stuck. I can't imagine how
> they
> managed to get the things to stay still while they punched the hole in
> them. Risky indeed to hold something that small and stab it with
> enough
> force to puncture the case!
>
> I plan to try it myself as soon as I have a chance to create some
> empty
> .22 cases, but in the meantime, I'd like to hear from the group.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Paul G. Avery, RPA
> Senior Archaeologist
> MACTEC Engineering and Consulting
> 9725 Cogdill Road
> Knoxville, TN 37932
> Phone: (865) 588-8544x1169
> Fax: (865) 588-8026
Patrick E. Martin
Professor of Archaeology and Chair
Department of Social Sciences
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI 49931
phone 906-487-2070,email [log in to unmask]
www.industrialarchaeology.net
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