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
>
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