My grandfather had a single-shot .22 designed to shoot .22 shorts that  
would shoot 22LR but occasionally the cartridge would stick. Rat shot . 
22's always stuck. These were pried out using a sharp flat head  
screwdriver. Longwise cuts make no sense in that context. The cut  
would be perpendicular to the long axis of the bullet and in any case,  
the cartridge wall was never pierced.

Also, the accepted method of powder extraction would be to pull the  
bullet out by putting it in a vise and pulling the cartridge with a  
pair of pliers very gently. Do the cartridges show any vise marks on  
the rim?

I'd think that the cartridges would have to be held strongly immobile  
in order for a blade to penetrate. That would also run the risk of  
having the powder explode as what fires a .22 is essentially a sharp  
blow from the firing pin anyway.

Lyle Browning


On Feb 11, 2009, at 8:17 AM, Kris Oswald wrote:

> Powder extraction for making home made fireworks?..is the blade width
> wider towards the bullet end?..my guess depending on the location is
> that the bullet was stabbed to unseat the projectile and then gain
> access to the powder for a boys devilish device making.lol
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Avery, Paul
> Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 8:07 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
> WILLIAMS INTERNATIONAL                               A COMPANY WITH  
> A VISION
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