Odd bullet?

[Warden Callaway 4,783]

I had maybe 500 of these bullets just came to me free.  They are in an old paint can with no markings.  I was first excited to find them but when I measured them, I could see they were of diameter that I couldn't use. I've had them for many years not knowing what I was going to do with them. 

 

 

I got them out again and bumped the edge of one wth a hammer and it dented very easily.  I'm thinking they are likely pure or nearly pure lead.   I'm thinking 44 round balls. 

 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by Warden Callaway

[Texas Joker 324]

Could they have been for a .348 winnie?

[BLACKFOOT SASS #11947 433]

Melt!

Blackfoot

[Chantry 1,346]

2 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

I had maybe 500 of these bullets just came to me free.  They are in an old paint can with no markings.  I was first excited to find them but when I measured them, I could see they were of diameter that I couldn't use. I've had them for many years not knowing what I was going to do with them. 

 

 

I got them out again and bumped the edge of one wth a hammer and it dented very easily.  I'm thinking they are likely pure or nearly pure lead.   I'm thinking 44 round balls. 

 

 

 

 

Texas Joker is correct, the bullets are for the .348 Winchester, per my 'Cartridges of the World' there is no other bullet diameter close to .349 other than the .348 Winchester

[Ozark Shark 435]

Is it possible that they were in the can because they proved too soft for the typical .348 Winchester loads?

[Rafe Conager SASS #56958 450]

Like all have said .348 probably 250-80 grain.

[Warden Callaway 4,783]

 

Weight and shape are very much like a 38/357 bullet.  It had a very superficial dimple in the base. I can't see that would bump up to a 357 bore.

[Colorado Coffinmaker 3,558]

 

Warden,

 

It wouldn't.  It's smaller than nominal for 9mm as well.  Melt 'em down and recast into something you can use.  Like Round Ball  

[Warden Callaway 4,783]

12 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

Warden,

 

It wouldn't.  It's smaller than nominal for 9mm as well.  Melt 'em down and recast into something you can use.  Like Round Ball  

 

My "sediments" exactly.  I'm short on soft lead anyway so in the pot they go..

[John Boy 913]

Ideal 348 bullet, 250gr ... unknown mold for those in the can

Edited December 31, 2020 by John Boy

[Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 1,471]

Think .33 WCF ,,,,,

 

Jabez Cowboy

[Ol Number4 131]

I found this:

 

The .33 Winchester (.33 WCF) By Chuck Hawks   In the year 1902 the Model 1886, the strongest of the Winchester lever action rifles, was adapted to a new smokeless powder medium bore cartridge called the .33 Winchester (or .33 WCF, for "Winchester Center Fire"). The famous Model 1886 was produced for many years, and is covered in my article "Winchester Medium Bore Lever Action Rifles." Winchester also offered the .33 WCF in the Model 1885 falling block rifle (still being produced in limited numbers), and Marlin chambered their original Model 1895 lever action for the cartridge. The .33 Winchester was the first Winchester smokeless powder medium bore cartridge. Like most subsequent Winchester medium bore cartridges, it was a combination deer and elk cartridge. Today the .338x57 O'Connor wildcat fulfills a similar role, and offers somewhat higher performance. For a time .33 Win. factory loads were offered by Winchester, Western, Remington and perhaps others, but it never became very popular. The Winchester factory load used a 200 grain soft point bullet at a MV of 2200 fps and ME of 2150 ft. lbs. In 1936 the 1886 and the .33 WCF cartridge were replaced by the Model 71 rifle and the .348 Winchester cartridge. In 1940 .33 WCF factory loaded ammunition was discontinued by the major manufacturers and the cartridge became obsolete. Today, a specialty ammunition manufacturer might be able to provide new .33 WCF cartridges. Stars and Stripes Custom Ammunition would be one potential source, as they seem to be able to supply practically anything a customer is willing to order, and in virgin brass. There is a link to Stars and Stripes on the Guns and Shooting Online Links Page. The .33 WCF is based on a rimmed, bottleneck case with a 16 degree, 15 minute shoulder angle and plenty of body taper. The rim diameter is .610" and the overall case length is 2.105". Maximum cartridge overall length is given as 2.69". The .33 WCF used .338" diameter bullets, the same size used in today's .338 Magnums. This was a departure from the .333" bullets used by most British .33 caliber cartridges.   Hope it helps.   Ol'  #4

[Warden Callaway 4,783]

Bullet casting day!  The Lee pot was full of mixed lead for regular bullets.  I just didn't want to run it back out into ingots so I cast up a cake pan full of 200g 45 bullets with my Lee 6 cavity mold.  I cleaned up the pot and dumped in the odd bullets.  

 

 

Taking a break while the melt. 

[Warden Callaway 4,783]

I just cast up a hundred or so balls. By judging from the stiffness of the sprue strip, I suspect they have some alloy mixed in. 

 

 

The two on the right are the ones I just cast from the unknown bullets.  They set well in the mouths of the 44 cylinder.  The two on the left are some I've cast from what I believe is pure lead. I don't have a hardness tester. But I have a spring-loaded center punch that should give a consistent blow. As you can see, the mark left on the new balls are significantly smaller than the the known soft balls.

 

I'll try to load a cylinder or so and see how it goes. If they won't work, in they will go into the general mix.  

 

[VICIOUS, SASS#8014 38]

Paper patching for ???

[Warden Callaway 4,783]

I loaded a cylinder with the balls that I cast with the odd bullets and they were very hard to press in.  So back in the pot they go to make regular bullets. 

 

 

Hard balls on the right. 

[Lead Hammer 22]

you could paper patch them .........