Fired bullet ID please

[Skytriker]

With not much else to report I was quite pleased to find this fired bullet, in good condition. From my amateur research, using the links on this forum, I think it is a boat tail type and note the hole in the base. I am assuming it’s a .303 but, due to some WW2 aerial action nearby, I wondered if it could be a Mauser round. I would be grateful for any info on the type and its application. Something odd seems to have happened with the photograph, from a size point of view. The actual length is 32mm and diameter at widest is 8mm.

[Muddyknee]

Looks like a 7.92mm mauser round,.303 bullets were straight as I recall.

[Koala]

is it lead in the base or white Ash ?

[Skytriker]

is it lead in the base or white Ash ?

I’m pretty sure it’s lead.

[fred]

Looks like a 7.92mm mauser round,.303 bullets were straight as I recall.

The .303 bullets were initially straight. In 1938 the Mk VIIIz cartridge were introduced with 'boat' ended heads shaped like this one! That sort of makes it most likely to be a WW2 .303 bullet. You'd need to do an exact measurement with callipers to be absolutely sure.

[Skytriker]

Looks like a 7.92mm mauser round,.303 bullets were straight as I recall.

The .303 bullets were initially straight. In 1938 the Mk VIIIz cartridge were introduced with 'boat' ended heads shaped like this one! That sort of makes it most likely to be WW2.

Thanks all for your responses. The history of this field is that during WW2, a JU88 fired on an unarmed training aircraft, bringing it down nearby. Of course, there may be no connection, but as the German was the only one firing, I was hoping I had found one of the misses.

[Koala]

is it lead in the base or white Ash ?

I’m pretty sure it’s lead.

not a tracer then. the bottom half is hollow and fills of Ash after its fired. thought some might have fallen out as the lead normally goes closer to the base

[Skytriker]

is it lead in the base or white Ash ?

I’m pretty sure it’s lead.

not a tracer then. the bottom half is hollow and fills of Ash after its fired. thought some might have fallen out as the lead normally goes closer to the base

Thanks, Koala. The hole was filled with compacted clay, so I guess any ash would have disappeared when I cleaned it out. And the hole is not deep, being just a 2mm depression.

[MilitaryMetalMagnut]

It certainly isn’t a German 7.92x57mm Mauser round. The 7.92mm is 35.8mm long and is made of a guilded metal outer jacket - this is a lead core with a steel copper plated jacket (made much the same as modern 1p and 2p coins). This site details the pacifics of WW2 German projectiles.

https://www.quora.com/What-is-more-powe ... -7-92x57mm

I would say with near 100% certainty that this bullet is a .30-06 (American) M1 ball type. The knurled grove ‘cennelure’ looks more .30-06, rather than a German 7.92, which has a smooth cannelure.
Although American, the .30-06 was also used by the British. It was used in both Anti-Aircraft roles, on aircraft themselves, and also by Home Guard issue P.17 rifles. So, it could have been fired either British soldier/aircraft, or an American aircraft!


Best regards,

Simon

[Skytriker]

Thanks Simon, that puts it to bed totally. We did have some US activity near here, but the Home Guard seems most likely.

Thanks again
Roy

[Pete E]

Roy,

It certainly looks like a .30 Cal projectile, but I am not so sure you can say what sort without more info, primarily its weight in grains..Also, a look at the tip would be helpful.

Regards,

Peter

[Skytriker]

Roy,

It certainly looks like a .30 Cal projectile, but I am not so sure you can say what sort without more info, primarily its weight in grains..Also, a look at the tip would be helpful.

Regards,

Peter

Thanks, Peter. Having cleaned it, I can report that the tip is the same material as the entire bullet, which is a copper colour. Unfortunately, I have no way of weighing it in grains. I guess it’s probably fairly ordinary, and now I know it’s not German, the original hope that it was connected with the wartime aerial action locally is a non starter.

[fred]

Roy,

It certainly looks like a .30 Cal projectile, but I am not so sure you can say what sort without more info, primarily its weight in grains..Also, a look at the tip would be helpful.

Regards,

Peter

Thanks, Peter. Having cleaned it, I can report that the tip is the same material as the entire bullet, which is a copper colour. Unfortunately, I have no way of weighing it in grains. I guess it’s probably fairly ordinary, and now I know it’s not German, the original hope that it was connected with the wartime aerial action locally is a non starter.

More likely a GI potting rabbits then!