Dummy Cartridges.

[Mikey51]

Is this stuff collectable ? About what year is the box do you think ?. Looks very much like my 42-43 Lake City and WRA boxes of real ammo. This guy only wants to sell what's in the stripper clip but I am more interested in the box and what may be in it. Thanks for any advice. Mike.

Information

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[USGI]

According to "War Baby! Comes Home" - both brass and steel case versions were in use at the end of the war, and there should be no less than two holes drilled through the sides of the case. The FA drawing shown in the book shows a steel case with a gilding metal jacketed lead/antimony slug. I don't know how many manufacturers made them, but the brass cases shown could be WRA. Ruth's books shows a drawing of one dummy with a W.R.A .44 (with a star) headstamp. The FA drawing also has a 44 date stamp. Surely dummies were used earlier for training, but I'm not certain of that. I find it odd that none of the 'dummies' on the stripper clip show any holes in the cases, and also the stripper clips came later after the war was over, according to Ruth. The bullet seating depth seems to vary - makes me wonder if someone put together some of the 'dummies' shown ??? - Bob

added info: "War Baby! Comes Home" cartridge drawings also show a solid steel dummy that is headstamped WCC 43 and a couple other "alternate" M13 dummies that don't seem to have holes in the cases, and one W.R.A. that is not dated.

[browningautorifle]

I've seen lots of these with solid cases. I have some here as a matter of fact. WRA holes, WRA no holes both brass case 44. WRA tinned cases no holes 44. Tinned cases have brass jackets, brass cases have tinned bullets. This is just a cross section. The more you see, the more you see that what's definite isn't.

[USGI]

I just looked at the next page of Ruth's book and it shows M13 dummy headstamp dates for WRA as 42, 43, 44. Is the term "solid steel" really referring to the cases, or do they just mean a solid steel bullet?

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

Mike,

I sold a sealed box last year for $50.

Jim

[USGI]

Joe Salter has a box of Winchester made in 1942 and the box is different than Jim's and Mikey's. He makes reference to page 702 in "War Baby! Comes Home" for some more pictures of the packaging. - Bob
http://www.joesalter.com/detail.php?f_qryitem=13731

[browningautorifle]

or do they just mean a solid steel bullet?

As far as I know the bullets used in drill rounds are actual service bullets. Not solid steel.

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

Joe Salter has a box of Winchester made in 1942 and the box is different than Jim's and Mikey's. He makes reference to page 702 in "War Baby! Comes Home" for some more pictures of the packaging. - Bob
http://www.joesalter.com/detail.php?f_qryitem=13731

USGI,

I had not seen this packaging before, thanks.

Jim

[INLAND44]

I'm quite sure the 'solid steel' refers only to the case. Just a reminder, never trust a 'dummy' cartridge that has a primer in it, dented or not, unless you know for sure that it will not fire. I use dummies for all my calibers, for testing function and magazines. For any that you actually load into a firearm, you should drill a 1/8" hole all the way through the case just to be sure on identification. I've had dummies made from fired cases and left the fired primer in for dry-firing. Since this is typically done in the house or shop area, you need to be quite certain what you have loaded is really a dummy.

[browningautorifle]

Real dummies have a primer pocket without flash hole. At least all the ones I've seen are like that.