Ammo ?

M

michianaman

Inactive
I don't know if I'm in the right area (new guy).
I recently came across some old ammo in a bandolier.Was wondering if anyone knew what I have.

Thanks..
 

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Do you have any way of measuring the diameter of the bullet itself? Caliper or something?

Looks like a 45-70 to me but without dimensions, kinda tough to tell for sure on a computer screen
 
Hey, I found this thread a while back http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=407966

In the bottom it states:

Quote from History of Modern U.S. Military Small Arms Ammunition:

"During the World War I period, the U.S. Navy let at least two contracts for paper bullet blank cartridges to be used in training. One of these in April, 1917, was to Winchester for 1.5 million rounds. These were loaded with tinned cases and white paper bullet. Typical headstamp is W.R.A. CO. 5 17. The other is a Remington contract which was made with a tinned brass case, whitish or yellow paper bullet and R A 17 or 18 headstamp ... 200,000 were delivered."
Click to expand...

Obviously it's not a paper bullet, but maybe it could give you some guidance.
 
RA 17 should be Rock Island Arsenal, 1917 mfg. .30-40 Krag (.30 US, .30 US Govt, .30 USA). Don't know about the "R" stamp on the primer.

US service rifle cartridge from 1892 to 1903, replaced by the .30-03 Springfield, which was replaced in 1906 with the .30-06.

Apparently military arsenals produced some Krag ammo at least through WW I, if I am right and it is Rock Island. I've seen and shot old Remington ammo, marked .30 USA (commercial ammo), and with that headstamp, its not Remington commerical ammo.
 
W.R.A. CO. 5 17 Image?

SouthernMarine: I was wondering if this was the W.R.A. CO. 5 17 and what it might be worth.

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Welcome to TFL.

This is an almost 3 year old thread but there might be some folk that can answer your question here. If not, feel free to start a new thread.
 
Well WRA is Winchester Repeating Arms company. Can't tell about the bjullet, possibly a wood training round?
I believe the RA 17 round was Remington Arms but not positive on that point.
Both rounds .30 USA aka 30/40 Krag.
Paul B.
 
"RA 17 should be Rock Island Arsenal..."


Uhm....

NO.

First off, Rock Island never loaded small arms ammunition. I believe they had a shell filling works, but Rock Island was a materials arsenal during World War I -- leather goods, equipment, firearms, etc.

Second, as others have noted, that's a .30-40 Krag cartridge, but loaded by Remington Arms at their Bridgeport, Conn., plant in 1917.

The R on the primer means Remington, which means that it's a commercial primer, which means that this particular cartridge was likely among the first lots loaded in 1917 after the Government let the contract for .30-40 Krag ammo.

It's likely that all of Remington's military contract primers were going into .30-06 production, so they used primers from the commercial side of the house until they could catch up.
 
Oh good grief, this is an old thread with new questions...


"SouthernMarine: I was wondering if this was the W.R.A. CO. 5 17 and what it might be worth."

Yes. That's one of the training rounds.

Worth maybe a few dollars at best. I've seen lots of them over the past few years (now that I'm looking, I'm finding them everywhere. :) )
 
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