What did I buy?

Well, see, the war was going badly for them and lead and copper are strategic metals, not easily come by. So they figured that a wooden bullet would do because they were not giving their conscripts much training anyhow and by the time they got close enough to hit a German, the wooden bullet would still be moving fast enough to inflict a disabling or deadly wound.

Now, if you believe that, I have some other collectibles for you. But it was common "knowledge" at one time.

The real reason for wooden bullets was to have a blank that would feed reliably through the action. Lots of European arsenals made them. The real attachment for a Swedish Mauser's threaded muzzle is a cutter to splinter a wooden bullet so it would not carry at all.
 
Jim, now that you have awakened me from my pipe dream of obtaining a rare and valuable antique for only $2.99 I have decided to invest the rest of my kids college fund in Enron stock.

But seriously, thanks for the info. After reading your post I recall hearing that somewhere before, probably on this forum. Bought them to add to my meager cartridge collection, conversation piece doncha know.
 
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There are two uses for wood-bulleted cartridges.

The first Jim notes.

The second is grenade launching.

Some American rounds such as the .30-40 Krag used "bullets" made from hard paper.
 
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