AN INTRODUCTION TO METALLIC CARTRIDGE CASE

AN INTRODUCTION
TO METALLIC CARTRIDGE CASE TERMINOLOGY,
IDENTIFICATION, AND HEADSTAMPS
Donald B. Ball
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Louisville District
Louisville, Kentucky
ABSTRACT
A review of historic archaeological reports within the region suggests that
some colleagues are unfamiliar with both correct cartridge case
terminology and the related firearms literature. Consequently, analysts
sometimes fail to recognize the chronological and interpretive potential
afforded by these diminutive but significant artifacts. To provide a point of
departure for their improved analysis and reporting, this paper presents an
introductory overview to cartridge case history, correct case terminology,
the procedures for correctly identifying a case, and information on case
headstamps.
INTRODUCTION
Discussions with colleagues in
the region engaged in historic era
excavations and a reading of numerous
reports have revealed a need for
assistance regarding basic data regarding
cartridge
case
nomenclature
and
headstamp identification. Though most
analysts are aware of innumerable
reference volumes relating to ceramic
and glass hallmarks and identification,
many are not familiar with the literature
concerning either the history of firearms,
their ammunition, or their associated
terminology. As based upon a review of
a broad sampling of the archaeological
literature referable to the analysis and
interpretation of firearms, the author has
noted that the quality of analysis is highly
variable from one report to another as
regards the consistent application of
appropriate and technically correct
112
terminology.
While it is not possible within
bounds of spatial constraints to examine
the broad spectrum of firearms and
related items (e.g., gunflints and tools
used to both produce and maintain
firearms) likely to be encountered in
archaeological contexts throughout the
region, the present paper will focus on an
overview of cartridge case history,
nomenclature, procedures and resources
for identifying recovered cases, and
headstamps. Though highly desirable, it
has not been possible to address the
diagnostic attributes of shotshell bases
recovered throughout the region.
Regardless, various of the commercial
headstamps discussed herein which were
used on handgun and longarm cartridges
are also encountered on these items.
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology 12(1997):112-129
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
DEVELOPMENT OF CARTRIDGE
CASES
Though "cartridges" existed as
early as ca. 1570 (NRA 1989:35), the
metal encased form currently manufactured was an outgrowth of the development of ignition (priming) compounds
created by mixing fulminates and other
explosive materials for use in percussion
cap weapons. Following the 1807 introduction of fulminate of mercury as a
priming compound in lieu of finely
ground (FFFFg) gunpowder, a number of
early self-contained cartridge types were
developed. These included a paper cased
cartridge containing an integral centerfire
primer made by Samuel Pauly of
Switzerland in 1812, pinfire cartridges
developed by Casimir Lafaucheux in
France in 1835 (cf NRA 1981:34-35),
and needlefire cartridges produced by
Johann von Dreyse in Prussia in 1840
(NRA 1989:39-40). Among these
various creations was a tape primed
revolver invented by American dentist
Dr. Edward Maynard in 1845. This
method employed a small amount of
fulminate compound suspended between
two elongated but narrow strips of
paper which were rolled and placed in
the upper handle of the weapon. Though
tape primed weapons have long been
obsolete, Dr. Maynard's invention has
survived into the modem age as paper
caps used by generations of children as a
form of amusement (Coates and Thomas
1990:73; NRA 1989:40).
The year 1845 also witnessed the
appearance in France of the diminutive
.22 Flobert BB Cap. Developed by Louis
Flobert for use in arcade target rifles, this
humble cartridge represented a modified
(rimmed) percussion cap which closed
Volume 12
1997
around the base of a bullet. This
diminutive cartridge, powered only by its
priming compound and restricted to
short distance shooting, lead to ·the
development of the .22 Short round in
1857 for use in the first Smith and
Wesson revolvers (Barnes 1997:380).
Following the introduction of the
then new rim:fire cartridge, there was
some public skepticism surrounding their
safety. Thomas (1991:95) relates the
following story:
It is reported that Mr.
Wesson of Smith and
Wesson was giving a
demonstration on the
safety of the rimfire
cartridge and he threw
one with great force into
a fireplace. By a quirk of
fate, the rim struck an
andiron and the shell
exploded, but quickly and
in a satisfied manner, Mr.
Wesson remarked, "See
what great force it took to
set it off."
The final decades of the 19th
century produced numerous permutations of ignition system (the most
notable of which were Boxer and Berdan centerfire primers), case dimensions
and con-figuration, powder charge and
type (the first "smokeless" gunpowders
were introduced in the late 1800's), and
projectile size, design, and composition
(for example, the first metal jacketed
bullets were produced in the late 1800's
in response to the increased velocities of
the then new "smokeless" powders) (cf
Barnes 1997; Coates and Thomas 1990:
73-74; Hogg 1978:28-33; Lewis 1972;
113
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
NRA 1989:40-46; Treadwell 1873) as
literally hundreds of cartridges were
developed for experimental, sporting,
and military applications. Various of
these developments will be mentioned
again in the context of developing
reasonable archaeological expectation for
sites through the region.
For all practical purposes, contemporary brass rimfire cartridge cases
are produced in much the same manner
as their earlier counterparts in the years
following the Civil War (c£ Lewis 1972
and Treadwell 1873 for additional
historical information on early cartridge
case production). Simplistically, such
cases are formed by the following
sequential steps: (1) removal of a circular
"blank" from a roll of sheet brass and
subjecting it to a "cup" punch which
forms the first of several production
stages; (2) annealing, pickling, and washing the newly formed brass cup; (3)
drawing the cup into shape; (4) washing
and drying the almost completed case;
( 5) trimming the case to the desired
length; and (6) forming the head of the
case under pressure (see Frost 1990:8-14
for a more detailed account of this
production process). Following this last
step in the case production process, the
actual loading of the round would
commence with the addition of the
priming compound, gun powder, and
emplacement of the bullet.
Analysts should be aware that
cartridge cases have been produced in
other materials at various times.
Examples might be found in aluminum
(contemporary
CCI
non-re]oadable
ccnterfire ammunition), steel (some US
.45 Auto, all Soviet, East Gem1an, and
Chinese 7.62 x 39 mm military, and
114
Volume 12
1997
current Russian produced .22 Long Rifle
cartridges), plastic (special purpose
Hollywood prop ammo and some flares),
and a combination of a brass base with a
plastic case (Belgian military short
distance training cartridges produced in
7.62 x 51 mm NATO). Other examples
might be cited. Virtually all non-brass
cases are of World War II or later
production though it should be noted
that some Civil War era cartridges were
produced with walls fashioned from foil
(Lewis 1972:plate 1 lf). A limited number
of specialized cartridges (typically, but
not necessarily, of brass) such as .22 and
.38 starter pistol blanks, theatrical blanks,
tear gas pistols, and nail driving tools for
carpenters have been produced.
CARTRIDGE COMPONENTS
The contemporary cartridge
consists of but four components: a
projectile called a bullet; an appropriate
charge of gunpowder; a primer for
igniting the powder charge; and the
cartridge case itself which serves to hold
these components together in the process
of loading and firing a weapon. Aside
from their material of composition,
bullets - and hence the cartridges of
which they are a part - are described
according to their caliber (i.e., diameter).
Caliber is typically expressed in either
English or metric terms. English
measurement is in increments of 0.01
(e.g., .22 Long Rifle) or .001 (e.g., .357
Magnum) inch; metric designations
appear in millimeters (e.g., 7.62 x 25mm
Tokarev).
Cartridges designated in inches
(e.g., the .22 Short or .45 Auto) are of
US, Canadian, or English origin. Cases
designated metrically are of European or
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
Asian origin. As will be discussed below
in greater detail, a number of cartridges
have experienced long production runs,
some well over a century. As new
cartridges have been developed, so new
standards of cartridge description also
evolved. American cartridge names are
typically a combination of a caliber and
cartridge name, for example, a .46 Short
or a .223 Remington. As an example of
changing industry descriptors, it may be
noted that .38 Special and .357 Magnum
revolver cartridges both have the same
sized bullet. Whereas the .3 8 Special was
introduced in 1902 - a period when
"caliber" was frequently a measurement
of both the bullet and the neck of a case
around it - the .357 Magnum - introduced in 193 5 - reflected changing
practices within the firearms industry by
emphasizing the true diameter of the
bullet within the brass. The descriptor
"magnum" is associated with a small
number of 20th century cartridges. Such
cartridges have been defined as:
A term loosely used to
describe a rimfire or
centerfire cartridge, or
shotgun shell, that is
generally larger, contains
more shot or produces
higher
velocity
than
standard cartridges or
a given
shotshells of
caliber or gauge. Rifles,
handguns and shotguns
that are designed to fire
magnum cartridges or
shells may also be
described with the term
(NRA 1989:307).
In some instances, the formal
name by which a cmiridge is known
includes yet additional numbers which at
Volume 12
1997
first glance conform to neither rhyme nor
reason. The well known .30-30 Winchester round is indeed a .30 caliber
cartridge but what does the second "30"
mean? Simply that at the time of its
introduction in 1895 it was loaded with
30 grains of black powder, a load which
has not been produced since early in the
20th century. In a similar vein, the .30/06
Springfield round was developed by the
US Army as a replacement for earlier
black powder ammunition. Though this,
too, is a .30 caliber round, what does
"06" signify? It indicates that the round
was formally adopted by the army in
1906.
Metric caliber designations are
frequent listed in 0.01 mm increments.
Though exceptions may be found, many
metric cases are designated by a two part
numerical descriptor expressing bullet
diameter and case length; sometimes a
formal name is added, e.g., the 7.62 x 25
mm Tokarev cartridge formerly used in
regulation Soviet sidearms.
It is appropriate to briefly discuss
the types of gunpowder used in small
arms and the effects of these materials
on firearm and cartridge development.
The earliest type is called black powder.
Though the history of black powder is
obscure, the origins of this material have
been attributed to China. One of the
earliest references to this explosive compound in Europe appears in the writings
of Roger Bacon, an English friar, in
1242. The first known use of this
material to actually propel an object was
in Seville, Spain, in 1247 in a cannon
designed to shot stone
(Ramage, ed. 1992:8).
projectiles
115
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
Black powder consists of but
three ingredients; charcoal; saltpeter; and
sulfur. Though subject to some variation,
the "recipe" for black powder is 75%
saltpeter, 10% sulfur, and 15% charcoal.
The combustion of black powder
produces three things: an explosive force
suitable for propelling a bullet or other
projectile; a copious amount of dense
smoke; and a thick, almost greasy, black
film of soot on weapon and shooter
alike. This accumulation of residue
tended to have two major effects within
the chamber and barrel of a given
weapon: the heavy deposits of charcoal
and ash caused a rapid deterioration of
accuracy followed by a bore (the interior
of a barrel) so clogged by deposits that
the weapon could be neither loaded nor
fired without being thoroughly cleaned.
This residue had one other significant
attribute - it readily absorbed moisture.
In addition to contributing to the
problems of maintaining a weapon, in a
later day the use of black powder in
cartridges left a deposit of the same
residue on the expended brass case which
contributed to metallic corrosion. It is for
good reason that avid contemporary
reloaders of black powder cartridges
insist on carefully cleaning both gun and
weapon with warm, soapy water after
shooting. A concise and generally
available description of the process of
producing black powder appears in
Ramage, ed. (1992:14-19). Black
powder continues to be produced for
both sporting (e.g., muzzle loading
hunting rifles) and military (e.g., artillery)
applications.
In marked comparison to its
predecessor, smokeless powder simultaneously tended to out perform black
powder while eliminating many of its
116
Volume 12
1997
undesirable characteristics. Two distinct
types of powder (legally classified as
propellants, not explosives) have been
routinely produced since the late 1800's:
Double-based smokeless
powders are those in
which nitrocellulose, is
the base constituent of all
current smokeless powders, is supplemented by
nitroglycerine. The percentage of nitroglycerine
in the :finished product is
usually between 10% and
40%.
... Single-based
powders are those in
which nitrocellulose is the
only large constituent.
... Single-base and doublebase
powders
have
existed side by side since
the
middle-1880's.
Smokeless powder is
made
by
colloiding
nitrocellulose with special
solvents followed by a
drying process (NRA
1989:91).
The development of these compounds
was to have an immediate and profound
effect on firearms and cartridges alike.
With the advent of propellants which
produced both greater chamber pressure
and less gun jamming residue, the major
military powers of the world quickly
adopted a variety of semi- and fully
automatic weapons, arms which would
be neither practical nor dependable under
field conditions if used with black
powder.
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
CARTRIDGE CASE
TERMINOLOGY AND
DESCRIPTIVE ATTRIBUTES
Excluding certain very early
cartridge cases, the vast preponderance
of examples likely to be encountered in
the region may be universally and
accurately described with the assistance
of terms well entrenched in the firearms
literature. The basic parts of a typical
Figure 1. Case terminology
Figure 2 . .46 Short rimfire straight
wall cartridge (reproduced from
Dover Publications 1969:470)
Figure 3. 30-40 Krag centerfire
bottleneck cartridge (reproduced
from Dover publications 1969:471)
Volume 12
1997
drawn brass rifle cartridge case are
shown in Figure 1. Of particular note
are those parts and dimensions held in
common by these cases: mouth; case wall
(body); length; and base (rim).
Profile configurations. For general
purposes, metallic cartridge cases are
most likely to be encountered (in
declining frequency) in three basic shapes
as viewed in profile: straight (Figure 2);
bottlenecked (Figure 3); and tapered.
Other - typically Civil War era configurations are known (cf Lewis
1972:plate Sc, f, g). Among the earliest
case designs (e.g., the .22 Short round
introduced in 1857), straight walled
cartridges have been used in a wide
variety of handgun (e.g., .38 Special and
.44 Magnum) and longarm (e.g., .45-70
Government) applications. Bottle-necked
cartridge cases are widely associated
with both black powder era and more
contemporary smokeless powder civilian
and military longarms. Though examples
of bottlenecked handgun cartridges might
be cited (e.g., the .30/7.65 mm Luger,
.30/7.63 mm Mauser, 7.62 mm Russian
Tokorev, and 7 and 8 mm Japanese
Nambu rounds; cf Barnes 1997), such
foreign
ammunition is typically of
manufacture.
The use of the descriptor
"tapered" deserves some clarification. In
order to provide for a suitable gas seal at
the forward end of the chamber which
physically holds a cartridge at the
time it is fired, allow for relative ease
of insertion therein, and maintain the
required amount of headspace within
a weapon - i.e., "... the distance from
breech face to that part of the chamber
which stops the forward movement of
the cartridge case" (NRA 1989:86} -..
117
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
many nominally "straight" walled
cartridge cases are in fact slightly
tapered. In other words, the dimension of
the case wall just above the base will be
minimally greater than the outer diameter
of the open end ("mouth") of the case.
This difference is typically not detectable
by cursory visual examination (a
commonplace contem-porary example of
such a cartridge is the 9 mm Luger). In
contrast, a limited number of cartridge
cases (e.g., the 7.62 mm Russian Nagant
Revolver cartridge introduced in 1895;
Barnes 1997:239) are markedly tapered
toward the case mouth. Most such cases
as may be found in the region were likely
used in late 1800's era sporting rifles.
Basal configurations. To be effective, a
cartridge must not only fire but the
expended case must be removable in
order to facilitate reloading the weapon.
To accomplish the process of extracting
a spent case from the weapon's chamber,
various types of basal configurations
(Figure 4) have been applied to
cartridges. In generally declining frequency of occurrence, these types are:
Rimmed (widely used on both handgun
and longarm cartridges; 1845-present);
Rimless
(widely
associated
with
ammunition for semi- and fully automatic
handguns and longarms; ca. 1895present);
Semi-rimless (infrequent; 20th century
handgun ammunition only, e.g . .38 Super
round);
Figure 4. Cartridge case rim types
118
Volume 12
1997
Belted (infrequent; high power rifle
ammunition only; 1900+); and
Rebated (infrequent; found only on the
.284 Winchester rifle cartridge
introduced 1963 - and the .41 Action
Express pistol round designed in 1986;
Barnes 1997:46, 260).
Rimmed cases were among the
first types placed into general production
(earlier, limited production types do
exist) as exemplified by the early
introduction of the .22 Flobert round in
1845 and its subsequent evolution into
the .22 Short in 1857. Such cases have
been widely and extensively used for
both black and smokeless powders in
handguns and rifles (and, indeed, in
shotgun shells, a topic not covered in this
paper).
Rimless cartridges were developed specifically for use in early (and
subsequent) semi-automatic hand-guns
which begin to appear on the market in
limited numbers in the mid-l 890's and
extensively
after
1900
following
pioneering work on these weapons by
German-American Hugo Borchardt,
Germans Georg Luger and Theodor
Bergmann, American John Moses
Browning, Englishman Sir Hiram
Stevens Maxim, Austro-Hungarians
Andreas William Schwarzlose and Josef
Laumann, and others (cf Hogg 1978;
Hogg and Weeks 1992). Most came into
being with the general adoption of modern smokeless powder around
the turn of the 20th century and
many such cases (e.g., the .30/06
Springfield round) had been
widely adapted for use in both
longarms and machine guns by
most major military forces by the
time of World War I. Semi-rimless,
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
belted, and rebated types have had only
limited application on various cartridges
created for handgun and longarm use; for
practical purposes, all may be considered
as 20th century developments.
Priming Systems. Four primary means of
igniting the powder within a cartridge
have been employed through the years.
In declining frequency of occurrence,
these are: rimfire; centerfire; pinfire; and
needlefire. Though not the earliest
cartridge ignition system introduced, the
rimfire case type was the first
commercially successful form of case
ignition and remains one of the most
frequently encountered by virtue of its
use in .22 caliber cartridges which
continue to be produced by the billions
each year by ammunition manufacturers.
Such cases contain a percussion sensitive
compound within the interior portion of
the rim. When struck by the weapon's
firing pin, this compound explodes and
serves to ignite the gunpowder. Such
cases can not readily be safely reloaded
and are typically discarded after firing.
This type of case was widely used in
both handgun and rifle cartridges
beginning about the time of the Civil
War until about World War I; after that
time, it was increasingly restricted to use
in smaller caliber (i.e., .22 caliber)
ammunition adapted to both handguns
and hunting and competition rifles.
Despite their early introduction in
1835, pinfire cartridges (Figure 5) by
virtue of both storage and safety related
problems were never extensively
manufactured though the system was
variously adapted to handgun, rifle, and
shotgun ammunition. Even with these
drawbacks, such cartridges (imported
from France) were available at least as
Volume 12
1997
late as 1902 from Sears, Roebuck for
.32, .38, and .44 caliber revolvers
(Bounty Books 1969:324).
Figure 5. Pinfire cartridges
(reproduced from Bounty 1969:324)
Introduced in 1840, needlefire
cartridges were ignited by an extended,
sharpened firing pin which pierced the
base of the cartridge and impacted a
fulminary compound in the basal portion
of the bullet. Exposure to excessive heat
resulted in the rapid deterioration and
frequent breakage of the firing pin. This
unsatisfactory system saw exceptionally
use in the United States.
For purposes of identification, the
rim-, pin-, and needlefire cartridges will
not display any external evidence of a
componentially separate priming system.
Rather, such cases will exhibit the impact
of the firing pin on the outer edge of the
basal portion of the case, a remnant pin
or small ho le in the case wall, or a
puncture in the center of the base,
respectively. In marked contrast to other
priming systems, centerfire cartridge
cases prominently display a circular,
separately manufactured primer inserted
in the center of the base. Presently
produced in only two sizes for contemporary applications, the size (diameter)
119
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
of primers was relatively variable in
many early cartridges. Two distinct types
of insertable primers have been produced
since the late 1800's. Named after their
inventors, these are the Boxer and Berdan types. Boxer primers, the standard
type used in US produced ammunition,
are distinguished by the appearance of a
single small flash hole in the interior basal
portion of the case. Berdan primers are
characterized by a pair of small holes in
the same location; such cases are
typically of foreign manufacture.
Ironically, Boxer was an English military
officer and Berdan - better known for his
involvement with Berdan's Sharpshooters, a detachment of snipers in the
Union Army during the Civil War served as an American officer.
CASE IDENTIFICATION
Though
most
commercially
produced center:fire cartridge cases carry
as part of their basal imprint the
cartridge type (e.g., .38 Special or .30-30
Winchester), occasional examples will be
encountered which are either not so
marked or so corroded as to be illegible.
To simplify the process of identifying a
given case, record the following
information: (1) outer diameter of case
mouth; (2) length of case; (3) rim type;
and (4) case profile. These observations
may then be compared to specific case
dimensional and configuration data
appearing in various published sources.
For
general
archaeological
purposes, Barnes (1997) provides
worldwide coverage of cartridge types
and is the best available one volume
reference on the vast majority of cases
likely to found throughout the region.
120
Volume 12
1997
Rhino (1989) is useful for 20th century
military cartridges and the more
frequently encountered civilian rounds.
Alternate sources - though typically not
as comprehensive - include reloading
manuals published by various bullet and
gun powder manufacturers. Examples of
these sources include Accurate (1994),
Hornady (1989), Ramage, ed. (1991),
and Speer (1987). Lewis (1972) and
Treadwell (1873) are particularly useful
for early (Civil War era) cartridges.
Analysts should keep in mind that
some cartridges were used in both
handguns and longarms. Though the
various forms of .22 caliber rim:fire
cartridges are perhaps the most widely
adapted such round, other examples
include cases such as the .32-20
Winchester and, in more recent times
(mid-1960's+), the .30 Carbine. US
military cartridges have traditionally been
widely adopted to civilian weapons and
cases which would otherwise have
entered into obsolescence long ago have
continued to be actively produced. Such
cases include the .45 Colt revolver round
and the .45-70 Government and .30-40
Krag rifle cartridges.
In most instances, information is
readily available as to the year in which a
given cartridge was both introduced and
withdrawn from production. But a
sampling of this information and
identifying specifications for various
domestically produced cartridges covering a variety of handgun and rifle
ammunition is presented in Table 1. It
should be noted that some rounds have
had exceptionally long production runs
and the use of such cases as
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
Volume 12
1997
Table 1. Chronology and identifying attributes of selected US
cartridge cases*
------------
I
I
---··-·---·- - ~
Use ill Base (2)
-
I
'Shape/ i Mouth
------+----!
1CARTRIDGE
Dia.
Leng!h
Chronology
Incept Terminus
i
lRimfire
1=_._2=2=s==s==-c-a
__p-:::_-:::_-:::_-:::_-:::_-:::_-:::_-:::_-:::_:_-:::_-:::_H-1_R-:::_=-+---s~1-R==:-=o.-2~2_4-_-:_-_o-.=2_8-4::::-+-_~1_8_4-_5___-+-+---_P-_re_s_en_t___,
1-22 CB Cap _ _ _
H/R
S/R I 0.225
0.42
1888
Present
1.22 Short
H/R
S/R
0 024
0.423
1857
Present
1·22 Long
H/R
S/R
0:224 0.595
1871
Present
.22 Long Rifle
H/R
S/R
0.224
0.595
1887
Present
i.25 Short
H
S/R I 0.245
0.468 ca. 1860
1920
1.30 Short
H
S/R I 0.292
0.515 I 1860's
1919
l.32 Short
---H-----+--S-/R--1 0.318
0.575 I -1-8-60--+--P-r-e-se_n_t_,1
1
1
1
I
[.32 Long
S/R
0.318
0.791
1861
Present
1 H
38 Short
i
H
S/R
0. 376
0. 7-68-+--1-86-9----j--19_4_0-----;
I. 38 Long _ _ _ ____,___H_ __,___S_/_R_,_,0-.-37_6___,__0_.8_7_3----r-1869- -1920's -
1
I.
!~--
:::~ ~;~i
------
~
·--·1
~~: ~:1~~- --~:-~~-~
i.44 Short
H
S/R · 0.445
1------------+-----+----+-
0.689
1~6-56 Spenc_e_r___----
0.875
I
~~~-~ __1 ;;~~J
1870
ls~~5~h~~enc_e_r_____ -•- ____RRH--r---~~_:_ ~::~~ ~:~~~ ~:~~
1·
I
S/R
0.56
·~-
1860
i
1920's
~~~~---
j
1920
Jcenterfire handgu11!;
I
1
--r--l.25Auto(25A(;P-)(3)
H
T/RL
0.276
0.62
ca.1903 Present_
1.32 Auto (32 ACP)
H
T/RL
0.336
1.03
1899
Present
.32 S&W
H
S/R
0.334
0.92
_1_8_78_-+--_P_re_se_n_t___,
.32 S&W Long
H
SIR
0.335
1.27
1903
Present
--+----____,
1.32 Colt
H
S/R
0.313
--1900?
19?_02___
,9 mm Luger
H
T/RL
0.38
1.16
1902
Present
~·- H
S/RL I 0.373
-0-.9-::::8:::::::::::::1::::9-0_8:::::::::::::P-:::_r-e_-s
__
~rl!__
].380 Auto (3SO ACE}
l.38 Special
H
S/R
! 0.379
1.16
1902
Present
---+-----+------+1_._~57 [Vla_g=_nu_m
_ _ _ _ _,___
H_-+--_S_/R_
0,379
1.29
1935 __ -~_res~_nt
1.38 Auto (38 ACP)
H
S/SRL 0.382
0.9
1900
Present I
1.38 Super
H
S/SRL 0.382
0.9
1929
Present
i.38 S&W
H --- ~-S/R
0.386
0.78
1877
Present
1.16
1907
Present
[.44-Specia__l _____-+-_H_-+-_S_/_T_ _,_0.457
1
----jt------t--------r--->----~
1
1
1
I--------+----~----+---+-----+
1
1-~-----------+----
1
II
!-r-~--~-~_;_-_<4_5--~A~C~P~)~~----+--H-~R--+---i_;_~--+-t~~ 0;~}:--+-1-i-~-~;-- +-1- :-t-~-·=- ~-:~
I
1Cent~rfire
I
·----+---- - -- - - longarms I
I
:~€£~::::ter- I ~H --~_- ~-:_R -+ - -~-=-·~-=-~-~- ;- -l-=-.-~-~-=_-=_r-I=i-~-4-:-~==:=:=~-=--:-:=~=::
l.30-40 Krag
J.308 Winchester
j.30-06 Spnngfiel_<:i
___
I
I
R
R
R
BIR
0.338
2.3_1___--+--=18_9_2----j-_P_resent B/RL I 0.344
2.01
1952
Present
B/R I 0.34 I 2.49
1906 , Present
1
1
121
Ohio Valley Historical Archae'Ology
Volume 12
1997
Table 1 (cont.)*
i
'shape/ Mouth
Length
I Use (1) Base (2) Dia.
CARTRIDGE
Chronology
Incept Terminus
-
!
i'
- - - - ·
Centerfire longarms (cont.)
.32-20 Winchester
! R/H
R
8 mm Mauser
R
.45-70 Government
.50 Browning
MG
R
.50 US Carbine
.50-70 Musket
R
!
.58 Carbine
R
I
-----··-
·-
T/R
0.326
B/RL 10.3493
T/R I 0.475
B/RL
0.56
SIR
0.535
S/R I 0.535
S/R I 0.625
1.32
2.24
2.105
3.91
--1.75
---
1882
I 1888
1873
1918
1870
I 1866
I 1869
Present
Present i!
Present
Present
ca. 1900
ca. 1900
I 1873+
I
I
I
*Information extracted from Barnes (1997). See also manuals such as Accurate
(1994), Hornady (1989), Ramage, ed. (1991), and Speer (1987).
Note: measurements given in inches; for conversion to metric, 1inch=25.4 mm.
(1). Use: H =handgun; R =rifle; MG= machine gun
(2). Shape: S = straight; B = bottleneck; T = tapered.
Base: R = rimmed; RL = rimless; SRL = semi-rimless
(3). ACP =Automatic Colt Pistol; these cartridges were and are adapted to a wide
variety of both US and foreign handguns.
sources such as Bounty ( 1969), Dover
Publications (1969), Isreal, ed. (1976),
Mirkin (1970), and Schroeder, ed.
(1973) are particularly informative.
Additional historical information might
be gleaned from early firearms and
ammunition trade catalogs (c£ Romaine
1990).
Accordingly, particularly in the instance
of poorly preserved specimens, it sometimes becomes increasingly difficult to
identify with certainty a corroded case
which may be dimensionally similar in
some regards to an entirely different
cartridge.
HEADSTAMPS
Few recovered cartridge cases
will ever match in every particular any
given set of "factory" specifications. As
noted by Barnes (1997:10):
... in measuring cartridge
dimensions, certain manufacturing tolerances must
be allowed, and these can
affect the last, or even
second, decimal figure.
Dimensional
tolerances
can be rather considerable with old black
powder cartridges.
122
The literature on cartridge case
headstamps is relatively obscure, even for
firearms enthusiasts (c£ Barnes 1997:
416; Rhino 1989:189). Though far from
complete, the present compilation of
manufacturer's headstamps may be of
utility to researchers in the region.
Representing a survey of information
extracted from available sources, this
listing has been supplemented by personal observation of headstamps appearing on several thousand cartridge cases.
In many instances, it has been possible to
locate neither the formal name of a
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
manufacturer, the chronology of their
operation, nor the dates in which a
specific headstamp was actually used.
Further compounding the problems of using headstamp chronologies for
dating archaeological deposits is the fact
that metallic cartridges have an
exceptionally long "shelf life". For
example, the author has personally fired
dated ammunition 70 years old (manufactured 1926) and at present it is not
difficult to obtain from commercial
sources quantities of ammunition produced during World War II. Within a
home or farmstead, a box of cartridges
might sit in storage for many years before
being fired and the brass cases discarded.
Despite the lack of more precise
information, this listing has incorporated
all American headstamps known to the
author. Other domestic headstamps exist.
In light of the ever expanding number of
historic era sites being reported throughout the region in a variety of contexts
ranging from farmsteads to urban lots to
military training areas, it seemed appropriate to list headstamps used by both
civilian and military facilities. Due to the
proximity of the region to Canada,
available - though meager - information
on headstamps from that country is also
included. Though it is not practical to
include herein information on the
numerous headstamps used throughout
the world in the 20th century, a useful
guide to these markings is Rhino (1989).
Descriptive references to headstamps typically allude to the face of a
12 hour clock - i.e., 12 o'clock is at top
center, 6 o'clock is at bottom center, etc.
Individual letters, words, and numbers
are termed elements (Barnes 1997:415;
Volume 12
1997
Rhino 1989:10-14). Most US produced
commercial center:fire cases display a
marker's mark at 12 o'clock (e.g.,
"Winchester") and a cartridge descriptor
at 6 o'clock (e.g., "38 Special").
Civilian (US)
AL EP - Federal Cartridge Company;
used on rimfire ammunition (Barnes
1997:416).
AMRON - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
A. & W. - Allan & Wheelock, ca. 18601876+; used on proprietary lip:fire (a type
of rimfire) cartridges for their line of
external hammer revolvers in .25, .32,
.38, and .44 caliber (Thomas 1991 :9597).
Buffalo Rock (in script) - Post-World
War II; used on centerfire cases.
C - Cascade Cartridge Company, Idaho;
first appeared in mid-1960's; used on
rimfire cases.
CCI - Cascade Cartridge Company,
Idaho; post-World War II; used on
center:fire cases (also used as of early
1990's on non-reloadable aluminum cases
with Berdan primer).
E. REMINGTON & SONS - E.
Remington and Sons; used 1870-1990
(Barnes 1997:416).
F - Federal Cartridge Company; used on
rimfire cases (Barnes 1997:416).
FC - Federal Cartridge Company; used
on center:fire cases (Barnes 1997:416).
FEDERAL - Federal Cartridge Company; used on centerfire cases.
FREMEL - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
FRONTIER - Post-World War II; used
on center:fire cases.
G - Federal Cartridge Company; used on
rimfire ammunition (Barnes 1997:416).
Geco - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
123
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
H - Winchester; used on rimfire cases
(Barnes 1997:416).
HARRINGTON - Post-World War II;
used on centerfire cases.
HORNADY - Post-World War II (cases
produced under contract by Winchester
and Remington); company located in
Grand Island, Nebraska.
HP - Federal Cartridge Company; used
on rimfue ammunition (Barnes 1997:
416).
IMPACT - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
LRS - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
MARKELL - Post-World War II; used
on centerfire cases.
MASTER - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
MIDWAY - Proprietary stamp of Midway Company, Columbia, Missouri;
post-1977; used on centerfire cases.
MPD - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
NA - Newton Arms Company; cartridges
manufactured by Remington Arms
Company; used on centerfire cases
(Barnes 1997:416); Newton Arms
Company operated from 1914-1930
(Byron 1982:77) though cartridges for
their weapons were likely produced after
that date.
NEVINS - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
P - Peters Cartridge Company; used on
rimfire and centerfire ammunition
(Barnes 1997:416).
PC - Peters Cartridge Company (Barnes
1997:416); also used on military cases
(see below).
P.C. - Peters Cartridge Company
(Barnes 1997:416).
PCCO - Peters Cartridge Company
(Barnes 1997;416).
PETERS - Peters Cartridge Company;
124
Volume 12
1997
used on centerfire ammunition (Barnes
1997:416).
PETERSHV - Peters Cartridge Company; used on .22 caliber high velocity
rimfire cartridges (Barnes 1997:416).
PRECISION - Post-World War II; used
on centerfire cases.
R - Robin Hood Ammunition Company
(Barnes 1997:416).
RAH - Remington Arms Company
(Barnes 1997:416).
R B - Union Metallic Cartridge Company (see below).
Rem - Remington Arms Company,
Bridgeport, Connecticut; post-World
War II; used on .22 rimfue cases.
REM - Remington Arms Company,
Bridgeport, Connecticut.
REM UMC - Remington Arms Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut; used after
1911.
REM-UMC - Remington Arms Company; used after 1911 (Barnes 1997:
416).
RHA - Robin Hood Ammunition Company (Barnes 1997:416).
R.H.A.Co. - Robin Hood Ammunition
Company (Barnes 1997:416).
RL - United States Cartridge Company
(see below) (Barnes 1997:416).
R-P - Remington Arms Company
(Barnes 1997 :416).
S. A. Co. - Savage Repeating Arms
Company, later Savage Arms Company;
cases manufactured by U. S. Cartridge
Company which ceased production in
1936 (Barnes 1997:416).
SPEER - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
SPEER WEATHERBY - Richard
Speer Manufacturing Company; postWorld War II; used on centerfire cases
(Barnes 1997 :416).
S. R. A. C. 0. - Savage Repeating Arms
Company (Barnes 1997:416).
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
STAR - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
S & W - Smith and Wesson, Springfield,
Massachusetts; post-World War II; used
on centerfire cases.
SUPER SPEED - Winchester Repeating
Arms Company; used on centerfue cases
(Barnes 1997 :416).
SUPER VEL - Post-World War II; used
on centerfire cases.
SUPER-VEL - Post-World War II; used
on centerfire cases.
SUPER X - Western Cartridge Company
(Barnes 1997 :416).
SUPER-X - Western Cartridge Company (Barnes 1997:416).
U - Union Metallic Cartridge Company
(purchased in 1911 by Remington Arms
Company); this headstamp continued to
be used under new ownership (Barnes
1997: 416); used on rimfire cases [see
also military headstamps]
UMC - Union Metallic Cartridge Company; first use of this headstamp is
obscure but likely used as early as 1860s;
company purchased by Remington Arm
Company in 1911 (Barnes 1997:416;
NRA 1981:166).
UMCCo - Union Metallic Cartridge
Company.
UMCCO - Union Metallic Cartridge
Company.
U M C CO - Union Metallic Cartridge
Company.
US - (appears as raised letters nestled
within a slightly concave circular panel
when used on .22 rim:fire cases). United
States Cartridge Company in operation
from 1869 to 1936 (Barnes 1997:416).
U.S. - United States Cartridge Company
(see above) (Barnes 1997:416).
U.S. CARTRIDGE CO - United States
Cartridge Company (sec above) (Barnes
1997:416).
USCCO - United States Cartridge Com-
Volume 12
1997
pany (see above); this headstamp personally noted on .45-70 cartridge
recovered in late-19th century context in
Frankfort, Kentucky.
U. S. C. CO. - United States Cartridge
Company (see above) (Barnes 1997:
416).
W - Western Cartridge Company (now
Winchester-Western
Division,
0 lin
Mathieson
Chemical Corporation);
con-tinued to be used after purchase by
Winchester (Barnes 1997:416).
W CC - Western Cartridge Company;
used after merger with Winchester 1940present (Barnes 1997:416; Rhino 1989:
163).
W C C - Western Cartridge Company;
used after merger with Winchester.
W C Co - Western Cartridge Company
(Barnes 1997 :416).
W. C. Co. - Western Cartridge Company; also used after merger with
Winchester (Barnes 1997:416).
WESTERN - Western Cartridge Company (Barnes 1997:416).
WINCHESTER - Winchester Repeating
Arms Company.
WM - Federal Cartridge Company; used
on rimfire ammunition (Barnes 1997:
416).
WRA - Winchester Repeating Arms
Company; used 1940-1976 (cf Rhino
1989:163).
WRACo - Winchester Repeating Arms
Company.
W-SUPER-W - Winchester Repeating
Arms Company; post-World War II;
used on centerfire cases.
W W - Winchester-Western; post-World
War II; used on center:fire cases.
W-W - Winchester-Western; used on
center:fire cases; post-World War II; used
on center:fire cases.
W-W SUPER - Winchester Repeating
Arms Company; post-World War II;
125
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
used on centerfire cases.
XL - Federal Cartridge Company; used
on rimfue ammunition (Barnes 1997:
416).
XR - Federal Cartridge Company; used
on rimfire ammunition (Barnes 1997:
416).
ZERO - Post-World War II; used on
centerfire cases.
Military (US)
Throughout most of the early
20th century, US military cartridge cases
typically display a manufacturer or place
of origin code (variously consisting of
one to three letters) at the 12 o'clock
position and a two digit abbreviated date
- e.g. (19)26 or (19) 44 - at the 6 o'clock
position. Beginning in the 1950's, most
US military cases also display a small,
encircled equal arm cross denoting
NATO compatible ammunition. This
symbo 1 typically appears at the 12
o'clock position in concert with a single
line manufacturer/date of production
centered on the 6 o'clock position. More
specific data regarding the varieties of
US military ammunition is presented in
Department of the Army (1981).
CF - Frankfort Arsenal, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; used 1945-1970 (Barnes
1997:416).
DEN - Denver Ordnance Plant; used
1941-1944 (Rhino 1989:133).
DM - Des Moines Ordnance Plant; used
1941-1945 (Rhino 1989:134).
EC - Evansville Ordnance Plant, Evansville, Indiana; used only on .45 Auto
cartridges, 1943-1944 (Rhino 1989:135).
ECS - Evansville Chrysler-Sunbeam
Corporation loaded at Evansville
Ordnance Plant, Evansville, Indiana; used
only on .45 Auto cartridges (Rhino
1989:135).
126
Volume 12
1997
EW - Eau Claire Ordnance Plant, Eau
Claire, Wisconsin; used 1943-1944
(Rhino 1989:135).
F - Frankfort Arsenal, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania (Barnes 1997:416).
FA - Frankfort Arsenal, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; used until 1973 (Rhino
1989:136).
FCC - Federal Cartridge Company under
military contract (Davis, ed. 1991:21);
also used on civilian ammunition.
GE - General Electric (likely World War
II production) (Barnes 1997:416).
KS - Allegheny Ordnance plant operated
by Kelly-Springfield Tire Company; used
1942-1943 (Rhino 1989:146).
LC - Lake City Ordnance Plant,
Missouri; used 1943-1970 (Rhino 1989:
146).
LM - Lowell Ordnance Plant, Massachusetts; used 1942-1943 (Rhino
1989:146).
M - Milwaukee Ordnance Plant, Wisconsin; used 1942-1943 (Rhino 1989:
146).
PC - Peters Cartridge Company, Ohio,
under military contract; used 1941-1944
(Rhino 1989:152); also used on civilian
ammunition (see above).
RA - Remington Arms, Bridgeport,
Connecticut, under military contract;
used 1940 until at least 1968 (Rhino
1989:154).
SL - St. Louis Ordnance Plant, Missouri;
used 1942-1944 (Rhino 1989:159).
TW - Twin Cities Ordnance Plant,
Minneapolis, Minnesota; used 1942-1943
(Rhino 1989:162).
U - Utah Ordnance Plant; used 19421944 (Rhino 1989:162) [also used on
commercial rimfire cases; see above].
UT - Utah Ordnance Plant, used 19421944 (Rhino 1989:162).
wee - Western Cartridge Company
under military contract; also used on
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
civilian ammunition.
WRA - Winchester Repeating Arms
Company under military contract (Davis,
ed_ 1991 '.22); also used on civilian
ammunition
Canada (civilian and military)
DAQ - Dominion Arsenal (Davis, ed.
1991:22).
DC Co - Dominion Cartridge Company,
Canada; production ceased 1948 (Rhino
1989:133).
D I (+ two number date) - Dominion
Industries, Canada; 1941-1944 (Rhino
1989:133).
VC - Verdun Arsenal (Davis, ed.
1991:22).
SUMMARY
The analysis of firearms related
artifacts in general and cartridge cases in
particular can yield informative insights
in the process of interpreting a given
historic site or assemblage. Such analyses
are most productively pursued, however,
with a working knowledge of the
appropriate terminology and literary
resources available for seeking additional
information. Even when correctly identified, it should be remembered that there
are certain inherent limitations as to what
may or may not be defensively extracted
from a given assemblage. Though
exceptions abound, recall that many of
the cartridges discussed herein have had
extended periods of active or at least
sporadic production. While the discovery
of a .45-70 Government case in a sealed
context can be used in concert with other
materials to securely date a deposit, the
recovery of a .22 Long Rifle casing from
a yard or field will yield only the broadest
range of site chronology. In a similar
vein. though some (typically military)
Volume 12
1997
headstamps may in fact carry a year of
manufacture, ammunition can be safely
stored for many years prior to use.
Hence, for interpretive purposes, such
dates should be viewed as indicating "no
earlier than" rather than an exact year of
deposition.
Firearms are neither more nor
less than another form of tool with their
own unique developmental sequence. As
each tool has a "best fit" application, so
each type of associated cartridge has an
appropriate use. In an urban environment, .22 caliber cases suggest pest
control; .32 caliber and larger handgun
cases suggest self-defense; in rural areas,
.3 0 caliber and larger rifle cases suggest
hunting activities. Inferences oriented
toward ascertaining the role and
application of firearms on a given site
are best founded on accurate identifications and a familiarity with the
weapons (c£ Coates and Thomas 1990;
Ezell 1981; Hogg 1978; Hogg and
Weeks 1992; Madaus 1981; Schwing and
Houze 1996; Walter 1993) which
actually fired the diverse cases we
attempt to identify and interpret.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
An earlier draft of this study was
reviewed and commented upon by Mr.
Philip J. DiBlasi (Louisville) and Mr.
John S. Kessler (Falls of Rough,
Kentucky). Dr. Stephen McBride (Lexington) and Ms.
Trina Maples
(Lexington) also contributed useful suggestions. Other colleagues within the
region have both offered helpful
observations and raised questions deserving of answers. The illustrations
used herein as Figures I and 4 have been
graciously reproduced from Speer (1987:
127
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
24) and NRA (1989:50), respectively.
REFERENCES CITED
Volume 12
1997
Ward & Co. Catalogue and Buyers'
Guide Spring & Summer 1895. Dover
Publications, Inc., New York.
Accurate Arms Company (Accurate)
1994 Accurate Smokeless Powder Reloading Guide (1st edition).
Accurate Arms Company, Inc.,
McEwen, Tennessee.
Ezell, Edward C.
1981 Handguns of the World:
Military Revolvers and Self-Loaders
from 1870 to 1945. Stackpole Books,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Barnes, Frank C.
1997 Cartridges of the World (8th
edition; M. L. McPherson, ed.). DBI
Books, Inc., Northbrook, Illinois.
Frost, George E.
1990 Ammunition Making: An
Insider's Story. National Rifle
Association, Washington, D. C.
Bounty Books
1969 The 1902 Edition of the Sears
Roebuck Catalogue. Bounty Books/
Crown Publishers, New York.
Hogg, Ian V.
1978 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of
Firearms. Chatwell Books, Inc./Book
Sales, Inc., Secausus, New Jersey.
Byron, David
1982 The Official Guide to
Gunmarks (1st edition). House of
Collectibles, Inc., Orlando, Florida.
Hogg, Ian and John Weeks
1992 Pistols of the World (3rd
edition). DBI Books, Inc.,
Northbrook, Illinois.
Coates, Earl J. and Dean S. Thomas
1990 An Introduction to Civil War
Small Arms. Thomas Publications,
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Homady Manufacturing Company
(Hornady)
1989 Hornady Handbook of
Cartridge Reloading: Rifle-Pistol
(3rd edition, 9th printing). Hornady
Manufacturing Company, Inc., Grand
Island, Nebraska.
Davis, William C., Jr. (editor)
1991 Handloading (4th printing).
National Rifle Association of
America, Washington.
Department of the Army
1981 Army Ammunition Data Sheets
Small Caliber Ammunition FSC 1305.
Technical Manual TM 43-0001-27,
Headquarters, Department of the
Army, Washington.
Dover Publications
1969 Unabridged Facsimile:
Caralogue No. 5 7 - Montgomery
128
Isreal, Fred L. (editor)
1976 1897 Sears Roebuck
Catalogue. Chelsea House Publishers,
New York.
Lewis, Berkeley R.
1972 Small Arms Ammunition at the
International Exposition Philadelphia,
1876. Smithsonian Studies in History
and Technology No. 11, Smithsonian
Institution Press, Washington.
Ohio Valley Historical Archaeology
Madaus, H. Michael
1981 The Main Street Pocket Guide
to American Longarms. Main Street
Press, Pittstown, New Jersey.
Mirken, Alan
1970 1927 Edition of the Sears,
Roebuck Catalogue. Bounty
Books/Crown Publishers, New York
(heavily edited but original pagination
and index retained).
National Rifle Association (NRA)
1981 American Handguns and Their
Makers. National Rifle Association of
America, Washington.
1989 NRA Firearms Fact Book (3rd
edition). National Rifle Association of
America, Washington.
Ramage, C. Kenneth (editor)
1991 Lyman Reloading Handbook
(46th edition, 8th printing). Lyman
Products Corporation/Lyrnan
Publications, Middlefield,
Connecticut.
1992 Lyman Black Powder
Handbook (10th printing). Lyman
Products Corporation/Lyman
Publications, Middlefield,
Connecticut.
Rhino Publishing Company (Rhino)
1989 Identification Guide for Military Small Caliber Ammunition - Volume I: Small Arms Cartridges to 15
mm. Department of Defense Manual
RPC-822-243-860-88, Volume I
(reprinted by Rhino Publishing
Company, Seneca, South Carolina).
Volume 12
1997
Catalogs 1744-1900. Dover
publications, Inc., New York
(originally published 1960, R. R.
Bowker, New York).
Schroeder, Joseph J., Jr. (editor)
1973 1923 Sears, Roebuck
Catalogue. Digest Books, Inc.,
Northfield, Illinois.
Schwing, Ned and Herbert Houze
1996 Standard Catalog of Firearms
(6th edition). Krause Publications,
Iola, Wisconsin.
Speer Bullet Company (Speer)
1987 Speer Reloading Manual Number 11 (4th printing). Speer
Bullet Company, Sporting Equipment
Division, Blount, Inc., Lewiston,
Idaho.
Thomas, T. T.
1991 The Story of Allen and
Wheelock Firearms. Pioneer Press,
Union City, Tennessee.
Treadwell, Major T. J.
1873 Metallic Cartridges (Regulation and Experimental) as Manufactured and Tested at the Franlfort
Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.
C. (reprinted, n.d., The Armory, West
Hurley, New York).
Walter, John
1993 Rifles of the World: The
Definitive Illustrated Guide to the
World's Center-fire Rifles, from
1875 to the Present Day. DBI Books,
Northbrook, Illinois.
Romaine, Lawrence B.
1990 A Guide to American Trade
129