M E T A L M A N 9

M E T A L M A N 9

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March 10, 2023 - Bullets and Shell Casings

March 10, 2023 - Bullets and Shell Casings

March 10, 2023 Bullets and Shell Casings. Bullet and shell casings are just but a few of the many exciting things that you find when you’re out metal detecting. In fact they tend to show up at times in the most unexpected places. Rifle casings on the forest floor, that I can understand… It’s called hunting. Bullet casings on a popular public beach… well that I worry about. I have the good fortune of having a nephew that is a firearm expert and enthusiast. I sought his advice and paraphrased his responses below. Show him an odd size or an odd make in the world of firearms and he will rattle off the specks and production dates and manufactures etc. Knowledge is really handy and he’s my go to guy when I find bullets and shell casings. Spoiler alert… for anyone who wants to do some serious and hard-core metal detecting, “Yaw just got to have a go to guy or gal”. There are a lot of knowledgeable people out there and most of them just love to share their expertise so don’t be shy. Talk to people. My own very first bullet or shell casing find came very early on. See: May 20, 2020 - Cadieux Farm. In fact this was my second time out ever, not counting a trail run in my own back yard. It should come as no surprise as I was out on a farm field in a rural area. And guess what, two days later, same farm field, another bullet. The first picture appears to be an old muzzle loading rifle bullet probably from the 1800’s and seems unfired since it has no rifling marks in it. And because I know that someone‘s going to ask, the coin is a 1934, King George V, Canadian Penny. The third picture I believe to be a 32 rimfire bullet and part of the case which indicates it was dropped as a loaded round. This would be for rifles or pistols, and yes, pistols or revolvers were actually quite common within the pioneer crowd. See: April 5, 2021 - Two Little Points. The third picture are all modern cartridges within the last 40 or so years, mostly 30-30 with a 308, 30-06 and 12 gauge. See: Aug 3, 2022 - Hunting the Dawson Trail. The more interesting one of the bunch, 6th picture, is the 22 savage high power casing. That shell was a Dominion Cartridge Company case likely from the 1930's (still fairly new but an uncommon caliber). See: Nov 10, 2021 - Sandilands Provincial Forest. Some of what I find to be the most interesting and quite possibly the oldest artifacts found were on mud bars right in the Red River when the water levels were historically low. These are musket balls. Two are 1.45 MM in size and weigh in at 16 grams, the other is 1.25 MM and 13 grams. One of them features a flattened side. It must have collided at high speed with something hard. See: Sept 1, 2021 - Red River Mud Bars. Shotgun shell casings are identifiable by the markings found on the bottom end of the shell. There are some very good websites that will help you identify and sort out the history behind your own shotgun shell finds. See the link below. Here are a few pictures of the ones that I have found. See: Sept 23, 2021 - Moose Lake Provincial Park . Notice the .22 long and the .22 short casings. For some strange reason, I have found a lot of .22 casings on various beaches. See: June 24, 2021 - Winnipeg Beach. Another exciting find was while detecting my Cousin Shawn’s back yard in North Bay, Ont. See: Nov 5, 2021 - North Bay Shawn's Yard. The highlight of the day had to be finding an unfired 30 mm handgun round in their flower bed. One can only wonder as to what story it could tell. As for my last and thus most recent bullet and shell casing finds, well we’re back at the beach. See: Sept 7, 2022 - Winnipeg Beach, Mb. More .22 shorts. Dance, dance, dance… Enjoy your metal detecting hunts. When in doubt, dig it out. Remember to always fill your holes. Roger http://www.cartridge-corner.com/shotgun.htm h t t p : / / c a n a d i a n m e t a l d e t e c t i n g . c a / c a n a d i a n - m e t a l - d e t e c t i n g - c o d e - o f - ethics/