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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Is this bullet WW1 ?


ForeignGong

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Hi All

This bullet came to me many years ago amongst other WW1 bits & pieces. Just interested to know if it is WW1 and if so, what nationality.

Appreciate any assistance you can give

Peter

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post-49754-0-05434700-1413698855_thumb.j

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It is British made (kynoch) if WW1 it may be Belgian as they used 7.65mm but it may also be from an Argentinian contract as they too used 7.65mm Mausers, as did Turkey.

I am well out of my field but I thought the Argentinian rounds had a pointed (spitzer) Bullet.

I'll have a look but my guess would be made for Belgium.

Chris

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A couple of points what you have is more that a bullet, the bullet is the projectile. What you have a is a cartridge: case, primer, propellent and bullet.

Next it looks live. It is an offence in the UK to be in possession of any live ammunition without lawful authority.

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If the IWM is correct Kynoch received a contract to produce ammunition for the Belgian army after the Belgian factory making it fell into German hands According to Cartridges of the World (and similar sources) the Mauser rounds used by Belgium differed from those used by Argentina, Turkey et al by having a rounded nose and being slightly lighter so I'd guess the same as Chris.

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The full name 'Kynoch' on the headstamp would suggest to me that the round was originally made as commercial ammunition, in which case it could be any date up to about the 1960s. The very slight flare at the casemouth makes me wonder if the bullet's been pulled - so it's possible it's inert; or even a many-times-used reload, from the bruised condition of the casehead.

Regards,

MikB

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From the IWM

"History note

Belgium adopted the excellent Mauser-designed 7.65 mm cartridge in 1889, and was followed by Turkey, Argentina, Bolivia, Columbia, Peru and Paraguay in 1891. Manufacture for Belgium took place in a new factory which was to become Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre, (FN). Both Nobels and Kynoch received contracts to manufacture 7.65 mm Mauser for the Belgian armed forces during the First World War.
Physical description
Description: brass rimless bottlenecked case with cupro-nickel jacketed round nosed bullet secured by a three stab crimp."
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From the IWM

"History note

Belgium adopted the excellent Mauser-designed 7.65 mm cartridge in 1889, and was followed by Turkey, Argentina, Bolivia, Columbia, Peru and Paraguay in 1891. Manufacture for Belgium took place in a new factory which was to become Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre, (FN). Both Nobels and Kynoch received contracts to manufacture 7.65 mm Mauser for the Belgian armed forces during the First World War.

Physical description

Description: brass rimless bottlenecked case with cupro-nickel jacketed round nosed bullet secured by a three stab crimp."

I think that may reinforce the commercial case hypothesis - there were never any stab crimps on that caseneck because the shadow would still show even after multiple reloads. The casehead looks as if it's been in and out of breeches many times, but the bullet not even once.

Regards,

MikB

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Except that I think that the description may describe the original FN manufactured round. However it does confirm the rounded bullet which appears to have been a Belgian characteristic.

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Hi

Have you tried removing the bullet? I have this one in a small collection I inherited that I know very little about (but I am trying to learn). Not sure of a date but what I have seems to range from 1900-1918.

Do you think Kynoch on the head stamp looks similar.

Steve

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post-115411-0-76538000-1413715343_thumb.

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The full name 'Kynoch' on the headstamp would suggest to me that the round was originally made as commercial ammunition, in which case it could be any date up to about the 1960s. The very slight flare at the casemouth makes me wonder if the bullet's been pulled - so it's possible it's inert; or even a many-times-used reload, from the bruised condition of the casehead.

Regards,

MikB

Agree with you there Mik. That might even be a .303 MkVI bullet in a civvy case

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The cartridge is rimmed on this example and the Belgian one was if descriptions are correct rimless. Possibly for a 303 British rifle? Nice example of a bullet converted into a pencil which was often done to create a souvenir.

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I think that "trench" in trench art is often misleading as this would probably have needed a work shop to make (to drill the bullet and fit the lead holder so neatly). I suspect that a lot of trench art got made in rear area work shops but whether one would classify that as factory made is a moot point

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Hi

Have you tried removing the bullet? I have this one in a small collection I inherited that I know very little about (but I am trying to learn). Not sure of a date but what I have seems to range from 1900-1918.

Do you think Kynoch on the head stamp looks similar.

Steve

Personally , I would hazard a guess at that being a Pre 1900 .303 MKII round due to the headstamp and lack of cannelure

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Thanks again Centurion.

Hi Radlad, that's earlier than I had guessed.

Could it still have made it to GW?

Sorry total newbie - What is cannelure?

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No date usually means Pre 1907. The case has a large Berdan primer , it is certainly a strange one to me as I thought all MkII bullets had cannelures. Possibly somebody else can be more precise

It is possible the round was still still in stock at the start of WW1, but I would plump for it being a souvenir of the Boer war or just something a soldier made when they were bored.

A cannelure is a groove around the bullet that the case mouth crimps into to hold the bullet more securely than a plain bullet would be held. Usefull in military weapons as it helps to prevent bullet set back in magazine and automatic weapons

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Ok thank you Radlad.

Boer War could work as have a couple of Martini Henry cases with the sight holes so think will be similar date.

If this is so guess I'll have to move along. So thank you all for your help.

Sorry Pete for high jacking your thread.

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Hi

After all the discussion, I decided to pull the bullet from the cartridge and look what I found.

Many thanks for all the input as I would never had thought of pulling it. As I said I have had this for some time and never thought to ask anyone about it.

Peter

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  • 3 weeks later...

post-46308-0-89552000-1415181012_thumb.jpost-46308-0-89552000-1415181012_thumb.jI was given this bullet a few days ago, I did little research on it.

Grateful if some members would have a look at it.

Is it WW1 from a 1871 mauser rifle

Regards

Gerry

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Hard to tell any thing much from that angle, Gerry. Could you post a photo of the headstamp on the base of the cartridge and another of the case and bullet standing upright.

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There are no markings on it Siege Gunner, It has black powder inside and it looks like it hasn't been fired. The presentation box it in came in is very well made,

I will try and post more pics. Thanks for your reply

G

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I don't know much but I'm pretty sure that won't have been in ww1. It appears to be a lead bullet, these were not permitted following the Hague declaration 1899. They were only deemed usable against 'savages' i.e Zulu, boers etc. As I say I don't know much but I'm sure someone will be along to help shortly.

steve

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Thanks Steve,

So it's not WW1.

There is a weird story attached to it, which I am sceptical about.

Gerry

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A weird story? your such a tease! I couldn't say what weapons some country's started the war with. As I said best wait for someone else. Good luck.

steve

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