Hey everyone! I just came off the beach tonight and I thought I would share with you my finds. The ring and the chain are from a couple of days ago but the bullet just came out of the ocean a few hours ago. I think it's a WWII 50. cal but I could be wrong. Maybe one of you more knowledgeable hunters can enlighten me about it. If it is it's my first Relic and I would be really stoked! I know that the section of the ocean off of the beach that I was on was used as an aerial test bombing site back during the war, but I don't know if the bullet is actually that old....If anyone knows about these things could you let me know. I would appreciate everything and anything! Thanks again guys!
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:bouncy:Some Silver and a WWII Bullet (I think)
- Thread starter Dig
- Start date
Chi Town Bruce
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Gulf Hunter
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PaPa-Joe-Fla.
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scubadetector
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It is indeed a 1944 cartridge and here is the link and the information out of the link to prove it. Very nice finds. Nice silver.
In 1943, as production was getting into full swing, all energies were devoted towards war production. Rather than take the time and material to make new headstamp dies for 1944, most makers simply ground the number 3 off the old dies. SL 43 went on to become SL 4 (indicating 1944).
SL St. Louis Ordnance Plant, St. Louis, MO
http://www.totse.com/en/bad_ideas/guns_and_weapons/headstmp.html
I can't tell from the picture if it is a 50 cal or a 30 cal. My guess is a 50 cal though. I sure would hate to get hit with the other end of that thing!! I used to find tons of WW2 items in Okinawa where I was stationed in 1979. I learded to dive there. It is really unbelievable all the items you find underwater. from huge navy gun warheads to depth charges to ammo boxes rusted out but the bullets all encrusted together. Very eerie when you come across those items underwater.
In 1943, as production was getting into full swing, all energies were devoted towards war production. Rather than take the time and material to make new headstamp dies for 1944, most makers simply ground the number 3 off the old dies. SL 43 went on to become SL 4 (indicating 1944).
SL St. Louis Ordnance Plant, St. Louis, MO
http://www.totse.com/en/bad_ideas/guns_and_weapons/headstmp.html
I can't tell from the picture if it is a 50 cal or a 30 cal. My guess is a 50 cal though. I sure would hate to get hit with the other end of that thing!! I used to find tons of WW2 items in Okinawa where I was stationed in 1979. I learded to dive there. It is really unbelievable all the items you find underwater. from huge navy gun warheads to depth charges to ammo boxes rusted out but the bullets all encrusted together. Very eerie when you come across those items underwater.
scubadetector
New member
Dig, This is my only WW2 relic that I know of. I found it in a lake in Michigan encrusted with sand. I didn't even think about cleaning it until one of my other metal detecting friends came over and saw the swords on it. It turns out that it is a german wound badge. Get wounded 3 times and you got silver 5 times and you got gold!!
Yes, that is a .50 cal.
A word of caution on the .50 caliber bullets. I find a lot of them in my area. Venice FL.
Many times the bullet, not the casing will be encrusted with sand, tiny shell and other debris. I have removed the encrustation on many of them and polished the copper.
One day I tried another way to remove the encrustation. I would heat the bullet with a propane torch and then dump it into cold water.
The expansion and then quick contraction would make it easy to remove the junk with a few taps of a light hammer.
Well, I had a bullet lying loose on top of my vise and applied heat. I must have been daydreaming because the next thing is a loud pop and the bullet left the vise and hit my other hand. No harm done, but it made me recall that many .50's were tracers.
Tracer material consists of magnesium. The over heating of this bullet ignited this 60+ year material. Most times the tracer material will burn away in flight. Not this time.
Moral of this post? NEVER assume that ANY ordinance is safe to mess with.
P.S.
Need a piece of pointed tungsten carbide. remove the copper, its inside.
Use due caution. Don't be a meathead!
A word of caution on the .50 caliber bullets. I find a lot of them in my area. Venice FL.
Many times the bullet, not the casing will be encrusted with sand, tiny shell and other debris. I have removed the encrustation on many of them and polished the copper.
One day I tried another way to remove the encrustation. I would heat the bullet with a propane torch and then dump it into cold water.
The expansion and then quick contraction would make it easy to remove the junk with a few taps of a light hammer.
Well, I had a bullet lying loose on top of my vise and applied heat. I must have been daydreaming because the next thing is a loud pop and the bullet left the vise and hit my other hand. No harm done, but it made me recall that many .50's were tracers.
Tracer material consists of magnesium. The over heating of this bullet ignited this 60+ year material. Most times the tracer material will burn away in flight. Not this time.
Moral of this post? NEVER assume that ANY ordinance is safe to mess with.
P.S.
Need a piece of pointed tungsten carbide. remove the copper, its inside.
Use due caution. Don't be a meathead!