Compadre finds an old cartridge case

[JMC]

Our area has been active since the 1600's. My neighborhood since the early 1800's for sure. Found this cartridge case in a wash out area next to the house that gets run off from the roof during heavy rains. It's a rim-fire case, brass, and just a tad larger than a current day 9mm. Head stamp simply says US. During the Civil War our little town was both Union and Confederate depending on the day. Loads of activity, we even have a yearly reenactment down the block from us. Anyone have an idea of what it actually might be from?

 

[BarryL]

do a google search on old US rimfire cartridge, lots of good info and shows a lot of pics I would say definitely around 1870 or so could be earlier lots of others on here can give better info on it I bet Cool find too congrats what would really be cool is to find a complete cartridge also if ya got a set of calipers do a measurement inside the mouth will give you an Idea of caliber size

 

[JMC]

After a bit of research it seems the case is a .41 Extra long rimfire. It was made for an Otis Smith patent revolver that came out in April of 1873. Not Civil War but certainly late 1800's for sure. Maybe the previous owner of our house was doing a little pest control at the time, we date from 1883.

 

[kaolinwasher]

that baby is old , and in good shape as far as not being corroded,

 

[tabman]

That's a very interesting find. I didn't know that there were rim fire cartridges back then.

tabman

 

[bigelow]

cool find