38-40 Cartridge I got Today

[Bryan Austin]

I know this probably is not an original black powder case but here it is anyway. 38-40 I got from mu Uncle that has a Winchester 1873 made in 1915. This is the one my dad shot when he was a kid. Somehow he tied it to a tree and used a string to pull the trigger. The things kids do!!!!

Anyhow here is the one and only cartridge left. The other six where R-P spent cases. I may have some history on this cartridge but I'll let you guys tell me first. I did not fully dicect the cartridge. Popped the bullet out just far enough to mic it. .397. It is loaded with smokeless powder (I can here it rattle inside) as well as a smokeless bullet.

My main interest is the primer.

Cartridge before tampering


Cartridge with the bullet partly extracted.


Head stamp and primer

Looks like a U with underline and an S
38WCF U.S.C. Co.

[August]

It is interesting to note the ways the manufacturer has addressed the issue of collapsed rounds in tubular magazines.

The bullet is nurled.  Additionally, the entire profile of the case is changed to make the neck straight.  The straight portion of the case goes back far enough to permit nurling the case, itself, to prevent the bullet from moving back into the case.

This gives some hint that Winchesters of that era were limited in throat length, just like some of the 38-40 guns available today.  With more throat length, it would have been possible to apply a more aggressive roll crimp to the bullet, which could have been extended to accommodate same.

It will be interesting to find out if any fillers were used to further support the bullet.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Your cartridge was manufactured by the United States Cartridge Company of Lowell Massachusetts. That's what the headstamp U.S.C.CO. stands for. The primer is stamped with the letters U,S superimposed on each other, which looks a lot like a Dollar Sign.

I have one just like it in my cartridge collection. The cartridge on the right in both of these photos is the USCCO cartridge. Yes, that is a very serious cannelure holding the bullet in place. No, I doubt very much there is any filler inside. Also of interest is how small the primer is, compared to the Remington UMC cartridge next to it.





U.S. Cartridge Company was founded in 1869 and finally went out of business in 1927. I find it interesting because it was right around the corner from where I live.

Here is a link to the history of the company. It is very interesting, particularly the part about the explosion in 1903.

http://lowelllandtrust.org/greenwayclassroom/history/USCartridgeCompany.pdf

[Pettifogger]

A fascinating history.  I really liked the mono-rail.  Shows what industry in the New England States use to be like and why it was such an industrial powerhouse and the center of the arms industry.  To bad so much has changed.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

A fascinating history.  I really liked the mono-rail.  Shows what industry in the New England States use to be like and why it was such an industrial powerhouse and the center of the arms industry.  To bad so much has changed.

I found this very interesting as well.