look what I found at the range

[hoosierlogger]

I found about twenty of these at the range today. It looks to me like they were loaded with black powder by the amount of corrosion on them. It is starline .45 Colt brass, so I would think they were home made. The ones that opened up all of the way look fine, but the ones that are barely open blew the primer half way out of the hole. I am seriously surprised that I didnt find any fingers lying around on the ground. What a waste of good brass.


I did on the other hand make a good haul of useable brass today.

[Don McDowell]

Looks like somebody was firing the blanks, such as are used in Mounted Cowboy , and in hollywierd stage props.

[hoosierlogger]

Looks like somebody was firing the blanks, such as are used in Mounted Cowboy , and in hollywierd stage props.

they look really unsafe to me. Because half of them didnt open all of the way, and the primers coming out.

[Curlymaple42]

I am going to guess here that the primers backed out because there was no bullet back pressure to keep the brass pushed against the "bolt" area so the brass was pushed forward as the primer backed out a bit. Don't think there is anything unsafe about those blanks as they are just that, blanks.

[Don McDowell]

Curlymaple is right, without the pressure built by the resistance of the bullet the primer will back out. Years ago when we used to use a primed cartridge with a plug of parrafin shoved in the case mouth for indoor noise making with a handgun , it was necessary to drill out the flash hole to keep the primers from backing out and tying up the gun.
Those blanks are loaded with bp, and a tissue wad over the powder to keep it in place and then the case is star crimped. Nothing inherently unsafe about the load. They are deadly within a few feet so caution must be used when firing them.

[38-55]

Hey Yall,
Starline sells them.. they are called 5 in ones. and are for blanks.. no pressure and primers pop out and stay out.. actually all primers pop out some but are reseated by normal cartridge pressure... lot's of times with light cast boolit loads you will see varying degrees of extruded primers..
Hope this helps
calvin

[hoosierlogger]

Well Ill be. I looked on starlines website and didnt see anything but un primed brass. I did a google search on them, but still am a little lost on the 5 in ones. What is different about them and regular brass? You still have to load and crimp them at home right?

I see what you are saying about the no pressure thing and the primers popping out. I stated that they looked unsafe because I thought it was something someone coughed up.

[Lead pot]

Used to be able to buy .45 colt shot shells like that too.

[Don McDowell]

Remington used to sell the 5in1 blanks. There's 3 different outfits that load and sell approved blanks for the mounted shooters, wouldn't be at all surpised if they all didn't use starline brass.

[JIMinPHX]

I found a .38 spl round that looked like that laying on a sidewalk in NYC one day about 10 years ago. It was star line brass also. That was the last place in the world that I ever expected to find live ammo just laying around.

[NickSS]

I think that Cheaper than dirt sells 4 in one blanks made of plastic

[WallyM3]

IIRC, the 5 in 1 blanks were so called because they would fit in 38-40, 44-40 and 45 Colt chambers (there being no 45 Colt Winchester 73s or 92s), so they fit 3 revolver chambers and two rifle chambers for the movies.

[Cord]

"45 LONG COLT BLANK (Large Pistol primer) 1.273"-1.283" O.A.L.

The .45 Long Colt Blank has the same external dimensions as
the standard .45 Colt but utilizes a .140" diameter flash hole
to keep the primer from backing out with blanks.
FOR BLANK USE ONLY! NOT TO BE LOADED AS LIVE AMMUNITION!! "

Looks like if you measure the flash hole,
the mystery may be cleared up!

.

[Catshooter]

Midway sells 5 in 1 blank brass.


Cat