41 Colt Question?

[helice]

A friend had asked me for help in identifying a coffee can full of cartridges. We determined that they were 41 Long Colt. These cartridges have no printing on their base, no head stamp at all.

Is this unusual? It is the first I have seen. Help me out Guys!

Second question in post #4

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Old balloon head cases will be found with nothing or just a few letters like "WCC" stamped into the heel. Years back many people were caliber poor and knew what thier brass was. There were few caliber .41 brass types to be confused with. The feller shooting a few 38-55 rounds to check sights before the hunt he knew it was his.. no calibrer ID needed. When a round was fired it was carefully retrieved to reload. As there were few auto loaders slinging brass about it was not difficult to find fired brass generally.
And generally hunters knew thier firearm. They did not have 14 revolvers to try a new load in.
Probably some other factors involved like "clandestine ammo supply to revolutionary groups" but most of that brass is somewhere else.
Mike in Peru

[jaystuw]

Helice, My first thought is that they most be early/old. American cartridge companys were headstamping all there cases by I would believe the 1890's .

Didn't the 41 colt originate with the M1877 colt thunderer double action revolver? Or maybe the colt cloverleaf? Both late 1870's designs.

Perhaps your cartridges date from the Late 1870's or 80's before headstamping came into general practice. Jay

[helice]

Thanks for the input guys. I kind of figured them to be balloon heads of a time past. Good to have that thought confirmed.
My second question is concerning the value of these cartridges. Do they have value and where would they have that value?

Jay,
Spent 20 years in So Cal. Finally found the San Bernardino mountains (Running Springs). Where are you?

[Changeling]

Extremely well said !



Good morning
Old balloon head cases will be found with nothing or just a few letters like "WCC" stamped into the heel. Years back many people were caliber poor and knew what thier brass was. There were few caliber .41 brass types to be confused with. The feller shooting a few 38-55 rounds to check sights before the hunt he knew it was his.. no calibrer ID needed. When a round was fired it was carefully retrieved to reload. As there were few auto loaders slinging brass about it was not difficult to find fired brass generally.
And generally hunters knew thier firearm. They did not have 14 revolvers to try a new load in.
Probably some other factors involved like "clandestine ammo supply to revolutionary groups" but most of that brass is somewhere else.
Mike in Peru