Very strange brass i came across.

[BigAlofPa.]

I bought a bunch of brass from a retired reloader. There is a small bag of brass. The length of 9mm. But the outside diameter is .374 vs a 9mm at .388 unsized. The case mouth instead of a straight edge. Looks like it was rolled in. The edge is slightly rounded. And the head stamps are bare. Sure has me stomped.

[JimB..]

38 colt heelbase cartridge might be that diameter. Not sure about length.

[smithnframe]

Any pics?

[rockrat]

380 auto or 38 super or 38 auto? Rimmed or rimless?

[elmacgyver0]

From an old reloader you could find a lot of strange things.

[BigAlofPa.]

The bottom is rimed with a groove. Definitely not 380 or 38 super. I load those. I'll get some pics then too. I looked up the 38 heeled colt. It's close to that i think.

269439

[Mk42gunner]

Sounds a lot like the paint marker cartridges that were made for force on force training. Think paintballs on steroids. I don't remember the name for the system right now, but they used special slides and barrels for pistols, and maybe uppers for M16's.

Robert

[M-Tecs]

The roll on the front indicates its a blank of some type. Could be a line thrower or some type of actuator.

[BigAlofPa.]

Ahh cool thanks. I'll put them in my casing display.

[edp2k]

Yes, definitely a blank of some kind.
Maybe 38 S&W blank or 32 S&W blank.
They are not super old (i.e. not from the 1800's) since there is a grove just in front of the rim.

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/fiocchi-8mm-blank-ammo-50-rounds?a=1590408

[bedbugbilly]

Interesting. The first thingI thought of when I saw the photos as well was "blank".

I see you live in "coal country" - any chance that they might be connected with mining - such as a blank to detonate a charge?

[BigAlofPa.]

Good question Billy. I had some dentnators in the past. They resembled a copper firecracker though. Im going to have my son ask about them. The guy i got them from. His son is one of my sons buddies.

[mattw]

Those look like the blanks used in the old bimetalic triggered seltzer bottle fire extinguishers. We had a ancient house that had about half a dozen of them on the door frames. I assume that when the strip melted, the spring pulled the little capsule with the blank into the side of the bootle, shattering the bottle and when it did the firing pin set off the blank as an "alarm". These must have been very rare, cannot find a google image of one with the blank capsule.

269479

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

.38 S&W blank

[waksupi]

Look like movie blanks.

[country gent]

From the burnish on the case body and the burr roll looks like they were cut of with a small pipe cutter. May have used shoulder neck for a small powder funnel or drop tube in a powder measure.I have cut off wsm cases at the head for drop spouts in lyman measures. almost a perfect fit in the measure.

[abunaitoo]

It's a blank for a starters pistol.
I have a rusted pistol and a few blanks.

[Brokenbear]

There also were some heavy duty nail/anchor bolt drivers that were 32cal and 38 cal ..haven't seen or heard of them in years but Remington made the munitions for them in the 50's, 60's 70's and they came in various power levels that the card wad the roll crimp held in were color coded red, green, blue and yellow ..the .38's could drive a 1/2" anchor bolt 3" plus into seasoned concrete

Bear