9mmx57 Mauser

[Muskey]

Hi, I'm curious about the bullet in this 9mmx57 RWS cartridge. It is cupro-nickle semi-jacketed lead bullet, with a flat-point and a 'copper-tubed' closed hollow in the nose. I'm guessing from the style it's around 1892/93. Can anyone fill me in on the background? Also keen to know what the 'A' in the headstamp represents? Thanks, Pete.

 

[ydnum303]

Hi Muskey,

Brad Dixon's book "European Sporting Cartridges" (vol. 1) states re this cartridge:-
"This once popular calibre was introduced by DWM c1904 (case #491A) and also produced in the UK (Kynoch), USA and by many European ammunition companies. Last produced by DWM until it went out of business in 1972. RWS examples ("N" and "RWS") show A and B in hs appear to signify two non-interchangeable loadings intended for different rifles."

The cartridge is/was also known as the 9.05x57, M88/57-9mm, M88/9Ax57 and M88/9Bx57.

Can't really help you with the bullet, other than to say that the Germans loaded all sorts of different designs into their sporting ammunition.

Roger.

 

[ydnum303]

Should have also said that Dixon states that this calibre is believed to have first appeared in the DWM 1904 catalogue, so presumably was first made just before this.
R.

 

[Muskey]

Thanks Roger, that's very interesting, I didn't realise they were introduced that late, and sounds like a reasonable explanation for the 'A'! Cheers, Pete.

 

[Muskey]

Just to give a quick update on this one, from further research I've carried thanks to the leads I was given:-

The DWM Number Codes show three 9mmx57 mauser types,

491 A = 9mmx57 Mauser Hunting Rifle
491A1= 9mmx57 Mauser dummy round
491 B = 9mmx57R (rimmed) Mauser rifle

This reinforces the explanation for the 'A' in the headstamp, as was suggested by Roger. The only conflicting info I've been given is from a print-out about 9mmx57 given to me by a friend, which came from the ECRA database, giving the production period as 1894.