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Belted '.50 BMG' ?

F

flak88

Member
I recently purchased the cartridge on the right in a job lot, it's stamped S L 43 and measures 98.5mm in length. Initially I saw the belt and assumed a Boys .55 but on closer inspection the neck did not look long enough and a trial fit of a .50 bullet seemed too tight. I then compared it to the .50 BMG cartridge to the left and all measurements seemed to match other than the belt and position of the shoulder. Hopefully I have not made an obvious mistake but can anyone help in identifying this cartridge ? Many thanks.1000006608.jpg
 
Hi flak88,
I am not specialized in small ammo but as you said it doesn’t look like a .55 cal to me.
But I don't know wat it is.
LEAFLET
 

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  • Ptn .55 Boys (03).JPG
    Ptn .55 Boys (03).JPG
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LEAFLET said:
Hi flak88,
I am not specialized in small ammo but as you said it doesn’t look like a .55 cal to me.
But I don't know wat it is.
LEAFLET
Click to expand...
Might be someone's wildcat? Might have swaged the belt. Can't find anything close in Hawkinson's book below 13mm.
 
Berle said:
Might be someone's wildcat? Might have swaged the belt. Can't find anything close in Hawkinson's book below 13mm.
Click to expand...
Hi Leaflet, thanks for all your effort, I will continue researching, it all goes to make collecting so interesting
 
Thanks Heod357, that sounds very plausable, the 'belt' and neck are both approx 4mm out compared to a standard fired 0.50, the 'belt' is not that wide (adding only 0.6mm to the diameter) and has a small narrow ridge at the top, and the neck does not look as 'crisp' as a factory manufactured. Its interesting that it could be deformed so neatly but then there are substantial forces involved when a gun is fired. The other case and link also came in the same job lot, and I had not paid it much attention, but as you rightly point out it is upside down. Many thanks.
 
Hi there flak88, I have seen some deformations of the .50 cal in my time and in this case if the Head space was just a little more "of" this would have resulted in a rupture of the cartridge case and distruction of the gun and probably injuring the gunner or worst.
 
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