In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Huh? Wooden bullet? Obviously not a tracer...

ChuckWBIVChuckWBIV Member Posts: 351 ✭✭✭
edited September 2013 in Ask the Experts
What is this - a training cartridge? Magazine testing? Maybe a new 'politically correct / compassion' cartridge???

I guess @ $25/rnd, you don't want it for select-fire ?


http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=363512878

Comments

  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Leftover from the vampyre scare of the 1940's.

    It's a blank used to launch a rifle grenade.
  • fordsixfordsix Member Posts: 8,554 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    disinagrating grenade launch cartrige germans had same in 8mm
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Wooden bullets were in fact used in training, and there were shredders that screwed on the muzzle. If I recall correctly the Sweeds used them on model 96s.
  • richardaricharda Member Posts: 393
    edited November -1
    Wooden 'bullet' blanks are/were available in Europe for several military cartridges.
  • llamallama Member Posts: 2,637 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    Wooden bullets were in fact used in training, and there were shredders that screwed on the muzzle. If I recall correctly the Sweeds used them on model 96s.


    As did the Israeli military in the late 50s. Have 2 or 3 boxes left of 762x51 - long purple dyed wooden bullet.
  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by ChuckWBIV
    What is this - a training cartridge? Magazine testing? Maybe a new 'politically correct / compassion' cartridge???

    I guess @ $25/rnd, you don't want it for select-fire ?


    http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=363512878




    As mentioned, these are intended for training purposes, though there were stories of the Germans using them in combat (presumably out of desperation when out of regular ammo) at the end of WWII.

    Although the training ammo is supposed to disintegrate quickly on leaving the barrel, these can obviously still be quite dangerous at close range.

    On "select fire", I get that you're joking here, but in fact select fire is one of the reasons these exist. Since the actual manufacture cost of these rounds is less than "real" ammo (as opposed to the elevated auction price reflecting presumed collectors value), if you're going to be firing thousands of rounds through machine guns in practice, it makes sense to use these cheaper rounds.

    Also, since these rounds achieve lower operating pressures than normal rounds, if you really wanted to fire them select fire, you would need to use some sort of muzzle-restricting adapter to increase chamber pressure to get your full auto gun to cycle properly.
  • CheechakoCheechako Member Posts: 563 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Most wood-bullet cartridges are true Blanks. That is, they are intended to make noise. Using them to launch grenades could result in some serious wrecks. That's what Grenade Cartridges are for.

    Not worth $25 per each, that's for sure. You have to take into consideration who the seller is. I don't think he has sold anything over the past 10 years.

    JMHO

    Ray
  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Cheechako
    Most wood-bullet cartridges are true Blanks. That is, they are intended to make noise. Using them to launch grenades could result in some serious wrecks. That's what Grenade Cartridges are for.

    Not worth $25 per each, that's for sure. You have to take into consideration who the seller is. I don't think he has sold anything over the past 10 years.

    JMHO

    Ray


    Some low production cartridges, that are factory original. Have great value to cartridge collectors. Specially something exotic, like a 30 carbine wood bullet blank made by FN.

    Obviously since this isn't shooting ammo. Value would be determined on
    ,#1, Collector demand/originality , #2, Cosmetic condition, #3, Number of these blanks originally made, and still available to collectors.
  • gruntledgruntled Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have quite a few 45/70 cartridges that appear to have wooden bullets. Actually they are hollow & are shot cartridges.
  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,572 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I always thought wood bullets were blanks and crimped cartridges were grenade launchers or blanks depending on the crimp type. +1 for shot shells in 44WCF
  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by charliemeyer007
    I always thought wood bullets were blanks and crimped cartridges were grenade launchers or blanks depending on the crimp type. +1 for shot shells in 44WCF


    Not at all. Some countries launch gernades with live rounds, the grenade having a cavity that stops the lead.

    Someone mentioned the Israeli purple rounds. I've got a few ammo cans of those. Pull the bullet, dump the flash powder, and you have good primed brass for reloading as that brass is first rate stuff.
  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
    quote:Originally posted by Cheechako
    Most wood-bullet cartridges are true Blanks. That is, they are intended to make noise. Using them to launch grenades could result in some serious wrecks. That's what Grenade Cartridges are for.

    Not worth $25 per each, that's for sure. You have to take into consideration who the seller is. I don't think he has sold anything over the past 10 years.

    JMHO

    Ray


    Some low production cartridges, that are factory original. Have great value to cartridge collectors. Specially something exotic, like a 30 carbine wood bullet blank made by FN.

    Obviously since this isn't shooting ammo. Value would be determined on
    ,#1, Collector demand/originality , #2, Cosmetic condition, #3, Number of these blanks originally made, and still available to collectors.

    Rufe
    Not to put to fine a point on it, but I have the same blank round, IIRC I paid a dime ($0.10) for it.
    BTW, Ray has probably forgotten more about cartridge collecting / rarity / values than anyone on this board since Iconoclast
Sign In or Register to comment.