Hi,
I need an opinion about a nitrocellulose charge in 9x19 blank cartridge / 1936.
The case inside is corroded (effect of nitrocellulose?), but nitrocellulose charge is almost in 95% white as new.
In case is a wooden bullet, sealed with paraffin and a cardboard wad.
I wonder if it’s a fake cart. [probably not].
Regards
PM
Could you describe the blank in more detail? What is the headstamp? What color is the bullet?
Thanks,
Lew
Thanks for the images and the headstamp. I have never seen a Polish wood bullet blank, nor do I know of any documentation on one. The wad isn’t unusual with blanks or other rounds with light powder charges. I have never seen a wax filled wood bullet. I would think it may gum up the bore, but perhaps the powder may burn it out. Is the charge actually nitrocellulose or is it just cotton?
The bullet looks slightly loose in the casemouth and the was on the side of the bullet looks like it is the was holding the bullet in place.
The bullet looks like a legit hollow wood bullet and, except for the wax, looks very similar to one I have loaded in a CWS German case headstamped “emp Xf1 1 41” and reportedly came out of Denmark. The police reportedly received/seized a crushed 16rd box with a very few rounds in it. This one was liberated before the rest were destroyed. At least that is the story that came with it.
The bullet was red all the way to the base and has the remains of a lacquer that apparently was used to seal the bullet in place. There was no wad and the case was filled with a fine flake powder.
Your bullet seems a slightly different shape, but otherwise pretty similar.The side of our bullet seems to have some grooves that are under the red stain, which is unusual on most wood bullet rounds I have seen.
Remember, blanks are often loaded on reused cases or in cases that were originally loaded as ball ammo.
I have a Danish wood bullet blank with a 1942 Danish case. This bullet has a slight shoulder like yours, but is a plain wood bullet and the thickness is less than my bullet pictured above. It also has a step at the casemouth which neither my bullet nor your bullet has. The Danish blank also is loaded with a powder.
This is a long was of saying that I have no idea what you have. There are a few aspects of your item that would keep me from being convinced it is original, but I can’t rule it a fake.
Cheers,
Lew
On the photo is only a rest a wax [they used a lot of wax], bullet is a standard with hole.
Burns as nitrocellulose/guncotton, (i use to compare typical cotton from PL mauser blank)
old wood, dry, from ground.
Thanks for all info., your bullet looks like a red-pink, my is red. Its from old collection [rather for sure, not made for profit]. This time i dont have a documentation and info about orders. I know only one cartridge.
Regards
PM
Przemek,
I’d be delighted if this was a Polish Blank! I have not encountered nitrocellulose cotton in a blank before, but that doesn’t mean it was not used. Clearly if it was used in Polish 7.9 blanks (which I didn’t know) then I would expect to see it in a Polish 9mm blank.
Sounds like it is an interesting round. I don’t understand the reason for the wax, but there are a lot of things I don’t understand.
Chickenthief,
Thanks for the link. That is exactly the Danish blank I have. I’d love to see a picture of the box!
Cheers,
Lew
