Ignorant question

View · by **dismal** on Mon Jul 31, 2023 9:24 am

So I found this on the ground:

Is this a fired bullet? Or just pulled? Not sure what rifling marks would look like.

View · by **westhope** on Mon Jul 31, 2023 10:03 am

It shows rifling. I see a slow rate of twist.

Since it is not deformed, I have seen fired bullets that show no deformation when they are shot into snow.

View · by **Bitter Bastard** on Mon Jul 31, 2023 10:34 am

Definitely fired, and that's what rifling marks look like. Now you know!

Not uncommon to find fired bullets that look in almost unfired condition except for the rifling marks.

Bitter Bastard

View · by **Scratch** on Mon Jul 31, 2023 10:57 am

Fired. I find them all the time at my range if they miss the steel and go into the dirt.

View · by **crbutler** on Mon Jul 31, 2023 11:09 am

Agree. It’s fired, with obvious rifling.

I suppose one could drive a bullet through the bore with a rod and hammer as well, but that usually leaves pretty obvious marks on the base or nose. I don’t see those there.

View · by **dismal** on Mon Jul 31, 2023 12:01 pm

Thanks everyone for the insight. I’ve never seen a non-deformed fired bullet before, wasn’t sure what to expect.

This was found in a self-storage facility in Rochester just off of Hwy. 14. Guessing that it was maybe shot from the highway into a snow bank, they usually pile the snow at the end near the highway. Interesting find.

View · by **Holland&Holland** on Mon Jul 31, 2023 2:11 pm

Cool looking for sure!

View · by **warrlac** on Mon Jul 31, 2023 8:47 pm

Shot into snow. Most likely the correct answer. Westhope gets a star for being 1st.

View · by **westhope** on Mon Jul 31, 2023 9:01 pm

warrlac wrote:Shot into snow. Most likely the correct answer. Westhope gets a star for being 1st.

Gold, Silver or Bronze?

View · by **gun_fan111v2** on Mon Jul 31, 2023 9:55 pm

warrlac wrote:Shot into snow. Most likely the correct answer. Westhope gets a star for being 1st.

Isn’t there frozen ground under the snow that would deform the bullet?

View · by **nhluke** on Tue Aug 01, 2023 12:18 am

Seach youtube for videos of shooting on ice and high rpms

View · by **xd ED** on Tue Aug 01, 2023 5:46 am

I’m curious if you were able to ID the round...weight, diameter?

Grubbing around the sand of some impact berms, I have found similar looking bullets...mostly what I suspect were from large, slower moving black powder rounds.

View · by **Sorcerer** on Tue Aug 01, 2023 6:59 am

Looks like the bullet that I found on the flat roof of the apartment complex I work at. Mine was a hollow point and I believe a 40 caliber.

View · by **Grandpa Rex** on Tue Aug 01, 2023 7:04 am

If you dig at an outdoor range, it is not unusual to see intact bullets in the sand backdrop.

It is usually FMJ bullets.

I assume they are hitting soft spots in the backer.

View · by **Rip Van Winkle** on Tue Aug 01, 2023 7:16 am

I've dug more than one M1 Carbine bullet out of a target frame that looked like that. I think it's due to the relatively low velocity and thick jacket.