Name that Cartridge! oddball rimfire and centerfire

JohnRaven · January 9, 2013, 02:29 PM

I came across these in a mixed bag at a gun show recently...

On the left: Remington golder bullet HP
On the right:The bullet diameter is slightly smaller than the 22lr, yet the case is slightly larger. There is a large "P" stamped on the head

The second mystery...

The cartridge on the left is head stamped "peters .32 long"
On the right. The cases and the bullets are nearly identical
No head stamp markings of any kind.

Well, who got the scoop on these???

carguychris · January 9, 2013, 02:43 PM

I believe that #1 is a round of .22 Winchester Automatic, a cartridge introduced for, and only usable in, the pioneering Winchester Model 1903 semi-auto rifle.

At the time, much of the .22LR ammo on the market was loaded with black powder, which would cause excess fouling and jam a .22LR semi-auto after a few shots. Winchester's solution to this potential reliability problem was to create an incompatible proprietary smokeless-powder-only round. Neither the rifle nor the round met Winchester's sales expectations, so they subsequently redesigned the rifle to take .22LR, renamed it as the Model 63, and dropped the Model 1903.

The round has been out of production for decades, relegating many Winchester Model 1903's to wall-hanger status.

I believe that #2 is a round of .32 Long Colt, an outside-lubricated late 19th century contemporary to .32 S&W Long, but with a heeled bullet and a smaller-diameter case. The S&W round was far more successful, and most major commercial ammo companies dropped .32LC by the late 1960s.

JohnRaven · January 9, 2013, 03:22 PM

Wow, thanks for the information!

I would assume that .22 Winchester auto is pretty rare then...
Any idea on the value of a single round?
I think I paid about 15 cents for it...

It definitely is a great addition to my cartridge collection!

Thanks!

carguychris · January 10, 2013, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Any idea on the value of a single round?

Nope- sorry.

I'm a tech nerd, but not a collector.

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January 9, 2013, 02:29 PM	#1
JohnRaven Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2008 Location: The Republic Posts: 131	Name that Cartridge! oddball rimfire and centerfire I came across these in a mixed bag at a gun show recently... On the left: Remington golder bullet HP On the right:The bullet diameter is slightly smaller than the 22lr, yet the case is slightly larger. There is a large "P" stamped on the head The second mystery... The cartridge on the left is head stamped "peters .32 long" On the right. The cases and the bullets are nearly identical No head stamp markings of any kind. Well, who got the scoop on these??? Last edited by JohnRaven; September 13, 2015 at 07:45 AM.

January 9, 2013, 02:43 PM	#2
carguychris Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2007 Location: Richardson, TX Posts: 7,523	I believe that #1 is a round of .22 Winchester Automatic, a cartridge introduced for, and only usable in, the pioneering Winchester Model 1903 semi-auto rifle. At the time, much of the .22LR ammo on the market was loaded with black powder, which would cause excess fouling and jam a .22LR semi-auto after a few shots. Winchester's solution to this potential reliability problem was to create an incompatible proprietary smokeless-powder-only round. Neither the rifle nor the round met Winchester's sales expectations, so they subsequently redesigned the rifle to take .22LR, renamed it as the Model 63, and dropped the Model 1903. The round has been out of production for decades, relegating many Winchester Model 1903's to wall-hanger status. I believe that #2 is a round of .32 Long Colt, an outside-lubricated late 19th century contemporary to .32 S&W Long, but with a heeled bullet and a smaller-diameter case. The S&W round was far more successful, and most major commercial ammo companies dropped .32LC by the late 1960s. __________________ "Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules... MARK IT ZERO!!" - Walter Sobchak Last edited by carguychris; January 9, 2013 at 02:53 PM. Reason: minor edits...

January 9, 2013, 03:22 PM	#3
JohnRaven Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2008 Location: The Republic Posts: 131	Wow, thanks for the information! I would assume that .22 Winchester auto is pretty rare then... Any idea on the value of a single round? I think I paid about 15 cents for it... It definitely is a great addition to my cartridge collection! Thanks!