Interesting find

[ra]

I bought some once fired 38 Special brass and found 5 of these, 38 Colt SPL. I measured them and they are the same measurements as 38 Special. The way I first noticed a difference was the flash hole was a tight fit on the de-capping rod. They are balloon-head cases, I reloaded them with a light charge and will keep them unfired. I know they are old but does anyone have any ideal about their age or history of cartridges marked 38 Colt SPL?



Roger

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I don't know much but - WRA headstamp means - Winchester Repeating Arms Co., Bridgeport, CT

http://cartridgecollectors.org/?page=headstampcodes#W

 

[Bucks Owin]

Try this ra...It actually tells you something about your question. :wink:

http://www.alloutdoor.com/2013/08/28/profile-cartridge-history-development-38-special/

 

[ra]

Thanks Buck, I Googled 38 Colt Special and did not find that page. Looks like they may be around 100 years old.

Roger

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Although not common today, they have little collector value unless they were live factory rounds and preferably in the factory box.

I sold an original factory box with 13 loaded Winchester .44 WFC black powder Marbles Gamegetter round ball loads on GunBroker for$385.00 a year ago. There was a bidding war going over them.

 

[Dan in MI]

This a generic guess from vague memories.

Balloon heads went out in the 30's or 40's. Companies giving a cartridge a different proprietary name for the same cartridge was common up to about the 30's.