We have recovered several .22 shell casings from an archaeological site on a remote island in the South Pacific. Some have P headstamps and some have U headstamps. Is it possible to date the shell casings, at least in terms of not-earlier-than and not-later-than dates? I can provide good photos of the headstamps.
Thanks,
Ric
Dating Peters and Union .22 shells
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tighar
Dating Peters and Union .22 shells
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remington600
- Posts: 701
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:27 pm
- Location: High Ridge Missouri
Re: Dating Peters and Union .22 shells
It will be very hard to tell just looking at the case. The only thing that might put a slight date on them are if the casings are copper or brass. My guess they are not extremely old.
P - Peters Cartridge company 1895-1962
U - Remington-UMC 1911-1920
U - Union Metallic Cartridge 1869-1911
P - Peters Cartridge company 1895-1962
U - Remington-UMC 1911-1920
U - Union Metallic Cartridge 1869-1911
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tighar
Re: Dating Peters and Union .22 shells
P - Peters Cartridge company 1895-1962
U - Remington-UMC 1911-1920
U - Union Metallic Cartridge 1869-1911[quote][/quote]
Thanks. That helps. Believe it or not, this all has to do with the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Earhart disappeared in the Central Pacific in 1937. In 1940, British Colonial Service officer Gerald Gallagher discovered the bones of a castaway on Gardner Island, a British-owned Central Pacific atoll that had, until recently, been uninhabited. With the bones were artifacts, including the remains of a woman's shoe. Gallagher suspected that he had found Earhart. The bones were later examined by a doctor in Fiji and thought to be male. The British decided it couldn't be Earhart and did not notify the American authorities. The bones were subsequently lost but recent computerized re-analysis of the measurements recorded by the British doctor indicate that the castaway was a white female of northern European ancestry.
After 20 years of investigation and nine expeditions to Gardner Island (now known as Nikumaroro), our non-profit aviation archaeological foundation has located the place where Gallagher found the bones and artifacts in 1940. Our most recent expedition in July/August of 2007 recovered a number of artifacts that appear to be attributable to the castaway and include glass and fragments of cosmetic from a woman's compact.
The .22 shells were found at this same location. There is no indication that Earhart had a firearm of any kind with her other than a flare gun that was left behind at a previous stop. As with most archaeological sites, there is "noise" from later events. During WWII there was a small U.S. Coast Guard radio station on the island and we know that, on a few occasions, the Coasties did some informal target practice at this site, as evidenced by numerous M-1 carbine brass and some broken Coast Guard crockery. It's difficult, however, to attribute the .22 shells to the Coast Guard. Gallagher, however, is known to have owned a "Colt .22 automatic" - which would have to have been either a Woodsman or an Ace. The .22 shells would, therefore, seem to be most logically attributable to Gallagher but the more we can learn about them the better we'll be able to correctly assess how they got got there.
Only two of the eight .22 shell casings found have the U headstamp. If Remington-UMC stopped marking cartridges in that way in 1920, it would appear that we have a not-later-than date of 1920 for the manufacture of those two shell casings. Gallagher was a Brit who never visited the U.S. He must have purchased his colt pistol (and ammunition for it) in England before he came out to the Pacific in 1937.
The question then becomes: How likely is it that a young man in England in the late 1920s or early to mid 1930s could buy Remington-UMC .22 ammunition manufactured not later than 1920?
For more about this and other aviation historical projects visit http://www.tighar.org
Thanks,
Ric Gillespie
Executive Director
TIGHAR
U - Remington-UMC 1911-1920
U - Union Metallic Cartridge 1869-1911[quote][/quote]
Thanks. That helps. Believe it or not, this all has to do with the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Earhart disappeared in the Central Pacific in 1937. In 1940, British Colonial Service officer Gerald Gallagher discovered the bones of a castaway on Gardner Island, a British-owned Central Pacific atoll that had, until recently, been uninhabited. With the bones were artifacts, including the remains of a woman's shoe. Gallagher suspected that he had found Earhart. The bones were later examined by a doctor in Fiji and thought to be male. The British decided it couldn't be Earhart and did not notify the American authorities. The bones were subsequently lost but recent computerized re-analysis of the measurements recorded by the British doctor indicate that the castaway was a white female of northern European ancestry.
After 20 years of investigation and nine expeditions to Gardner Island (now known as Nikumaroro), our non-profit aviation archaeological foundation has located the place where Gallagher found the bones and artifacts in 1940. Our most recent expedition in July/August of 2007 recovered a number of artifacts that appear to be attributable to the castaway and include glass and fragments of cosmetic from a woman's compact.
The .22 shells were found at this same location. There is no indication that Earhart had a firearm of any kind with her other than a flare gun that was left behind at a previous stop. As with most archaeological sites, there is "noise" from later events. During WWII there was a small U.S. Coast Guard radio station on the island and we know that, on a few occasions, the Coasties did some informal target practice at this site, as evidenced by numerous M-1 carbine brass and some broken Coast Guard crockery. It's difficult, however, to attribute the .22 shells to the Coast Guard. Gallagher, however, is known to have owned a "Colt .22 automatic" - which would have to have been either a Woodsman or an Ace. The .22 shells would, therefore, seem to be most logically attributable to Gallagher but the more we can learn about them the better we'll be able to correctly assess how they got got there.
Only two of the eight .22 shell casings found have the U headstamp. If Remington-UMC stopped marking cartridges in that way in 1920, it would appear that we have a not-later-than date of 1920 for the manufacture of those two shell casings. Gallagher was a Brit who never visited the U.S. He must have purchased his colt pistol (and ammunition for it) in England before he came out to the Pacific in 1937.
The question then becomes: How likely is it that a young man in England in the late 1920s or early to mid 1930s could buy Remington-UMC .22 ammunition manufactured not later than 1920?
For more about this and other aviation historical projects visit http://www.tighar.org
Thanks,
Ric Gillespie
Executive Director
TIGHAR
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remington600
- Posts: 701
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:27 pm
- Location: High Ridge Missouri
Re: Dating Peters and Union .22 shells
That is fascinating. Send me some pictures with the shells laying next to a ruler so I can get case leingth. I maybe able to dig through my files and try to narrow it down a little bit. Email me at this adress. Its a lot easier for me to check. remington600@att.net.