Hello All:

My neightbor bought a bunch of ammo at an auction and has several hundred rounds of military-type ammo that he has asked me to identify for him. I measured a case and bullet and found the following: length = 2.235" rim dia. = .472" diameter of case near rim = .47" diameter of near shoulder = 0.430" diamater of case at neck = 0.314" Bullet diameter = .284"

Based on the above information, it is my conclusion that the cartridge is a 7x57 Mauser. There is a headstamp on the case which reads "PS" and "1947". Could this headstamp be used to ID the cartridge, load..etc.

Thanks in advance for your help.

It ID's where and when it was made, and that's all. Most small caliber cartridges don't ID the loading in the headstamp, the British Commonwealth countries being the main exception, but by bullet tip coloring (some also used the primer and case mouth sealent color as a ID methiod).

Looking at the listings for "PS" at http://cartridgecollectors.org/headstampcodes.htm (there are at least 4 different places that used a PS headstamp). My best guess would be that it's a Spanish 7x57 Mauser round made by Pirotecnia Militar de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain in 1947.

Tailgunner:

Thanks for the information. That link is a great resource. I think I can comfortably tell Mauser Military Cartridges made in 1947. I suppose these would be safe to fire. Were the primers corrossive then?

They should be safe to fire, as far as the priming being corrosive, the only pre-1952 military cartridge I would trust to be NON-corrosive is 30 Carbine rounds made in the USA.