I was taking a walk yestersay and ran into some brass that I can't identify. It is 22 cal, rimless, bottle necked cart.... case is 1.26 inches long and base is ~.375 inch diameter(forgot to use the calipers to check that) Markings are LC 72.... I know that someone will know off the top of their head, but it is not in my reloading manuals(unless it is a pistol cart, I did not check there)

thanks

-phil

LC 72:

Lake City 1972

maybe?

Sounds like something that has been formed from a GI 223 case, it might possibly be one of these 22 carbine that is the nearest I can find anyways.
Steve

I am guessing that it might be a wildcat of of a 223...funny thing is, most people that have wildcats seem to pick up their brass...this was a nice little pile like it was fired from a semi-auto and then left. Another peculiar thing is that several of the cases did not have primers and one that I have that does have a primer is noticably below the base of the case.

I looked at some brass on midway usa and it looks a lot like the 5.6 x33 rook but it is not a rimmed cartridge.

-phil

Seems like a wildcat here too. LC 72 is military 5.56 brass. 221 Fireball is 1.4 IIRC so it can't be that one formed from surplus brass. The missing and deep primers would lead to the brass being left at the range because the shooter recognized it was crap.

It's about the right length for a 22 Jet, but isn't that a rimmed cartridge?

could it be the .22/.30 carbine round?

Phil

You got yourself a 22 wildcat made from shortened 223 brass. Could be named almost anything since there are more than one. Probably came from a Contender pistol although it could be used in a rifle also.

It is very nearly the same as the 22 Spitfire et al but the base diameter rules out the 30 Carbine case as the parent. You need to accurately measure the base to be sure. I have a 22 Spitfire with the LC 72 headstamp but it is made from the Carbine case which has a base of .355"

The missing and deep seated primers could be the result of using pistol primers in a rifle case. Just a guess, though.

Steve - You're correct, it is a lot like the 22 Carbine but not exactly. The 22 Carbine is 1.32" case length. It was strictly a US experimental made in the early 1950s from 222 Rem brass and you won't find any except in collections (like mine). It was also made later with a WCC 54 headstamp.

That link that you posted has some incorrect info on it so be careful. 22-30 Carbine and 22-30 Spitfire are different cartridges, as is the 5.7 MMJ. The names with metric designations are incorrect also. The language is Greek to me but I assume it is comparing the two cartridges shown. One is a 22 Carbine, the other is one of the wildcats.

The experimental was called Cal 22 Carbine although, like most collectors, I also use the names 22 Gustafson and 22 SCHV.

Ray

quote:

Originally posted by Cheechako:
Phil



Steve - You're correct, it is a lot like the 22 Carbine but not exactly. The 22 Carbine is 1.32" case length. It was strictly a US experimental made in the early 1950s from 222 Rem brass and you won't find any except in collections (like mine). It was also made later with a WCC 54 headstamp.

That link that you posted has some incorrect info on it so be careful. 22-30 Carbine and 22-30 Spitfire are different cartridges, as is the 5.7 MMJ. The names with metric designations are incorrect also. The language is Greek to me but I assume it is comparing the two cartridges shown. One is a 22 Carbine, the other is one of the wildcats.

The experimental was called Cal 22 Carbine although, like most collectors, I also use the names 22 Gustafson and 22 SCHV.

Ray

The 22 carbine was the nearest on Municion, though I knew it was longer from Phil's description, his later post describing it as looking like a 5.6x33 rook case is similar to what I had in mind, but obviously a lot smaller in the base.
Phil, I don't 'spose you could put up a pic, perhaps up against a ruler, or email one of us a pic if thats a hassle & we could put it up. It likely a wild cat but sounds fascinating none the less.
Municion is a Spanish website, & I don't speak Spanish either, but I find it a handy reference all the same.
Steve

I knew you guys would have the anwser.... I had loaned the brass to buddy with a COTW book and he gave it back today(he was too busy to look it up he said). I will post a pic, but my wife is gone and she has the digital camera with her...

I measured the base and it is .355"....so those guesses with it being a 22 carbine look good. I thought it seemed a tad small so I pulled out some 223 brass I have and it all came it at .375 to .38...The LC 72 mrkings had me convinced it was a 223, I fogot about 30 carbine!

thanks, my curiosity is almost cured!
-phil

The 5.7 Johnson Spitfire was a semi-commercial cartridge chambered in the civilian-manufactured M-1 Carbine. I think the manufacturer at the time was Universal. These were available in the early and mid-1960s.

Without the exact measurements in front of me, the case you found also sounds fairly close to the 5.7 FN pistol cartridge. Have you compared those specs? Of course, such cartridge would not have a Lake City headstamp, if indeed that's what you've got.