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Author Topic: .36 & .31 Tranters  (Read 2062 times)

MeigsB

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.36 & .31 Tranters
« on: May 09, 2020, 07:18:23 PM »
My son & I both dug Tranters recently.  His is the standard .36 with Sno-Cone nose, while mine is .31 with a “U” shaped nose.  I’ve not seen this variant.  Any ideas?

CarlS

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Re: .36 & .31 Tranters
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2020, 09:46:28 PM »
I'm a novice at bullets but looking to get better in that area.  Congrats on some nice finds.  To my untrained eye they look about the same other than different calibers.  I will be interested to hear if some of the knowledgeable lead heads can offer some insight.
Best,
Carl

Selma Hunter

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Re: .36 & .31 Tranters
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2020, 04:58:41 AM »
This posting prompted me to undertake a google search for "Tranter revolvers".

It produced an interesting hit in the Wikipedia listings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tranter_(revolver)

I do hope all who visit here are doing well with the prevailing problems.


Lockridge
« Last Edit: May 10, 2020, 07:57:25 PM by CarlS »

emike123

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Re: .36 & .31 Tranters
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2020, 11:15:18 AM »
I learned two things from the article Bill referenced, which is easier to get by this link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tranter_(revolver)

Most importantly, I learned that Racquel Welch carried a Tranter in some long forgotten movie that I now need to watch while sheltering in place.

Secondly, I learned that these bullets came in a huge range of calibers despite only a couple showing up in the standard bullet reference books we usually use.  The closest in size to your U-shaped one would be the .32 caliber ones referenced, and there is also a .297. 

On page 177 of RBTRIV, there are a couple Tranter bullets and #70 has a profile closer to your smaller one while #69 has the more traditional "snow cone" profile (good descriptive name).  There are 2 complete cartridge of larger diameter ones, #72, that has the U-shaped nose profile too.  One is made by Eley and the other by Broux and Moll from the M. Hayes' patent.

Welcome back, Meigs!  Now please go find me a .69 Fagan...

MeigsB

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Re: .36 & .31 Tranters
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2020, 12:41:13 PM »
Thanks for the info.  Yes, I saw the one with the similar profile but not exact. I bet mine is .32 but I cannot find my micrometer for nothing!  We went back yesterday to the Texas Cav camp but all I found was one chewed round ball and a few shogun shell center inserts.  They read the same on the Nox. But this camp Skip and I found in 81 has been hammered as I turned the dogs loose on it 25 years ago.  Ironically, Skip nor I ever found one but we didn’t go back n’ back n’ back as we had other fish to fry.  The day after I found the camp in 81, two good buds came by and I told them what I had found, mostly bullets.  They went and one found about 4 Tranters, .44 I think.  When they got back I asked what they found.  When I saw the Tranters, I said well, I’d like to have one since I turned y’all on to the camp.  He said, oh No, I don’t give away rare bullets!  Years later I had to buy one for $50!  Then, years later I told another bunch of the site.  They also dug a few.  So here in 2020, I had told Nick his chances of finding one would be slim to none. But he did, the nice .36 pictured above. We went back and I first found a boogered (chewed one) but the base ring was intact and identical to the one pictured above which was 5 feet away.  Although not the distinctively shapely .36, I’ll take it.