MM-148 Selma Colt

[ETEX]

I am looking for a good MM-148 (Selma Colt) for my collection. Anyone have an extra they would be willing to part with.

[emike123]

OK, well as long as you're posting want lists, here are a couple of mine:

[Tom Stelma]

Hello,

I have a fired CSA RR bullet in fair shape but a drop would be great, but a Morse would be the final bullet in my carbine/breech-loader collection. 

I saw one at the Nashville show a couple of years ago and it was priced beyond my meager funds at the time so I passed. 

The cartridges are a might trickier to find but if you find one of them you get the bullet as well

Tom Stelma

[Jim T]

Time to stir the pot once again............

What makes MM148  1) a Colt R.R. bullet?  2) from Selma?

Upon inspection of the photo and measurements, I highly doubt that it is either.  #148 appears to have 3 grooves and an additional crimp or very small rebate at the bottom.  The measurements are on the large/heavy side of what they should be.  Does anyone have a better photo of this bullet?

It appears to have more of a Spencer profile...and with the larger size, I'm looking at post-war conversions.  Unfortunately, my ref. books for this later stuff are at home...I'll let you know if I find anything.

[ETEX]

Jim, I like the thought process on the MM-148. These are the kind of answers I like to see with good interaction. Is there any evidence, historical records, or such indicating a Colt RR was produced in Selma? I would like to hear more if you can find the information. I will still be looking to add a "MM-148?" to my collection to fill in the hole with the above mentioned information but the price of this bullet apparently has just been reduced. Ian can you jump into this thread because you are quite familiar with pre and post ACW bullets especially the Indian Wars bullets.

[acwbullets]

I'll track down some pictures of a few of them tomorrow. I believe there is a box for Selma Colt Rev. Rifle that is referenced somewhere but I don't believe any actual cartridges remained in the box when it was published. I also can't remember if there was a caliber marking on the box. These bullets are dug here in the valley and are not your typical ammunition. I gotta run but will post more on this bullet as soon as I can.

[Jim T]

Selma definately did make Colt Rev. Rifle ammunition....I'm not desputing that fact.  But, there is no evidence that they didn't simply use a standard Colt-made mould. 

My "issues" begin when an unusual (mis-cast, or poorly cast, or cast in a worn-out mould, etc, etc.....) bullet is identified as something they probably are not.  And that id usually has to be something rare and valuable.

Ian, there is a Selma Arsenal label/box (see "Percussion Ammunition Packets") but I do not believe there were any cartridges in the box.

[acwbullets]

I still can't track down any images as of yet but I will soon.

I did find the measurements of two in my records. Here are the measurements of the ones that I have sold:

D .572  L .979
D .58    L .988

These could easily fire from a .56 CRR or possiby the .577 Sharps.

I am going to agree with Jim that it is a slim possibility that it is a CRR bullet. It really can't be labeled as a Selma as there haven't been any directly related to the arsenal there.  Most of them have a smaller fourth ring but it really isn't that rebated and it isn't quite tall enough to crimp into a self contained cartridge. These bullets are dug in the upper Shenandoah Valley and they are dug in Confederate Cavalry Camps. They do appear to be for a paper cartridge.

Does anyone know if these are found outside of the Shenandoah Valley.

I can't really come up with a  post war cartridge that this would have been made for unless it would have been experimental. If that would be the case, then why are these found in sites across the Shenandoah Valley.

[acwbullets]

Here are photos of one

[acwbullets]

Here is another:

[ETEX]

Most of the MM-148's I have heard being dug were from the valley, but I think I talked with a digger several years ago that had dug some in Kentucky. What are the providences of the bullet in everyones collections and can any of the diggers pipe in on locations of this bullet being found.