Large bullet

[Radnor Bandit (Ian)]

Found over the weekend, .45 calibre (11mm) and 32mm long and weighs 1 oz. It is made of solid lead with no sign of copper coating so it could be pre Hague convention. I think its too large for small arms or rifle ammo, could it possibly be for aircraft weaponry ?
Cheers ian

[Mike]

could be a big game bullet like an elephant gun or the likes , not that i seen much big game wanderin around south wales mind 

[Chef Geoff]

Hi Ian, I would say that it's a Martini Henry round .455. of Zulu fame. I know what you mean about the size being frightening in itself but those are by no means the largest of 19thC rounds.

[archie]

I agree about the martini calibre, looks about right - nice find

[Radnor Bandit (Ian)]

Considering the amount of Welsh regiments involved in the Boer wars, I expect someone bought their rifle home as a souvenier.

[Val Beechey]

My Hubby has a friend who lives at Maesteg. He was telling me, the last time he was down this end, about a practice range that was used by the Military,when he was a lad. That was a long time ago, he's 82.
Somewhere up the mountain, he said. Must be a load of lead up there somewhere.

I like your bullet Ian. It's nice and shiney.

Val

[Radnor Bandit (Ian)]

There is a WWII D Day landing practice site just over the hill from me, its in the middle of nowhere. The older locals have plenty of stories about all the squaddies and GI's  fighting in the local pubs and dances. also some more sobering accounts of the american segregation between the black and white soldiers (which even then was viewed with disgust by the locals). The machine gun emplacments are still visible today because the ground is so heavily contaminated with cartridge casings. they can still be picked up off the surface 60 years on. 

[dances with badgers]

i thought martinis were 3,25 cal ?i owned one a while ago before i gave it to the police at the last firearm amnesty,found it in a cavity wall that we knocked down in work