A little help please on a Rimmed German Cartridge that I am trying to identify. Gun in question is a pre WW1 Bartels German Double Rifle with Henry style rifling. Barrel flats are marked 118/35 which is a fairly std pre war 9.3 x 72R indication. Sluging the bore reveals .358 diameter. (Yes really... .358) Now this is where it starts to get even stranger. A fire formed case (using a std 9.3 x 72R cartridge with inert filler) shows the following dimensions:
Head: .426
Shoulder .398
Neck: .390
The chamber appears to be based on the 9.3 x 72R case with a .008 shoulder! Neck length is fairly short. I have determined that it is NOT the following: a 9.3 x 72R Sauer, a 9.3 x 72R Normal or a 9 x 71 peterlongo. Research thru Dixons European Sporting cartridges, COW and Custom Cartridges by Ken Howell have not lead to any definite conclusions. A bit more info; There is not a reamer step to indicate where the cartridge ends but the chamber cast does show a long lead into the rifling. Not uncommon in German guns in my experience. Any help on identifying this cartridge would be sincerely appreciated!
Jeff
