I just ran across this mystery cartridge and am hoping someone on here can identify it. The overall length is 2 5/8" and the caliber is approximately 45. I tried looking up the marks on the base but so far I've drawn a blank.
Jim

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Looks like a 45 Government (45-70) inside primed cartridge for the trapdoor Springfield carbine. Manufactured august 1880 at the Frankford Arsenal. Woud have had an "R" instead of a "C" if it were for the rifle. the dents (crimps) in the case are the give away.

Thanks for your answer.
Jim

Your .45 inside cup primed case looks like it's a rimfire but it's not. It was the predecessor to the boxer primed case which was adopted in 1882 (although production of boxer primed ammunition at Frankford Arsenal began in 1881). There were several different types of inside priming used at different times by different manufacturers. A disadvantage of inside priming was that cases could not be reloaded. Inside primed cases were thin and couldn't withstand the higher pressures of smokeless powder. But they were OK with black powder loadings.

Just a bit more, that is a Benet' primed .45-70.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

While the "Benet Cup" name was common, Frankford Arsenal documentation of the period called it a "Cup Anvil" (to distinguish it from the Iron "Bar Anvil" used earlier). The cup itself was made of gilding metal, not copper as used for the case. The official cartridge name used by Frankford was "Cal .45 Service, Cup Anvil, Reinforced Head." At that time, the "Carbine" load used a 405 grain lead bullet with 55 grains of black powder. The Rifle load differed in using 70 grains of black powder. The style of headstamp used for your example began in March 1877. Prior to that, the headstamp used was "U. S. Carbine" Early .45 rifle loads had no headstamps.

It's interesting to note that .45 ammunition made under government contract by UMC and U. S. Cartridge Company used external priming as early as 1878.

I happen to have an extensive collection of Frankford Arsenal cartridges including several hundred of the .45-70 and it's variants such as the 45-80 "Sharpshooter" rounds.

Looking at my list of dated headstamps.....I do NOT have the CF 8-80 among them.

Any interest in selling it let me know.

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Tom Graham SWCA #2303

Any of the inside-primed cartridges in reasonably good condition are desirable collectibles. They are just not often seen, considering that even the newest examples are close to 140 years old. Fired cases are more available, but are usually in poor dug-up condition.