What guns other than the Remington rolling blocks shot a 45-70 internal primed cartridge. Just trying to get info for a rancher friend. He found several spent cartridge's with no head stamp, that were belted and had internal primers much like a Benet primer. Also wondering when they quit using interanl primers.

I don't understand what you're talking about? All metallic cartridges use an internal primer. Do you mean Berdan Primers with the double flash hole?

Are you talking rimfire cartridges? They were quite popular in early lever guns and could be found in calibers up to 57 that I am aware of.

No not a Berdan primer, I has no exposed primer but yes it is like a rim fire but the firing pin is struck in the center instead of the rim of the shell. It has no head markings at all and appears to be solid copper not brass. I did mic it and it is a 45-70. we find a lot of old Sharps rim fire casings on our places and some traditional 45-70s with traditional external primers but this is unique especially an all copper case.

First 45-70 cartridges were inside primed. In fact, the 45-70s cases found at the Little Big Horn (which were actually 45-50s), were inside primed.
Bet if you look they will be made out of copper rather than brass. Don't remember reading when they changed over to inside primed and brass but it's out there.
The inside primed copper cases were problematic. Caused lot of trouble when rapid fired. Case swelled in a hot chamber and the ejector ripped through the soft copper rim. Trooper had to dig and pick out the case with a pocket knife.

Side story: The full load 45-70 cartridges kicked too much when shot in the cavalry carbines so they made a special cartridge with less powder to be shot in the carbines.

I think maybe you’re referring to pin fire cartridges ?

pin fire actually has a protruding pin

I think this is what he is talking about

https://www.oldammo.com/november04.htm
inside primer
it is a primer cup that is center fire but swaged right into the cartridge brass and loaded with priming compound form the inside like a rim fire but not on the rim.
they are also copper cases not brass

Rolling blocks and trap doors probably shot most of those cases. I’ve got several of those cases that you are talking about

Google "Benet" primed, it should come up.

Yep, Pete has a link

Interesting that your friend found them in Wyoming.
I found this about 50 years ago on the Little Big Horn Battle Field.



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Yep look like the case Waggler posted we find a lot of old cases Sharps and 45 70 external primed but this is the first one without primer. I need to get a metal detector an maybe do some research of the area. Thanks

Never heard of them. Interesting info. Thanks for posting.