5 "musket balls" at the riverbank Sunday, 3 different sizes

[PetesPockets55]

I managed to get out Sunday after a grueling week. I went to a local riverbank with my Nokta with the larger coil this time.

I was a little impatient because I wanted to get to my target area but decided to try near where I did my ground balance because the wind and surf carved a narrow trough about 12' long that the tide hadn't filled in yet.
First thing was some clad, ca 1976. This was encouraging since it didn't start out with beer cans.

Next up was some round lead and I realized it wasn't for fishing. (I think it was one of the larger ones.) Then more clad and more lead balls. It bounced back and forth between the two. I kept shaking my head with each new one since I've only come across one other one in the past.

Anyways, I ended up with 5 musket balls (I'm pretty sure) in 3 different sizes.
I did get a long weight that looks like it was for a net but the hole in the middle is pretty small (+-4.7mm or 3/16") for a modern net.

I also managed to find a couple of interesting NA pottery shards in my scoop as well. One has a neat design on it and the other had a hole that would have been for a handle or hanging.
Enjoy and thanks for looking and adding any insight or confirmation on the caliber of the balls.

https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/delicate-pottery-with-interesting-design.690737/#post-7142586
BTW- My wife was right. I couldn't detect for only two hours. I was gone for 5. 😂

ps. I thought about using this title "Are these musket balls the result of a Long Gun vasectomy", but I wasn't sure how it would be received.
(Mods, Please delete this line if it is not deemed appropriate.)

 

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[Whynotnow?]

You did real good, love that pottery!

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Very nice !

 

[Digger RJ]

I managed to get out Sunday after a grueling week. I went to a local riverbank with my Nokta with the larger coil this time.

I was a little impatient because I wanted to get to my target area but decided to try near where I did my ground balance because the wind and surf carved a narrow trough about 12' long that the tide hadn't filled in yet.
First thing was some clad, ca 1976. This was encouraging since it didn't start out with beer cans.

Next up was some round lead and I realized it wasn't for fishing. (I think it was one of the larger ones.) Then more clad and more lead balls. It bounced back and forth between the two. I kept shaking my head with each new one since I've only come across one other one in the past.
View attachment 2118733

Anyways, I ended up with 5 musket balls (I'm pretty sure) in 3 different sizes.
I did get a long weight that looks like it was for a net but the hole in the middle is pretty small (+-4.7mm or 3/16") for a modern net.
View attachment 2118734View attachment 2118736View attachment 2118737View attachment 2118738View attachment 2118739View attachment 2118740
I also managed to find a couple of interesting NA pottery shards in my scoop as well. One has a neat design on it and the other had a hole that would have been for a handle or hanging.
Enjoy and thanks for looking and adding any insight or confirmation on the caliber of the balls.
View attachment 2118735View attachment 2118741View attachment 2118742
https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/delicate-pottery-with-interesting-design.690737/#post-7142586
BTW- My wife was right. I couldn't detect for only two hours. I was gone for 5. 😂

ps. I thought about using this title "Are these musket balls the result of a Long Gun vasectomy", but I wasn't sure how it would be received.
(Mods, Please delete this line if it is not deemed appropriate.)

Nice!!!! Congrats!!!!

 

[Blak bart]

Nice finds cliff...got to be some coins hiding around there somewhere.

 

[BennyV]

Good stuff

 

[PetesPockets55]

Nice finds cliff...got to be some coins hiding around there somewhere.

I keep hoping to come across more than clad. Although, the War of 1812 Infantry button from a couple of months ago wasn't a coin it was a nice surprise.

(If only a payroll boat swamped like the one from The William and Mary. I saw a slabbed 1853(?) double eagle that a friend detected at the old inlet. His was most likely from that spill!)

I'm hoping someone here can guide me towards figuring out what caliber these might be.
Anyone?

 

[l.cutler]

Nice! Actually, only the two larger are most likely musketballs, the smaller are probably rifle balls. Muskets are a specific military arm, and were only made in larger calibers.

 

[PetesPockets55]

Nice! Actually, only the two larger are most likely musketballs, the smaller are probably rifle balls. Muskets are a specific military arm, and were only made in larger calibers.

Thank you for that info.
Do you know the time period when musket balls were no longer used?

Also, are mini-balls the same as rifle balls or does that term refer to a time period. Thanks again to everyone for any info.

EDIT- Link to article on Minie balls. I incorrectly believed "Mini" referred to the size, not the Frenchman who invented/developed them.
https://archive.nytimes.com/opinion...lid,Minié ball – that made all the difference.

And here is an article on "Musket ball and small shot ID".
https://allthingsliberty.com/2016/05/musket-ball-and-small-shot-identification-a-guide/

 

[l.cutler]

Thank you for that info.
Do you know the time period when musket balls were no longer used?

Also, are mini-balls the same as rifle balls or does that term refer to a time period. Thanks again to everyone for any info.

EDIT- Link to article on Minie balls. I incorrectly believed "Mini" referred to the size, not the Frenchman who invented/developed them.
https://archive.nytimes.com/opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/31/the-bullet-that-changed-history/#:~:text=While a smoothbore musket could expel a solid,Minié ball – that made all the difference.

And here is an article on "Musket ball and small shot ID".
https://allthingsliberty.com/2016/05/musket-ball-and-small-shot-identification-a-guide/

Musket balls phased out during the American Civil War, not to say folks didn't use the surplus muskets after the war was over. It can get confusing, the same size balls may have been used in rifles or pistols. Muskets and trade guns could have used the same size. Where they are found can be a good indicator, Revolutionary war activity, Civil war activity, and so on. For absolute certainty it can only be said they are black powder era round balls.

 

[scruggs]

You made some cools finds!

 

[PetesPockets55]

Musket balls phased out during the American Civil War, not to say folks didn't use the surplus muskets after the war was over. It can get confusing, the same size balls may have been used in rifles or pistols. Muskets and trade guns could have used the same size. Where they are found can be a good indicator, Revolutionary war activity, Civil war activity, and so on. For absolute certainty it can only be said they are black powder era round balls.

Thanks again. I love learning new stuff. (Just wish I could remember it past the next find. LOL)

Second Seminole War activity in the area.
1838-1842 is when the fort was built and active.

I'll have to look at each one a little closer with a loupe to see if they have any deformations or residue on them. I can see sprue marks but I'm not sure if some of the "white" is simply the lead or something else.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

I'm hoping someone here can guide me towards figuring out what caliber these might be.

Convert mm to inches. The larger balls (16.29 and 16.21) work out to around .64 caliber, so probably fired from a .69 caliber musket.

 

[PetesPockets55]

Convert mm to inches. The larger balls (16.29 and 16.21) work out to around .64 caliber, so probably fired from a .69 caliber musket.

Alright! That is excellent. Thank you.