An Old Pistol Ball?

[brvan71]

On Thanksgiving afternoon, my dad, brother, nephew and I were given the opportunity to hunt private property on which civil war action took place. I found this small lead(I think) ball. It appears to be of the same material of three-ringers that I have found in the past. I apologize for the pics quality, but the ball is not completely round. Possibly fired? And is not quite 1/2 inch in diameter. Any help would be appreciated.
Merry Christmas.
Bryan

 

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[kuger]

More than likely!

 

[BioProfessor]

Have a sprue? Have mold marks? Definitely a bullet.

Daryl

 

[brvan71]

Forgive my ignorance. I don't know what a sprue is. There are some scuffs and tiny indentions, but nothing that I would consider a mold mark, but the problem is, I am an amateur detectorist, and this is the first little round ball I've found. So I'm not exactly sure what I am looking for. Thanks for the help!

 

[BioProfessor]

A sprue is a flat area on the ball where the excess lead was cut off when it was taken from the mold.

Daryl

 

[brvan71]

Thanks. And yes then, there is a sprue. There are no other markings as far as I can tell. But thanks so much for the information!

 

[brvan71]

And Daryl, would you agree that it is CW era? (Or anyone else who wants to respond.)

 

[BioProfessor]

Some of the calibers were very common during the CW but without other CW items found in the same area, it's a musket ball. Always a good find but trying to date a musket ball with no caliber is a lot like telling the color of a wall by feeling it in the dark.

Daryl

 

[trikikiwi]

Cool find Bryan. I too, am the proud finder of a musket ball - and I had to check with the good people on TNet, before I would believe it myself.
Mike

 

[ivan salis]

diameter or cal help in figgering out pistol vs rifle -- 44 or close to it is "revolver" pistol caliber -- 50 cal is normally asingle shot type pistol / rifle type caliber --there was "buck and ball" loads for 69 caliber muskets -- one large ball and 3 smaller ones

if there was CW action there most likey you will find other stuff there if you keep looking

 

[l.cutler]

If it were only that easy, it is a roundball. Most likely rifle or pistol, too small for a musket. Rifles and single shot pistols ranged from less than .30 caliber up to .62 caliber or so. Revolvers were usually .31, .36 or .44. Muskets .69 up to .80 or so. Time frame could be from earliest settlement of the area up into the 20th century.

 

[BioProfessor]

My bad. I have a nasty habit of calling all big round pieces of lead musketballs. Sorry.

Isn't roundball basketball?

Daryl