Are these carved bullets?

[HeatherM]

I found both of these in my neighbors yard. One today and one a few years ago. I didn't think much after finding the first one except maybe that it was civil war although no civil war things happened in my area that I know of. I have to get the thought out of my head that all old bullets are "civil war" when I know full well there were people using guns before and after.

After finding the one today that has more of the top point and more pronounced "ridge" it got me thinking maybe they were carved that way? I have googled and googled and can't seem to find any with tops like these so assuming they were not made that way? I'm not interested in knowing exact caliber (it's all Greek to me anyway) and have no way to measure them but am curious of appropriate years they may be from.

Included a photo of other bullets found in same yard. Is the bigger round one grapeshot? Would it be normal to find all these types in a yard and think they were actually shot or did someone play with a collection and lose them? The house is early 1900's but all our land was once a big farm. I live across the street and have found no bullets in my yard or another direct neighbor's.

 

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[metrotec]

Yeup they are

 

[fyrffytr1]

They look like they were hard rammed down the gun barrel. When the barrel got fouled from previous firings it was much harder to load and a lot of force was needed to ram the bullet home.

 

[Tony in SC]

The cone shape is from a ramrod.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Agree more damaged than carved. The larger balls could be from smoothbores. I have a 16 bore (0.662") musket and the ubiquitous Bess (British Long Land Pattern) used up to a 0.73" ball. Southern forces used a 0.69" musket (1842 Springfield) shooting round lead balls.

 

[HeatherM]

So what would be the estimated time frame these types were used? I ask because I can't seem to get the correct search wording for google to give me a straight answer.

 

[fyrffytr1]

Your elongated bullets are called Minie balls after their inventor Captain Claude-Etienne Minie of the French Army in 1848. But, most "Minie" balls used in the civil war were the result of improvements made by James H. Burton, acting master armorer at the Harpers Ferry Armory. In 1855 the U S Government adopted Burton's modified design. In the early 1870s the same type bullet was used in a metal cartridge. These bullets can be identified by small ridges, like reeding on the edge of a coin, in the grooves.
So, your Minie balls most likely date between 1855 and the early 1870s. Here are a couple links if you care to read them:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minié_ball

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H._Burton

 

[HeatherM]

Your elongated bullets are called Minie balls after their inventor Captain Claude-Etienne Minie of the French Army in 1848. But, most "Minie" balls used in the civil war were the result of improvements made by James H. Burton, acting master armorer at the Harpers Ferry Armory. In 1855 the U S Government adopted Burton's modified design. In the early 1870s the same type bullet was used in a metal cartridge. These bullets can be identified by small ridges, like reeding on the edge of a coin, in the grooves.
So, your Minie balls most likely date between 1855 and the early 1870s. Here are a couple links if you care to read them:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minié_ball

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H._Burton

Thank you! I will read these.

 

[erfranks]

I agree Ramrod, Still nice saves

 

[HeatherM]

I agree Ramrod, Still nice saves

When I rarely find cool coins like others on here, I have to get excited over things like this.

 

[fyrffytr1]

When I rarely find cool coins like others on here, I have to get excited over things like this.

I would be glad to find them. I do have a few but am always happy to find early lead! Here is a small selection of civil war era lead.

 

[HeatherM]

I would be glad to find them. I do have a few but am always happy to find early lead! Here is a small selection of civil war era lead.

Oh wow, that's quite the collection!

 

[fyrffytr1]

Oh wow, that's quite the collection!

That is part of the collection.