belted-ball from a musket or a pistol?

[How Lucky]

Found this up on top of a mountain here in Maine. This looks to me to be a bullet that was called a "belted-ball". Could that groove be distortion from the ball traveling out the barrel? Could it have been made by the ramrod? Was this a rifle ball or a pistol ball? Caliper, measuring on the belt .443 to .446, because of distortion.
Would anyone care to share some thoughts on this?


I also found this 30 Short Rim-fire with a "RAISED" "US" Head Stamp "United
States Cartridge Company, Lowell MA." dates 1869 to 1875.

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Nice find!

 

[Reanm8er]

Round ball looks like cap and ball revolver, easily 44cal Colt Army. The flattened part or belt is from the OD being sheared when the bullet was pressed into cylinder. The round indenture is the mark of the end of the loading lever.

 

[Erving]

I would guess it's a 45 cal. fired from a rifle. I would think the ball needs to be smaller than the caliber to be able to use a patch. The mark is from using a ram rod to seat the ball.

 

[Hawks88]

Nice save. Congrats

 

[Whyme]

Pretty cool finds!