can you identify these indian wars bullets?

alderan33

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Oct 15, 2010
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Greenville, NC
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Whites Spectra V3I
Garrett Pro Pointer
Minelab Etrac
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting

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For accurate ID of bullets, we often need to see a base-view photo of the bullet. In your case, base-view photos of bullets 2, 4, and 5 are needed.

Bullet #1 is a "generic" yankee 3-groove Minie-ball for the muzzleloading Springfield .58 rifle.
Bullet #2 resembles an 1870s US Army .45 Revolver cartridge-bullet, but isn't an exact match. Need to see the base.
Bullet #3 would seem to be a 12mm LeFaucheux revolver pinfire-cartridge bullet. That ID is based on your bullet appearing to have just 4 rifling-grooves from the weapon which fired it. My reference-info on the rifling-groove count of 1840s-to-1870s firearms lists only one gun with 4-groove rifling ..the 12mm LeFaucheux pinfire revolver.
Bullet #4: No ID yet, without seeing its base.
Bullet #5's profile indicates it is a 20th-century "Wadcutter" bullet (for target-shooting). But I've never seen one with what looks like a small 4-sided hole in its nose. So, either somebody drove a square-nail into its nose, or it is not a bullet. Need a photo of its base.
Bullet #6 is a 20th-century "Wadcutter" bullet.
Bullet #7 is a .44 pistol ball. I can't get an accurate count of the rifling-grooves on it in your photo. Remington .44 revolver had 5 grooves. The Kerr .44 revolver and the Starr .44 revolver had 6 grooves. The Colt .44 revolver and the Tucker & Sherrod .44 revolver had 7 grooves.
 

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Thanks Cannonball Guy. I will post pics of the bases of 2,4 and 5 tomorrow morning. Any ideas on the last item?
 

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More pics

Here are some pictures of the bases of the bullets Cannonball Guy requested.
Also I took one of the top of number 5. It doesn't look like a nail impression because it doesn't arrive at a point. The indention is a perfect square.

Thanks for the help. HH
 

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First (because you asked)... I do not know for certain what the large thin brass disc is. The bit of "decoration" around its edge indicates it is some sort of ornamental item, such as a horse-harness ornament.

Thank you for making and posting the new photos. They show that all three of those bullets have a flat solid base, which is an important ID-clue.

Unfortunately, I need some more photos. Please make some additional ones showing bullets #2, 4, and 5 from a "90-degree sideview." Meaning, put the bullets on the very edge of a tabletop and lean down to take the photo with the camera held perfectly horizontally (not at an "overhead" angle). And, please show a different side of the bullets than in the previous photos.

Also, if possible, please try to give me a count of the rifling-grooves on them, if you think you can get an accurate count. (The 4 grooves on bullet #3 were the key to identifying it.)

And, please use your digital calipers to give me super-accurate measurements of the three bullets' exact diamter, and length, in hundredths-of-an-inch.

Here's a photo as an example of a "90-degree sideview." (I'll also include a baseview photo.) It's a US Army Model-1874 Colt .45 Revolver bullet, made by the Frankford Arsenal. Your bullet #2 may be a slight variation of the bullet in the photo, with the difference due to being made by a different manufacturer.
 

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The title states the bullets are Indian War bullets...that a fact or just a guess to bring importance to the post?
 

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