Civil War Bullet and Iron Balls ID

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

Need HELP identifying this bullet I dug recently in Hampton, VA. It is not conical in shape, but rounded at the top. Bullet is solid (not hollow) and the underneath is all white, with a small white spot in the middle that seems off color from the rest of the base.

The two coins are rosy clad DIMES for sizing purposes. Click on the picture to enlarge it.

The 3 balls measure about 1 1/4 inches in diameter each. The middle one looks like it had been shot as it has a slash in it and is somewhat deformed (same size as the other two). Wondering what these are also. Too small for musket balls I think.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, especially on the bullet.

thanks. Scott

 

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[d2]

The rounds ball, are you sure they are not lead? Could be buck shot or pistol balls if they are lead. They all may be pistol bullets. Great finds...d2

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

thanks for the reply! yes, they are lead, not iron. buck shot from civil war? they measure about 1 1/4 inch diameter each and have a dimple in the center and a faint line circling the center, like a seam. i was thinking they are civil war canister shot. they seem to match everything about those, size and all. what do you think?

 

[nhbenz]

Welcome to TreasureNet!
It looks like it must be the circumference (around the outside) measuring 1-1/4", making the diameter (the widest point) roughly .398 Does this seem right?

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

yes, circumference is 1 1/4, measured crudely. so very close. dont know about .398 as i am not informed with that type of thing. what do you think?

 

[civil_war22]

The three lead balls is likely buck and ball type from the civil war and I'm working on the short fat bullet

 

[Davers]

They say Round Ball to Rim Fire are the most up to date [bullet/ball] books ,costly & I think there are 2-3 volumes. Most detailed info out there , M&M 's book is a little dated 7 has a few mistakes but I love that book as I have one .
Heck the book I use most is the small paperback 'A handbook of Civil War Bullets & Cartridges' by Dean & Dean --Same guy \s who wrote RB to RF

I recently got a Book put out this year I think that covers just Round Balls BUT It mostly 90% is on Revolutionary War & Before type Shot even the 1600;s I would not recommend this book for Civil war ID,s

IMO Best Book for Today's Relic Hunter --The Paper Back $10

Crazed Relic Hunter (like Me) M & M.s book (Tho dated) a great Read & Pictures

Crazed Relic Hunter & Buyer of CW Bullets RB to RF , M & M's book , paper back Handbook , Etc.

 

[Davers]

Need HELP identifying this bullet I dug recently in Hampton, VA. It is not conical in shape, but rounded at the top. Bullet is solid (not hollow) and the underneath is all white, with a small white spot in the middle that seems off color from the rest of the base.

The two coins are rosy clad DIMES for sizing purposes. Click on the picture to enlarge it.

The 3 balls measure about 1 1/4 inches in diameter each. The middle one looks like it had been shot as it has a slash in it and is somewhat deformed (same size as the other two). Wondering what these are also. Too small for musket balls I think.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, especially on the bullet.

thanks. Scott

Thinking the round balls are Pistol Balls & Does the Bullet have a small round hole in its base (perfect little circle, not a big cavity).
It sure is an interesting little guy.

 

[Davers]

yes, circumference is 1 1/4, measured crudely. so very close. dont know about .398 as i am not informed with that type of thing. what do you think?

I,m the same way , BTW Welcome to the Site.

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

The three lead balls is likely buck and ball type from the civil war and I'm working on the short fat bullet

Interesting, so the 3 i have are all "bucks" as the balls were the larger. i wonder, if this is true, why i have not found a single "ball" (the larger) in that area yet. be very interesting if i dig a ball in that area. i was thinking they were case shot.

thanks for replying. i need all the help i can get. no fun to find stuff without figuring out WHAT it is.

p.s. cant wait to see what you find out about the bullet. maybe i have a rare one.

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

Thinking the round balls are Pistol Balls & Does the Bullet have a small round hole in its base (perfect little circle, not a big cavity).
It sure is an interesting little guy.

The bullet is SOLID all the way through. BUT, on the bottom, where it is solid, there is a small circle that is off color from the rest of the bottom in the center of the bottom (if that makes sense). Can post a pic of that when i get home if it would help ID.

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

They say Round Ball to Rim Fire are the most up to date [bullet/ball] books ,costly & I think there are 2-3 volumes. Most detailed info out there , M&M 's book is a little dated 7 has a few mistakes but I love that book as I have one .

thanks for this information. def check them out. too bad our library does not have. maybe i can get them to order.

 

[Davers]

Pic.s of the bottom & rings will help, many more knowledgeable folk on here than me.

Also my computer is broke, so at 3 pm est I will loose this one until tomorrow , I will check back then.
GD
Davers

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

Pic.s of the bottom & rings will help, many more knowledgeable folk on here than me.

Also my computer is broke, so at 3 pm est I will loose this one until tomorrow , I will check back then.
GD
Davers

 

[civil_war22]

Interesting, so the 3 i have are all "bucks" as the balls were the larger. i wonder, if this is true, why i have not found a single "ball" (the larger) in that area yet. be very interesting if i dig a ball in that area. i was thinking they were case shot.

thanks for replying. i need all the help i can get. no fun to find stuff without figuring out WHAT it is.

p.s. cant wait to see what you find out about the bullet. maybe i have a rare one.

Yea I've found round balls that size. Actually looking at yours they seem a little bigger for buck and ball but I don't have mine in front of me for measuring either. Buck and ball usually had three smaller and then one big ball and most I've found have that little dent on one side where they laid against one another

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

Yea I've found round balls that size. Actually looking at yours they seem a little bigger for buck and ball but I don't have mine in front of me for measuring either. Buck and ball usually had three smaller and then one big ball and most I've found have that little dent on one side where they laid against one another

yes, these have no dent, except for the deformed one with the slash in it. perfectly round, will roll right off the desk. i am thinking case shot, similar circumfrance from what i have read. but, i am not sure. the bullet really has me perplexed, this forum post also it seems. it's a tough one. oh well, that's what we like i guess.

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

The three lead balls is likely buck and ball type from the civil war and I'm working on the short fat bullet

let me know what you find out about the bullet. i am perplexed. cant find a similar one in any civil war collection online. the non-conical shape is the issue. rounded at the top. hhhmm.

 

[Dust Eater]

I'm not a bullet guy, but I'll take a guess.


Looks like an old slug for a higher gauge shotgun - maybe from something like a 28 gauge shell?

I can't read German, but this looks like the same thing: http://nitroexpress.info/ezine/CptC...ster/slug_bore_paradox_cartridges/1122679.jpg
Looks like it has the circular bottom, and it says "Kal. 12-32" so I just guessed shotgun?

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

I'm not a bullet guy, but I'll take a guess.


Looks like an old slug for a higher gauge shotgun - maybe from something like a 28 gauge shell?

I can't read German, but this looks like the same thing: http://nitroexpress.info/ezine/CptC...ster/slug_bore_paradox_cartridges/1122679.jpg
Looks like it has the circular bottom, and it says "Kal. 12-32" so I just guessed shotgun?

it sure does have the same shape. i think one less ring though. but, that shape is very similar. this is the closest thing I have seen so far.

 

[d2]

I think they will all be bullets for pistols...d2