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

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[civil_war22]

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Minelab PRO-FIND 35 Waterproof Pinpointer Metal Detector for Experts with Tone ID & Adjustable Sensitivity - Grab it through Amazon!

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

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

what ranges do pistol bullets come in as far as circumference? these are approx 1 1/4 inches

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

View attachment 1366748

wish we had something in that pic for size perspective, like a stinking lincoln or clad rosy dime. the ball looks similar, but can't tell how large it is.

 

[civil_war22]

So yours are 1 1/4 inches?

 

[civil_war22]

A US dime is only .704 inches or 17.9 mm. So they would be smaller than 1 1/4. They look a lot like the smaller pistol bullets but the little short slug type bullet is confusing.

 

[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?

This is what I was trying to clarify early on to avoid confusion. The bullet ID folks (I'm not one) usually talk in terms of the diameter, which in this case is roughly .398", so maybe 40 caliber? (I don't know old guns).
It's well worth buying a cheap ($12) set of digital calipers that make measuring the diameter quick and accurate. It will make identifying bullets accurately much easier.

 

[civil_war22]

I'm not home yet but I have my bullets and a caliper I'll check them so you have a better idea of what you may have

 

[Davers]

wish we had something in that pic for size perspective, like a stinking lincoln or clad rosy dime. the ball looks similar, but can't tell how large it is.

The 'buck & ball ' loads usually had a .69 cal ball with 3 .31 cal balls. Some had more .31 balls but not many.

Think I read your Round balls are 40 ish caliber ?...So the Bullet is a little larger 45 to 50 cal .

The only 'Case Shot ' I have dug (if I recall Right) were .69 or maybe 58 caliber , some were cut in half
but
I'm guessing Confederates would use whatever they had to use as case shot (I seen a few Balls filled with 3 Ringers).

OP thought your bullet may be a Williams Cleaner type 3 but it's to small for that.

I think I agree with d2 & these are pistol balls & your Bullet is a Shot Gun Slug (As pictured) --Smaller Gauge , 410, 12,16
Or
It's a pistol bullet also , are there any "Reed" lines in the rings?---Like on the edge of a Quarter or dime, if so it's most likely a Old but post CW pistol Bullet.

Even if it is a more modern bullet it's still cool , I keep all my old bullets that are is similar condition.

We will figure it out . "We" T-Net Folks.

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

OP thought your bullet may be a Williams Cleaner type 3 but it's to small for that.

I think I agree with d2 & these are pistol balls & your Bullet is a Shot Gun Slug (As pictured) --Smaller Gauge , 410, 12,16
Or
It's a pistol bullet also , are there any "Reed" lines in the rings?---Like on the edge of a Quarter or dime, if so it's most likely a Old but post CW pistol Bullet.

Even if it is a more modern bullet it's still cool , I keep all my old bullets that are is similar condition.

We will figure it out . "We" T-Net Folks.

there are no reed lines on the bullet, i know what those are, it is smooth in the grooves and i looked under a high power magnifying glass. if u look on the bottom of the bullet, which is solid, it is all white, but there is a round area in the center of the bullet that is yellow, so darker. not sure if this helps.

the balls may be pistol balls, but from what i have read, and their size, etc, i really think they are case-shot. either way, they are cool and i have 3. i always search that area for more when i am there.

i appreciate everyone trying to figure this out. that's where the fun is in all this, a little detective action along with hunting the targets. digging history is what i do....

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

This is what I was trying to clarify early on to avoid confusion. The bullet ID folks (I'm not one) usually talk in terms of the diameter, which in this case is roughly .398", so maybe 40 caliber? (I don't know old guns).
It's well worth buying a cheap ($12) set of digital calipers that make measuring the diameter quick and accurate. It will make identifying bullets accurately much easier.

great idea on the calipers. where would one buy these? i have never shopped for something like that. gun store i guess?

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

A US dime is only .704 inches or 17.9 mm. So they would be smaller than 1 1/4. They look a lot like the smaller pistol bullets but the little short slug type bullet is confusing.

here is how i came up with 1 1/4. i used my sunglass cloth to wrap the edge around the ball til it touched again, marked it, measure how long that way. this may be incorrect way, sounded good to me at the time. lol

 

[nhbenz]

Nothing at all wrong with that measurement idea, since it's easy enough to calculate the diameter using the circumference (or, at least it's easy using a web site that does the calculation, as I had). But it's hard to be totally accurate, as is sometimes needed for the correct ID.
I was just looking on eBay and saw that you can get digital calipers for about $4 including shipping --has anyone here had any experiences (good or bad) with super cheap calipers? They are out of China and Hong Kong, but that's where many of the "good" ones are made anyway.

 

[d2]

I've got a Tranter pistol bullet around here that I found at a CW camp. They were made sorta like a Williams cleaner bullet with a stem and a flat lead base. If something has been cut from the bottom of that one maybe it's a Tranter bullet minus it's base. I will see if I can find it...d2

PS.... Just found the tranter bullet and that aint it...d2

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

I've got a Tranter pistol bullet around here that I found at a CW camp. They were made sorta like a Williams cleaner bullet with a stem and a flat lead base. If something has been cut from the bottom of that one maybe it's a Tranter bullet minus it's base. I will see if I can find it...d2

PS.... Just found the tranter bullet and that aint it...d2

this is a tough one. i need take a better pic of the bottom of the bullet. solid white, little round darker color circle in center of the bottom. starting to think prob not civil war OR is a damn rare find if it is. lol. the balls, those must be for sure.

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

Hey all, thanks to D2, civil_war22, Dust Eater, Davers, and a few others, I searched more and think I have found the closest thing to my bullet in terms of # of GROOVES (2) and top shape of the bullet (rounded) and approximate height of the top rounded part of the bullet. this one is so damn close (cant really tell size diff from pic though).

the main diff is the rounded part of mine does not seem as high, and the base on mine does not come out in diameter from the bottom of bullet (it is flush to rest of bullet)

maybe someone can fig out more now (type of firearm, if civil war, and if not, approx age, etc).

here is the pic i found, and the website for it below:

close one to MY bullet is BOTTOM row, 4th from LEFT. when i saved the pic, was named 45 colt



web site: Paco Kelly's Leverguns.com ? View topic - Best .45 Colt Cast Bullet type - Levergun / Revolver?

pic using 45467 bullet as search in Google (was # under bullet in prev pic above), not my bullet does NOT have reed lines in grooves, not sure if this one does, think just the lines in the pic



MY BULLET (below) (clad dimes are for sizing)

 

[civil_war22]

I would say that bullet Id is spot on.

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

I would say that bullet Id is spot on.

it's pretty darn close. would date this post civil war, but not much, IF SO i guess.

 

[civil_war22]

it's pretty darn close. would date this post civil war, but not much, IF SO i guess.

Yea just right after. I'm not sure on the round ball though. Heck they've made them since the invention of the firearm so hard to tell.

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

Yea just right after. I'm not sure on the round ball though. Heck they've made them since the invention of the firearm so hard to tell.

the round balls would be civil war era or earlier for sure, correct? they are SPOT ON from a site posting on case-shot. twins for sure!

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

i am very convinced they are case shot. but, i have found 3 and covered the area fairly well. one may assume, if it is case shot, why am i not finding more. dont know much about pistol balls. so, that is the other option. thanks for all your help on this. i appreciate it.

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