Civil War Bullet?

[sosa961]

Found what looks like a lead bullet, but am not sure how to date it. Any thoughts?

 

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[Terry Soloman]

.52 Sharps? I am no bullet expert. Great find.

 

[Davers]

Very Interesting IMO.
Measurements would help a-lot.

Maybe Been carved on IDK
depends a-lot on the Caliber.
GL I would love to know as well.
Davers

 

[Davers]

Found what looks like a lead bullet, but am not sure how to date it. Any thoughts?

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Maybe it's a 54 cal , Sharps & Hawkins .
Measurements...Dia=.550, Length = .85, weight,407 Grains.
I can not see the Base in the Photo, b/t if I had 2 guess i'd say it's flat.
GL

Sorry I meant I could not see the base in the photo that's in my Bullet book.

 

[sosa961]

Thanks guys! Here are a a couple pics with measurements and a pic of the base. This is really exciting! I've never found one of these and it has always been on the bucket list.

 

[Digger70pa]

It looks old from the patina buddy. Nice find & may you find many more. HH buddy

 

[Cletus]

thats a beauty!! Congrats

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

I have to say that despite having been a digger and dealer of civil war bullets for almost 40 years, I do not recognize it. That makes me suspect it might be from a few years after the end of the civil war... but of course, I could be wrong. Thanks for the GREAT photo showing the bullet's diameter measured with a TRANSPARENT ruler. (Never seen that done before, and it's a very helpful method.) The diameter appears to be about .56-inch, which puts it in the area of a Military rifle or carbine. Your bullet having a solid base means it was made for use in a Breechloader. You might want to post your photo and an ID-request in the Bullets section at the Civil War Projectiles forum at bulletandshell.com.

 

[sosa961]

I have to say that despite having been a digger and dealer of civil war bullets for almost 40 years, I do not recognize it. That makes me suspect it might be from a few years after the end of the civil war... but of course, I could be wrong. Thanks for the GREAT photo showing the bullet's diameter measured with a TRANSPARENT ruler. (Never seen that done before, and it's a very helpful method.) The diameter appears to be about .56-inch, which puts it in the area of a Military rifle or carbine. Your bullet having a solid base means it was made for use in a Breechloader. You might want to post your photo and an ID-request in the Bullets section at the Civil War Projectiles forum at bulletandshell.com.

Awesome, will do. Thank you for the advice! That would make sense as it was found near a 19th century homesite. But was also a mile or two from a CW battle.

 

[Spats]

Could it be a carved Civil War carbine bullet? Maybe a Sharps?

 

[Davers]

Again I keep looking at my book 'A Handbook of Civil War Bullets & Cartridges ' & I keep going back to page 29, and the .54 caliber Sharps & Hankins , (Old Model) Carbine, it's very similar & with weathering & ground action on your bullet .....it's a Tough call.

Is there any hint of a 'Rebate' just above the Big ring? This would show where the bullet was inserted or held in the Metal Cartridge

It also states that this Bullet 'until recently was mistakenly identified as being for the Ballard Carbine.'

Please let us/me know if you get a positive ID.
Thanks ....Davers

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

The civil war bullet gurus over at the bulletandshell.com Civil War Projectiles Forum have agreed it is a civil war Sharps & Hankins "Old Model" bullet, as you suspected it is, Davers. That was my guess when I first read this thread... but in Sosa961's photos (seen above), his bullet's main body-groove looks "rounded" instead of square-edged as we see on a Sharps & Hankins bullet. Also, his bullet has been fired, which changed the shape of its body somewhat. (That's why I sent him to the Civil War Projectiles Forum for bullet-identification.) I've come to believe his S&H bullet's main body-groove simply hasn't had all the white concretion cleaned out of its edges, which makes it LOOK rounded. Kinda like what we see in the photo below, where all the red clay didn't get removed from the body-groove's edges.

 

[Davers]

The civil war bullet gurus over at the bulletandshell.com Civil War Projectiles Forum have agreed it is a civil war Sharps & Hankins "Old Model" bullet, as you suspected it is, Davers. That was my guess when I first read this thread... but in Sosa961's photos (seen above), his bullet's main body-groove looks "rounded" instead of square-edged as we see on a Sharps & Hankins bullet. Also, his bullet has been fired, which changed the shape of its body somewhat. (That's why I sent him to the Civil War Projectiles Forum for bullet-identification.) I've come to believe his S&H bullet's main body-groove simply hasn't had all the white concretion cleaned out of its edges, which makes it LOOK rounded. Kinda like what we see in the photo below, where all the red clay didn't get removed from the body-groove's edges.

Thanks Man.
It makes a guy feel good when someone as knowledgeable as TheCannonballGuy agrees with you.

Davers

 

[stefen]

Possible, and yet maybe not...

Coulda been fired after the war...no way of telling

 

[Davers]

Possible, and yet maybe not...

Coulda been fired after the war...no way of telling

Well let's just say it's CW Era.

 

[sosa961]

Hey, I'll take CW Era! Thanks again guys, really appreciate the info.