Civil war Carbine bullets and a couple beat up minnies. Looking for a little help.

bonepicker

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Jan 5, 2012
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Ended up digging a little civil war yesterday evening and this morning.
Just got a new site, and just beginning to scout it.

I ended up with 3 bullets and a round ball yesterday, and 3 more bullets this morning.
4 of the bullets have solid bases and measure .55 -.56" x .79 -.80" on my cheap calipers. One looks fired, and the other 3 look dropped.
I was thinking these might be sharps, but they are much shorter and stubby than my other sharps from a different site. Any ideas??

The other 2 look to be fired 3-ringer minnies. One is pretty flattened at the tip, and the other one is flattened on one side.
Was wondering mostly about the one that has a flat spot on the side. Could this be plow damage?, melted?, or from being fired?
It also has a nipple on the top. It kind of looks like the nipple is raised, or could this have been done from a ram-rod.

My buddy ended up with one nice dropped 3 ringer minnie, and a really toasted shield nickle.

Any help would be appreciated.

I just rechecked the best 3 and got an average of .55-.56" x .79 - .80"

Thanks
 

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Thanks.

if this page works right enter your size and base type and it will give you like examples and tell you what it is. Not sure if they are working on the site or what.
19th Century Bullet Collection - Tom Henrique

I like the big .69 and the flatened enfield best. I dig mostly enfields because I am in confederate country.

First I really need to thank the Guy/s who put that site together.
So many Enfield Variants ....WOW.

That was Fun to look at.
Like you I dig a good few Enfields but mostly 3 ringers of some type , I still find it VERY Hard to tell Northern Made 3 ringers from the Southern Made ones.

Thanks Again TM's
 

i see you have much good help on IDing these. i cant wait to have time to read all the posts.

if it is still up in the air, maybe this weekend i can look them up. do u have a way to weigh them in grains? that helps also. def need caliber. this is a great book, just need the time to check into it.

U go for it Scott, any help is welcome & it helps us all to learn.
 

First I really need to thank the Guy/s who put that site together.
So many Enfield Variants ....WOW.

That was Fun to look at.
Like you I dig a good few Enfields but mostly 3 ringers of some type , I still find it VERY Hard to tell Northern Made 3 ringers from the Southern Made ones.

Thanks Again TM's
Welcome sir.
 

The mushroomed minnie does not have an appendage or a teat. It actually has a smooth and deeper cavity.
Most of the bullets ive dug in the past were drops.

Im really not sure what to think about the nose cast 3-ringer. My experience with CW bullets is minimal. I really dont think the whole side could have flattened out like that from being fired and striking an object. It does look like some heat might have been applied to it to get it flat one one side. Perhaps they used the powder to start a fire, and the lead got partially melted.
I was just using the word teat to describe what i was seeing inside the cavity. I really thought that appendage looked strange. Maybe heat from a fire caused this. I really dont know. Guess i was wondering if anyone else had seen this before. Maybe some better pictures and another post in the what is it might help.
This has been interesting. Most bullets i dig are dropped 3 ringer minnies. Its kind of neat to dig something different. i.e. Burnsides, nose cast, etc.

I'm pretty sure You, we, TN can get it figured out, Man that Site TM 's Referred to is the "Hit's-nit" ; I love all those photos w/o having to look through my book ,s . (I got the M &M , Thomas's Small paperback A Handbook of Civil War Bullets & Cartridges.) I don't have any of the Round Ball to Rim Fire book's -Yet.

I was just like u (not knowing my CW Bullet types well) Until I stumbled across a pretty intact Cavalry Camp a few years back, ,so I had to start learning my Carbine Bullets & research on T-net ,Books & elsewhere has helped me learn a-lot.

You will learn Fast especially digging mostly "Drops" 70% of the CW Bullets I find (outside the Camp) have been Fired.
I still love to dig them Fired or not especially knowing where they came from & the actions that took place in those areas.

It 's been fun , Ill check back tomorrow & I thank You & everyone for their time.
Davers
 

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