🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Did I finally find an old bullet?

[Older The Better]

Went to poke around a site where a barn used to stand, found a very unusual slug compared to what i normally find. I noticed the one notch doesn’t have the reeds or crenellations I think is the word… anyway I was wondering between that and the round top if it was identifiable and if it was possibly an early slug. I would’ve done a measurement with my calipers but the battery was dead and the scale on the tool is worthless going by inch increments… hopefully the .22’s and what I think is a .45 will help with scale

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[pepperj]

Went to poke around a site where a barn used to stand, found a very unusual slug compared to what i normally find. I noticed the one notch doesn’t have the reeds or crenellations I think is the word… anyway I was wondering between that and the round top if it was identifiable and if it was possibly an early slug. I would’ve done a measurement with my calipers but the battery was dead and the scale on the tool is worthless going by inch increments… hopefully the .22’s and what I think is a .45 will help with scale
View attachment 2182518View attachment 2182519View attachment 2182520View attachment 2182521

I'd be thinking an older shotgun slug, if I had dug it.

 

[Older The Better]

I was looking at deer slugs and was thinking about it and I was wrong about the one being a .45 I got one to compare. The slug in question I think would be small for most shotguns but it could be a 20 or 410 maybe.

I can’t really find anything that squat and rounded… all rifle bullets seem more conical, all the deer slugs I can see have flat tops or those really distinctive vertical grooves… wondering if it was conical and hit just right to deform into a dome… seems far fetched though

 

[ncsuwolf]

Not to state the obvious, but a 410 is a .41 caliber, a 20 ga is ~ .61”. Assuming that is a .45 acp slug on the far left, I’m guessing your find is not a 20 ga slug……however not going to say it is a 410 slug. Someone else will have to Id.

However…..to make you feel better, based on color, that’s an old piece of lead

 

[Older The Better]

That makes sense, I’d never really equated shotguns with caliber because of the pellets… but I was seeing some of the shotgun slugs were smaller than the casings and were in a sabot that’s why i wasn’t ruling out a shot gun but im leaning a bullet. Appreciate the input

 

[pistol-pete]

It could possibly be a fired 44 Conical cap & ball revolver bullet deformed a bit on the tip. Has a grease groove so not a shotgun slug.

 

[Almy]

I think the answer to your question is "yes" and an unusual one at that! I've never seen one like that before. I think PP has the correct ID.

 

[Older The Better]

Little update if it helps at all. Took a while to get a new battery for the calipers, it appears to be a .38

 

[releventchair]

Interesting things went on in going from black powder to smokeless.
How pistols were converted.

How cartridges were developed relates.
A "heeled" bullet fit the way it fit into brass for a reason. Todays .22's still do.

Anyways your piece doesn't look rebated at the base to be heeled. Or is it?

38 Colt Heeled bullet

38 Colt 140 gr. coated Heeled bullet for reloading

www.bearcreeksupplybullets.com