Found a rare .58 Caliber Gardiner Exploding Bullet

[Fullstock]

A friend took me to one of his spots today. The place had been hit pretty hard over the years, but it had never been hit with the XP Deus. Didn’t find a lot, but what we did find was deep (12” or more) and I managed to find this exploding bullet. That sure made my day.

 

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[dieselfool]

Sometimes they would explode when they were being loaded. Black powder really fouled the bore so one would have to pound pretty hard on the ramrod when reloading. I suspect this was the main reason they fell into disuse rather than any moral or ethical reasons. These were guys who were firing grape shot, chain-shot (cannonballs literally chained together) canister and all types of explosive cannonballs. Also the exploding bullets sometimes exploded in the gun barrels upon firing. They were too dangerous to use, all right; for the firer!

 

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[Bamasteve]

Very interesting and cool find! Congrats

 

[VaGent]

Congrats! Thats a tight bullet for sure, never found one myself. Dieselfool above is correct, they fell out of use after Gettysburg, not for ethical reasons, but rather because of unexpectedly going off while loading.

 

[ticndig]

I wonder why it lacks patina ? I've never dug civil war lead that wasn't white like the other bullets you're showing.
out of all the bullets I have found I've never found one like that.

 

[VaGent]

I wonder why it lacks patina ? I've never dug civil war lead that wasn't white like the other bullets you're showing.
out of all the bullets I have found I've never found one like that.

Soil conditions, sometimes they come out a very dark-grey, almost black. 🤷‍♂️

 

[ticndig]

Soil conditions, sometimes they come out a very dark-grey, almost black. 🤷‍♂️

well that's odd, like you I live in central Va and the thousand or so I've dug are snow white. the other two shown are white ?

 

[VaGent]

well that's odd, like you I live in central Va and the thousand or so I've dug are snow white. the other two shown are white ?

I dug a round ball today like that, almost black, front right in this picture. I am guessing maybe it has to do with it being a whole cartridge with the black powder in the hole? I have also found bullets in water that looked like the day they were dropped...raw lead.

 

[Outrider43]

A friend took me to one of his spots today. The place had been hit pretty hard over the years, but it had never been hit with the XP Deus. Didn’t find a lot, but what we did find was deep (12” or more) and I managed to find this exploding bullet. That sure made my day.

Read an article on the introduction of exploding Civil War bullets. It confusing the soldier's in to believing they were being fired upon from multiple directions. One bullet passing an Officers chest exploded and fatally wounding him. What you have recovered is a rare and incredible find.

 

[Fullstock]

Read an article on the introduction of exploding Civil War bullets. It confusing the soldier's in to believing they were being fired upon from multiple directions. One bullet passing an Officers chest exploded and fatally wounding him. What you have recovered is a rare and incredible find.

Thank you and yes, it’s on of the rarest

I wonder why it lacks patina ? I've never dug civil war lead that wasn't white like the other bullets you're showing.
out of all the bullets I have found I've never found one like that.

They were made of a pewter/lead alloy so they would fragment better, that’s why it’s this color. Also the ground in this spot is pretty wet.

 

[Fullstock]

well that's odd, like you I live in central Va and the thousand or so I've dug are snow white. the other two shown are white ?

They are made of a pewter/lead alloy so they would fragment better, I believe that’s why they come out this color.

 

[Fullstock]

Soil conditions, sometimes they come out a very dark-grey, almost black. 🤷‍♂️

That and the fact that they are made of a pewter/lead alloy makes them this color.

 

[VaGent]

That and the fact that they are made of a pewter/lead alloy makes them this color.

Well, I learned something new! Thanks, makes sense!

 

[JohnnyMac]

A friend took me to one of his spots today. The place had been hit pretty hard over the years, but it had never been hit with the XP Deus. Didn’t find a lot, but what we did find was deep (12” or more) and I managed to find this exploding bullet. That sure made my day.

Congrats on a rare find.

 

[Fullstock]

Congrats on a rare find.

Thank you JohnnyMac

 

[Fullstock]

Love the Civil War lead. Never found one of those!

Hopefully you find one someday cmthunder.

 

[Digger70pa]

I wonder why it lacks patina ? I've never dug civil war lead that wasn't white like the other bullets you're showing.
out of all the bullets I have found I've never found one like that.

They're made of pewter not regular lead that's why they look different. They are sometimes called black bullets. I've been lucky to have a spot that produces them.

 

[ncsuwolf]

well that's odd, like you I live in central Va and the thousand or so I've dug are snow white. the other two shown are white ?

Dug a few last week, one was same gray as in the picture. Came from side of a creek (blue clay). Assuming being wet for the past 150 yrs kept it from oxidizing.

 

[Gare]

Anyone know how the exploding bullets actually worked ?

 

[Fullstock]

Anyone know how the exploding bullets actually worked ?

I’ve read that they did, but the troops thought they were too brutal and didn’t want use them.

 

[Gare]

i think they just worked like a hallow point