Help With An Odd Mini Ball

[Fullstock]

I dug this in an area of heavy fighting during the Civil War, along with other war related items. Is this a Civil War mini ball or one of the modern ones? The different type of rings and the deep flat base throw me. It does appear to be .58 caliber. Thanks for your help.

 

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[FloodcityTom]

Looks like it was "pulled" or wormed due to the ring aroud the top, also you might try cleaning the flatened top a bit better, you might find a small hole. Soldiers had a small screw like devise that fit on the ram rod to "pull" loaded bullets. Often when they ended picket or guard duty, but sometimes during a rain when the powder got wet and didn't discharge during a battle. It could be that the soft lead fragmented when he cranked down on the "worm" it went too far in and damaged the end. Either way you just might be on a picket post or bivoac site, either of which can yield up more relics than a large 'hunted out' camp. Good luck

 

[Fullstock]

Looks like it was "pulled" or wormed due to the ring aroud the top, also you might try cleaning the flatened top a bit better, you might find a small hole. Soldiers had a small screw like devise that fit on the ram rod to "pull" loaded bullets. Often when they ended picket or guard duty, but sometimes during a rain when the powder got wet and didn't discharge during a battle. It could be that the soft lead fragmented when he cranked down on the "worm" it went too far in and damaged the end. Either way you just might be on a picket post or bivoac site, either of which can yield up more relics than a large 'hunted out' camp. Good luck

No hole in the end, so it actually looks like a hard ram, but the base is very different from any mini ball I’ve dug before, and I’ve dug thousands of them over the last 43 years.

 

[Tony in SC]

Looks like the real deal. I see the ramrod marks and the impression could be from a worm or being fired?

 

[FloodcityTom]

There were 58 cal 3 ringers which had a wooden plug on the end....The wooden plug long since gone due to time??

 

[Fullstock]

There were 58 cal 3 ringers which had a wooden plug on the end....The wooden plug long since gone due to time??

I’ve never heard of mini balls with a wooden plug, just Enfield bullets. I’ll check that out, thanks!

 

[Fullstock]

I can find no reference to a wood lug three ring mini ball, only Enfield. Anybody give me a reference to one?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Actually, there are several varieties of .58 Minie-bullets which had a "plug" or cylindrical or "cup" cavity. Doesn't mean they used a wooden plug in the base cavity. See the McKee-&-Mason book for bullets #350, 368, 407, and 423 (which does have a wood plug, as shown in the book's photo).

 

[Fullstock]

Actually, there are several varieties of .58 Minie-bullets which had a "plug" or cylindrical or "cup" cavity. Doesn't mean they used a wooden plug in the base cavity. See the McKee-&-Mason book for bullets #350, 368, 407, and 423 (which does have a wood plug, as shown in the book's photo).

Thanks Cannonballguy, so do you think this is a period mini ball?

 

[fyrffytr1]

In researching your bullet I found something interesting. While it has may have nothing to do with your bullet it does bring up a question about Enfields and 3 ringers. According to the book "Ready...Aim...Fire! Small Arms Ammunition in the Battle of Gettysburg" by Dean S. Thomas the I Corps, Army of the Potomac which was the first infantry corp to reach the battlefield on July 1st was issued .54, .57, .58 and .69 caliber ammunition. There were 4 varieties of the .58 that were of such a dimension that they could be and were used in both .577 cal. Enfield rifled muskets and .58 cal. Springfield rifled muskets.
So how does one tell the difference between one of these bullets and a regular .58 cal. one? And, would the three ringers be plugged like the Enfields?

 

[Tony in SC]

After looking at the divet in the nose I think it may be a casting defect?

Looks like the real deal. I see the ramrod marks and the impression could be from a worm or being fired?