Help with musket ball

[FlHistoryMedic711]

I found this is at my Native American site and was wondering if anyone could tell me if it is an older musket ball or a newer one, or how to tell the difference? It seems a little larger than I would have expected but when I hit it with my detector it sounds off. The area I hunt is near Lake Santa Fe. Thank you

 

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[godisnum1]

I don't believe it's a modern musket shot...

Bran <><

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[FlHistoryMedic711]

It seems like it is a little bigger than most of the ones I have seen online. I checked to see if it was magnetic and it was not. I do not know of any battles or anything that took place in the swamps around Lake Santa Fe.

 

[Jon Phillips]

The standard caliber for U.S. issued smooth bore muskets was .69....that's a very large musketball. Rifle balls tend to be in the .30's range for civilian and Seminole use, and .58 for military rifles, although there are variations, as well as pistol calibers that vary.

Those are for the first and second Seminole Wars period. Not sure of Spanish calibers at the moment, and Third Seminole War period added even more variants, including minnie balls in some instances.

 

[FlHistoryMedic711]

I will try to find an electronic caliper of some kind and measure it. I was not sure if it were modern or possibly a canister shot or something. I know Starke had civil war history and the area is very close to Starke. I am trying to find someone who could look at it and tell me their thoughts. Thanks again.

 

[FlHistoryMedic711]

The standard caliber for U.S. issued smooth bore muskets was .69....that's a very large musketball. Rifle balls tend to be in the .30's range for civilian and Seminole use, and .58 for military rifles, although there are variations, as well as pistol calibers that vary.

Those are for the first and second Seminole Wars period. Not sure of Spanish calibers at the moment, and Third Seminole War period added even more variants, including minnie balls in some instances.

Sorry for the dumb question. Were you stating the one I have in my possession is a big musket ball or that .69 is a big musket ball? I tried to put a tape measure to it and its shy of an inch. I would say maybe 3/4" from the flat side to the rounded side.

 

[gunsil]

There is no way to positively date a musket (or round) ball. Cannister or grape shot was iron. Yours shows the white oxide of lead. Round balls came in a plethora of sizes. They were made in all sizes of shotgun gauges and there were many different caliber smooth bore and rifled rifles or muskets brought here by immigrants as well as those made here. There were also pistols that ranged up to around .75 caliber (3/4"), so you will never know exactly what it was used as. The lead oxide builds up over time and eventually seals the lead from further corrosion so that a ball that is 150 years old is indiscernable from one that is 200 years old. In some enviroments the oxide can reach maximum thickness in 100 years or less. Even if one is found near an old battle site one cannot tell if it were from a military use or was used by a hunter before or after the battle occurred. You have found an old round ball and any conclusions as to usage or age is merely conjecture. Some folks are enthusiastic about finding them, after my first few I kept they go in the melting pot for fishing sinkers.

 

[YankeeDownSouthAdv.]

I will try to find an electronic caliper of some kind and measure it. I was not sure if it were modern or possibly a canister shot or something. I know Starke had civil war history and the area is very close to Starke. I am trying to find someone who could look at it and tell me their thoughts. Thanks again.

I believe we sell electronic ones at home depot.

 

[Jon Phillips]

Sorry for the dumb question. Were you stating the one I have in my possession is a big musket ball or that .69 is a big musket ball? I tried to put a tape measure to it and its shy of an inch. I would say maybe 3/4" from the flat side to the rounded side.

I was saying that .69 is a big musket ball....I typed all that on my phone, so I'm surprised it wasn't even more confusing!

 

[YankeeDownSouthAdv.]

did ya find the measuring device yet?