✅ SOLVED Is this a 3 ringer?

adalabama

Jr. Member
Jun 15, 2013
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Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
]I found it in Lee Cty Alabama. Dont know why it would be here if it is one. It obviously hit something, Im hoping not a body. :dontknow:

bullet.jpg
 

looks like one --but not civil war * post civil war (1873) trapdoor type 45 /70 type round is much more likely --the lack of a hollow base , and outside "standing " grooves" rather than" cut into" the body type grooves means post civil war type of "cartridge type" but still blackpowder type round so post civil war cartridge round "bullet" --pre smokeless era most likely. Spanish American war or sooner --1900ish or sooner
 

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What's the measurement across its base? Is it hollow? From the photo it looks more like a post Civil War bullet to me.
 

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It looks like a wad cutter, but it may be SpanAm era military. Not civil war however.
 

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Adalabama wrote:
> Is this a 3-ringer [bullet]?

The following is intended only as helpful, Educational information.

The answer to your question is no. The generic name "3-ringer" is the relic-hunters' nickname which is applied only to civil war era Minie-ball bullets (or reproductions of them) which have 3 grooves encircling the Minie-ball's body. Your bullet doesn't have 3 grooves (or rings).

Also... Minie-balls are bullets for Muzzleloading rifles. All varieties of Minie-balls have a "significantly large" cavity in their base. Your bullet's base appears to not have a base-cavity, so it isn't a Minie-ball. Your bullet's lack of a base-cavity means it was made for use in a Breechloader firearm.

If you can borrow a Digital Caliper to precisely measure your bullet's diameter, in hundredths-of-an-inch, we might be able to identify it for you. For the moment, all I can be certain about regarding its ID is that it does not resemble any pre-1866 bullet.
 

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