Little Spheres?

[frostygorillaz]

I assume that these aren't musket balls, but what are they? I've come across them over the years detecting in my backyard. They're diameter is a little less than the diameter of a dime, and they all have a seam and small protrusion on them maybe made by the mold or cast? Anyone know?

Thanks for the help.

Nick

 

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[AlabamaDigger]

Are the lead or steal ?

 

[Breezie]

They may be rock crusher balls. Breezie

 

[Critical Recovery]

What makes you think they are NOT musket balls?

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Look like musket balls to me. Or at least smoothbore balls. That's what I deer hunt with.




But they don't look like they spent much time in the dirt. Mine turn white in a few years (I detect and recycle my spent balls).

A dime width would be .70 caliber. Mine (in the image) is 0.662", or 16 gauge. The ball weighs one ounce (16 to the pound = 16 gauge).

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Like my esteemed colleague Charlie P, I've made Reproduction cast lead musketballs in a bulletmold. Your photo shows exactly what they look like when they come out of the bulletmold after the sprue-cutter has done its work.

Pure-lead (100% lead) oxidizes faster than various lead alloys do. Since your Reproduction musketballs have been out in the yard-dirt for a good bit of time but haven't oxidized, they must be a solder-like alloy. Perhaps when lead solder got outlawed, a previous occupant of your house decided to salvage his now-useless lead solder by making musketballs ...and the kids wound up playing with them in the yard. That's just a theory, of course, but it's the best I can do to explain your finding a bunch of old but non-oxidized Repro musketballs in your yard.

 

[taz42o]

People use the same balls for slingshots.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

I buy modern factory made round ball for my .50 cal, and my .44 that look exactly like that. They are made of modern alloy and don't oxidize like antique pure lead balls do. I have a bunch of them in my yard too due to an incident with a pocket, a washing machine, and a clothes line.

Without knowing the exact size, being " little less than the diameter of a dime" I'd say my first thought would be .54 cal. It's a pretty common bore for repro muzzle loaders.

 

[frostygorillaz]

Thanks for all the good info guys!

 

[JohnChase1989]

That was my guess, a reproduction musket ball, after it was poured into the mold that small raised circle is the slot you pour the led through, then open the mold and there it is, but I'm guessing they didn't file down the excess after it was removed from the mold....... My best guess, hope that helps