Matanzas Inlet - New or Old??

[JackInFlorida]

Hi gang,

I was swinging the PI Pro at the North end of the Southern tip of Matanzas Inlet this afternoon for about two hours. I was finding so many rusty nails, pieces of some kind of fencing and worn parts of aluminum cans, that I was really starting to wonder if I was an idiot for being out there (without a discriminating MD at least).

Anyway, just about 2 feet into the surf I found this little lead ball. It is approximately 5/8" in diameter. It wasn't very deep, about 8", that is the main reason I believe it to be modern. It looks like a black powder or musket ball, although it could easily be something else.

It has a depression with some striations on one side, about the width of a pencil. I thought it might be an impact point. You can see it pretty well in the first photo, bottom right.

What do you think? Could this be a musket ball used to off some French sailor?

Jack (still in Florida)

 

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[Ascholten]

or an old fishing sinker.

Aaron

 

[JackInFlorida]

No holes though . . .

 

[Ascholten]

could be lead shot from a musket, or a shotgun shell, #2 shot or whatever number is about that size, actually that sounds more like 00 Buck.

Problem with stuff like that in an area like that it could be anything, and its hard to tell w/o some kind of markings. Im sure someone with a clue (obviously not me) will probably pipe up and put you in the right direction.

Aaron

 

[dkw]

#2 shot or whatever number is about that size, actually that sounds more like 00 Buck.
Aaron

OO buckshot is typically 33 caliber. #2 shot is around 15 caliber.

Your ball would be in the neighborhood of 62 caliber since it measures about 5/8 of an inch. That puts it about the bore diameter of a 20 gauge musket or about the right diameter for a patched load in a 16 gauge musket. I would guess that it could very easily be a projectile.


Forgot to add.......Can you get a weight on it? That might help narrow the possibilities a little.

 

[Sapper23]

jack,


I have found few of those's on the ramp, whats the weight? the ones I found
turn out to be Spanish. but in that area, everything there!! I even found coins & jewelry
dated back to the 1900's. go to the fort, they should have a display on musket balls.

good fine!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I have a modern patch and ball muzzleloader replica and the lead balls have a dimple just like yours. I will look for it to take a pic. I am not saying yours is not authentic, I just dont know.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Here is a pic of my modern muzzleloader lead ball to be used with a grease patch. The dimple looks similar to the flat spot on your center pic. The flat spot is supposed to be up when loading into the muzzle.
I dont know if that proves anything. The old balls may have also had a dimple ... I dont know.

Any experts?

 

[stefen]

Dimple could be the result of the casting mold.

 

[ivan salis]

early 1700 era common calibers ---french musket 69--- spanish musket 70--- british "brown bess" 75

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

early 1700 era common calibers ---french musket 69--- spanish musket 70--- british "brown bess" 75

I dont think they make replica muzzleloaders that large. If you could get the exact diameter with a caliper, would help to ID. Interesting find. Those large calibers must have some punch, if they hit anything.

 

[ivan salis]

the big caliber smoth bores were not highly accurate but if they hit you --you were having a bad day for sure -- most modern blackpowder hunting guns are 50 cal or 45 cal although 54 cal also used by some-- and most hunting folks use a long type mini ball slug rather than the round ball type lead shot --modern blackpower pistols are single shot 50 cal --six shooter types 45/44/36 cal mainly

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

the big caliber smoth bores were not highly accurate but if they hit you --you were having a bad day for sure -- most modern blackpowder hunting guns are 50 cal or 45 cal although 54 cal also used by some-- and most hunting folks use a long type mini ball slug rather than the round ball type lead shot --modern blackpower pistols are single shot 50 cal --six shooter types 45/44/36 cal mainly

I know. If this find is over .54 cal., it may be old. Most modern hunters use a mini ball type slug under .54 cal. but I still use .45 patch and ball as pictured. Put a caliper on it and we will know the diameter/caliber of this find and will help ID I believe.

 

[ivan salis]

lets see he says about 5/8 of an inch "across" that is about .625 of an inch or 63 or so cal --- so a bit big for a modern gun ---- 50 cal is 1/2 inch -- .500 --- 54 cal is .540 --anything above 54 cal is normally old stuff --- I black powder deer hunt --so I know the commonly used calibers of today--plus few modern black powder hunters use round ballammo --most used mini ball slug type lead or rather modern looking saboted bullets