Musket Ball?

M

Meyerstone

Greenie
Feb 1, 2023
11
14
I am in South Central Michigan and found this metal detecting today. Any idea on what it is? Thanks in advance!
1000008774.jpg
 

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Upvote 5
Hurts my teeth to look at it.

A bloody one might get chewed by a scavenger.
Someone desperate /thirsty could chew one before the hazards of lead were more familier.
Or the ol bite on this stick in the movies before getting cut on or a bullet pried out. l.o.l..

A .50 cal. roundball gets run in two common sizes. .490-.495.
Next up is .54 cal.
A bore could be any diameter though.

Used to be around 350 of us going to shoots around MI. Probably more muzzleloading hunters.
Shoot I visited (not to shoot) last weekend was weakly attended.
And our muzzle loading seasons saw first conical bullets , then centerfires allowed.
This year any regular season guns will be allowed in the former muzzle loader only season.
Which wasn't what Pa Keeler and company wanted way back when anyways!

But roundball is a big historic part of it all.
Congrats on yours.
 

Last edited:
Looks like it is close to .75". That's in the musket size range. Chewed ones like this are sometimes found. There has been lots of speculation about the reason for the chewing, including what RC above says, that wounded soldiers bit them when being operated on, and that pigs chewed them. I tend towards the animal chewing explanation because the lead is soft for a metal but still tough on teeth and I think humans would have a hard time making the indentations I've seen in some of these balls, including the one you show. Some lead compounds are sweet tasting, which may attract biters.
 

Awesome feedback from all! Sucker was about 8" under so what/whomever was giving it the gumball treatment is long since turned to dust. Love a good treasure hunt! Cheers!
 

releventchair said:
Hurts my teeth to look at it.

A bloody one might get chewed by a scavenger.
Someone desperate /thirsty could chew one before the hazards of lead were more familier.
Or the ol bite on this stick in the movies before getting cut on or a bullet pried out. l.o.l..

A .50 cal. roundball gets run in two common sizes. .490-.495.
Next up is .54 cal.
A bore could be any diameter though.

Used to be around 350 of us going tom shoots around MI. Probably more muzzleloading hunters.
Shoot I visited (not to shoot) last weekend was weakly attended.
And our muzzle loiding seasons saw first conical bullets , then centerfires allowed.
This year any regular season guns will be allowed in the former muzzle loader only season.
Which wasn't what Pa Keeler and company wanted way back when anyways!

But roundball is a big historic part of it all.
Congrats on yours.
Click to expand...
I did read somewhere that stricken soldiers would bite on lead shot as they where being operated on without any anaesthetic and that balls have been found with teeth marks from this.
I've found hundreds of musket balls, some never fires, some battered by impact and some flattened by it but I can't say I've ever seen one with those kind of indentations. But it sure looks like a musket ball but surely no one could imprint their teeth so deeply into lead without breaking them
 

Urien of Rheged said:
I did read somewhere that stricken soldiers would bite on lead shot as they where being operated on without any anaesthetic and that balls have been found with teeth marks from this.
I've found hundreds of musket balls, some never fires, some battered by impact and some flattened by it but I can't say I've ever seen one with those kind of indentations. But it sure looks like a musket ball but surely no one could imprint their teeth so deeply into lead without breaking them
Click to expand...
I know this might be impossible to know but based on the size etc., any idea on when this ball might be from?
 

releventchair said:
Hurts my teeth to look at it.

A bloody one might get chewed by a scavenger.
Someone desperate /thirsty could chew one before the hazards of lead were more familier.
Or the ol bite on this stick in the movies before getting cut on or a bullet pried out. l.o.l..

A .50 cal. roundball gets run in two common sizes. .490-.495.
Next up is .54 cal.
A bore could be any diameter though.

Used to be around 350 of us going tom shoots around MI. Probably more muzzleloading hunters.
Shoot I visited (not to shoot) last weekend was weakly attended.
And our muzzle loiding seasons saw first conical bullets , then centerfires allowed.
This year any regular season guns will be allowed in the former muzzle loader only season.
Which wasn't what Pa Keeler and company wanted way back when anyways!

But roundball is a big historic part of it all.
Congrats on yours.
Click to expand...
Wow, that's awesome! Sad to hear it was a weak turnout. Probably a dumb question here but is it safe to handle these musket balls as they're just a chunk of lead?
 

Meyerstone said:
Wow, that's awesome! Sad to hear it was a weak turnout. Probably a dumb question here but is it safe to handle these musket balls as they're just a chunk of lead?
Click to expand...
Just wash your hands after handling and you are golden.
 

Meyerstone said:
I know this might be impossible to know but based on the size etc., any idea on when this ball might be from?
Click to expand...
Agreed with other posters, without an accurate measurement (which you cannot get based on condition), it’s hard to say. Based on pics, it’s .63 or greater. Most modern (hunting) muzzleloaders top out at .54, so not modern. Pretty sure it’s old, but can’t help much further.

By chance do you have a scale that weighs in grains? While I’m sure this has lost some weight, may be able to assign it (directionally) based on weight
 

ncsuwolf said:
Agreed with other posters, without an accurate measurement (which you cannot get based on condition), it’s hard to say. Based on pics, it’s .63 or greater. Most modern (hunting) muzzleloaders top out at .54, so not modern. Pretty sure it’s old, but can’t help much further.

By chance do you have a scale that weighs in grains? While I’m sure this has lost some weight, may be able to assign it (directionally) based on weight
Click to expand...
Sure, It tips the scale at 8 grams
 

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