✅ SOLVED Old Bullet and Lead Shot Help

[Aleisters]

Today I had the chance to go treasure hunting in my parents barn. The barn was built in 1861. I found many things pulling up some floor boards, cleaning out trash etc. I found a few bullets and some lead shot that I know nothing about. The two tiny bullets measure between 4 and 5 mm in diameter (my eyes arent as good as they used to be) and the end of the case is marked with a U. The larger bullet measures 7mm in diameter and is marked US. At first I thought the lead shot were old fishing weights until I looked closer, they are approx. 9 mm. Any info would be great, they all look to have some age to them but I have no clue.

 

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[Gunrunner61]

Imho the two small rounds are .22 shorts the larger one is a .22 long or long rifle, the "U" I think stands for United metallic cartridge Co.
just my .2 cents worth.

P.S.
4-5mm =.22ins. 7mm= approx .25ins and 9mm = approx .35ins

 

[NOLA_Ken]

The bigger bullet I'm betting is a .32 Colt or Smith and Wesson rimfire. It's made by US Cartridge Company of Lowell Mass. They were in business from 1869 until 1927. If you could post the length of the cartridge that would help ID it more accurately.

The round ball are most likely home made buckshot, here's a list of buckshot sizes for modern production.

#0000	Buck	5.51 g (85 gr.)	9.40 mm (0.380")
#000	Buck	4.54 g (70 gr.)	9.14 mm (0.360")
#00	Buck	3.49 g (53.8 gr.)	8.38 mm (0.330")
#0	Buck	3.18 g (49 gr.)	8.13 mm (0.320")

The other 2 as Gunrunner said are .22 short made by Union Metallic Cartridge Co.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

As NOLA_Ken said, the United States Cartridge Company existed from 1869 to 1925. At first, that company's "US" marking on its cartridges was made in "raised" letters. The "indented" US lettering dates from the mid-1880s onward. To give you a specific identity for that cartridge, we need very-exact measurement of its cylindrical body (not the flared rim on its base), and its full length.

As NOLA_Ken also said, your two small cartridges, marked with an "indented" letter U, were made by the Union Metallic Catridge Company. It was founded in 1867 and was in business under that name until 1912, when the UMC Co. was purchased by Remington. The "indented" U marking dates from the mid-1880s onward.

 

[Aleisters]

Thanks for all the great information. The small bullets measure 5.5mm not including the ring at the bottom and 14mm long. The larger bullet measures 7.9mm and is a hair under 3cm long. I didnt remember ever seeing tiny bullets like these and was just curious about their history. As soon as I hear back from you guys I will post the entire weekend finds from the barn in Todays Finds. Thanks again!

 

[NOLA_Ken]

without a very precise measurement of the cartridge there's no way I can say for sure which one it is, the differences between them are very slight. Either way, it's still a pretty neat find as far as old bullets go.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

In my opinion, the closest caliber match-up for a cartridge which measures 7.9 millimeters in diameter is a .32 caliber.

I can't find an exact match for a .32-caliber bullet which has a single wide raised band around its body. However, there is a very similar-looking .42-caliber rimfire bullet for the Forehand & Wadsworth pistol, made from the mid-1870s through 1890. During the same time-period, that company also made a rimfire .32 pistol, so unless somebody posts a better match-up, I think your indented-US-mark .32 rimfire cartridge bullet is for that .32 F&W pistol.

 

[Aleisters]

Thanks again guys, I tried to do the research before I came here and couldnt figure anything out. I still cant find an image on the net of these bullets even though I know what they are!? I found everything from a Confederate War Bond in an old frame to a Chuck-e-Cheeses token in the barn. It kind of felt like opening a multi generation time capsule. Cant wait to get a MD out there to check the nearby land.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Here's a photo, the bullet in the center is a .32 Smith, and looks almost identical to yours. Unfortunately the person who posted this pic didn't mention what brand the bullet is.