Question about musketballs?

[damz68]

I have always wondered how one knows if the musketball they have found was used in battle or just hunting? Not that it would take away from the historical value of the find. It just seems that when one finds a musketball they automatically assume it was used in battle when for many many years we used them to bring home dinner. Even today people still hunt with muskets, it may be a differant caliber.

I guess I just wonder how authentic our finds are. Is there any way to prove it was used in battle and not hunting?

 

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[hollowpointred]

other that the location of where you are hunting, i would say there is no way of telling. if you are hunting in an area where no battles were ever fought, its probably safe to say that its not from a battle, and probably from a hunting trip or something.on the other hand,if you are on an old battle field, its more than likely.

 

[Digginman]

I don't look for fired bullets, myself (even though I find them). I like finding the most pristine dropped bullets I can find.

DM

 

[Tourezrick]

When you get down to it, battle is just another form of hunting. Most modern balls seem to be 40, 45, 50, 54 cal.. Old balls are small (sub 40 cal) to save on expensive lead and powder, or huge military balls (62, 69, 72, 75 cal.). Which goes to prove that the govt. has always been wasteful with our money. After all, how many rounds was it estimated shot per kill in most 'modern' wars? 100,000 + I remember seeing.

Make love, not war, you'll like the way it feels more!

Tourezrick

 

[Night Stalker]

[size=14pt[font=papyrus]The older ones seem to be more white in color and have a thin crust on them.[/font]][/size]

 

[stoney56]

I'd say too that finding other things like parts of powder flasks, buttons, percussion caps, mini balls as well as musketballs all help to determine whether there's been a skirmish at a particular site.

 

[Tourezrick]

I have a few .490 and .72 cal balls from my living history days, shooting a percussion Hawken replica and a flint NW Trade gun. They are about 23 years old, and all have lead oxide coating in them. The .72's were selfcast, the .490's were storebought and they all oxidize equally. Great fun making the gear, dressing the part, rondyvoo, throwing the hawk and knife, blackpowder hunts in buckskins. Glad I have MD'ing to fill the gap. Was an Illinois FreeTrapper, name was "Boudins".

Tourezrick

 

[Gribnitz]

Well, it isn't always a "battle". Firing practice, boredom, molding bullets...there are a lot of reasons to find them besides a battle site. As far as telling whats military and whats civilian, the military ones are generally pretty darn big. The squirrel rifles were tiny balls, the military used huge caliber, .54, .58, .69...big hunks of lead. If you find round balls, you'll usually come across minies as well, which is a sure sign. If you find one, do a little research and you may be suprised what you find in the history of the area.