First bullet find!

[Wolfsburg]

Hello!

I have been into metal detecting off and on for several years but still consider myself quite an amatuer. After a period of inactivity I got a new metal detector for Christmas and have been hunting whenever the weather permits. Last week I found my first bullet and what I believe is my first CW find. I know bullet finds seem to be a dime a dozen for experienced guys, but I was very excited to find this. From what I've been able to ascertain, I believe it is for an Enfield. Does this seem correct? I am not sure what caliber it is, and don't have calipers or any other way to precisely measure it. It's definately over .50 caliber (1/2 inch). Anyone want to venture any guesses?

I'm thinking it might've been fired; I seem to see rifling marks on it, but other than a few nicks it appears to be in good shape and not deformed.

Any insights would be appreciated!

[brnn53]

Seems to be a fired Enfield. Nice 1st bullet! You're hooked now!
Mike

[civilman1]

Seems to be a fired Enfield. Nice 1st bullet! You're hooked now!
Mike

Check the base for any marking's,ie...57,L,L2 and many more.Great find and here's to many more in the future.Best of Luck

[Wolfsburg]

Thanks for the warm welcome! There are no markings that I can see.

[Tnmountains]

Welcome to T-Net. Nice civil war period enfield. They are not always marked. Great find for sure.
Happy Huntin
TnMountains

[Wolfsburg]

So what does the fact that it isn't marked indicate? Is it possible to know where it was made? I'm hoping I can find some other CW items (US or CS) near where I found this, but no luck so far. Definately more difficult than what some people make it look!

[RiverRat3]

I love finding bullets, check the area hard, I am sure there are plenty more in the area. Welcome to T-Net.

[Hutch911]

Great find! Enfield for sure the cal. is .577

[vayank54]

Welcome to Tnet. Congrats on your first civil war bullet. I've started digging in '69 and am still excited to find bullets.

[Wolfsburg]

Well, I guess I'm too much of a romantic but I can't help but wonder whatever happened to the rifle this minie ball came out of or what happened to the soldier that fired it. What was his name? Did he survive the war? Where was he from? All questions that'll never be answered...

It's interesting to hear the bullet is .577 as I own a Martini-Henry chambered in .577/.450 which was derived from the cartridge of the Snider-Enfield, which was just a cartridge conversion of the P53 Enfield that saw use in the war. Incidentally, who was the primary user of the P53 Enfield? I always thought it was used only by the CS, with the US using primarily Springfields, but I've been reading that Enfields were used by both sides? Is there any way to know if my minie ball was fired on behalf of the CS or the US? Is the lack of markings any sort of clue?

[vayank54]

Both sides did use the Enfield but most Enfield bullets are dug in confederate camps. Another thing is most of the Enfields I have dug in union camps here in VA are kind of stubby and have a shallow cavity. I don't know if this is the same with anyone else. I don't think you bullet is fired. If there are vertical lines (rifling marks) on the sides, then it has.
By the way you're not the only one who wonders about the stuff you dig. Many times when I've dug a relic I woder about how it got lost who lost it and things like that. Once in a great while you will find something that you can track down to how, why and when it is lost but the times you can do that are very rare.

[Wolfsburg]

Well, I only based the possibility that it was fired on the diagonal lines (from rifling?), the few little nicks, and the slightly deformed base, but I'm far from an expert.

[vayank54]

I can't see any rifling marks in the pic. The lead is so soft it is not uncommon to find bullets with bad scuff marks and smashed and deformed bases. It's possible it was fired but from what I can see in the pic it doesn't look like it. I'll see if I can find a bullet with rifling marks and post a pic for you.

[Wolfsburg]

I'd love to see a pic! You can see what I was referring to as rifling marks best in the first and last pics. They are two diagonal lines beneath the largest nick.

[montepollock]

quote][/quote] Well, I guess I'm too much of a romantic but I can't help but wonder whatever happened to the rifle this minie ball came out of or what happened to the soldier that fired it. What was his name? Did he survive the war? Where was he from? All questions that'll never be answered...[

That is why I became a relic hunter the dropped,and fired mini,s tell a story,maybe 2 men across a field one fumbles the other didn,t..
It is a great moment for You.
Happy Hunting,Mont

[Bill Battle]

Looks like it's been pulled.

[NorthGa.Sportsman]

What does it mean if there is a L in the bottom of an enfield bullet.I found one a few months ago with the L in the base and never checked into what that meant.

[Silverminer]

Nice find!