What kind of bullet is this? Is it CW?

Ace 350

Full Member
Apr 8, 2013
239
350
Knoxville, TN
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Gold
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I found this on a farm today. I don't know if it has any CW history or not. Anyways, what kind of bullet is this? image.jpg
 

Upvote 0

goldnrelics

Hero Member
Apr 1, 2013
708
245
Northern Virginia
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Cortés, Tejón, Cibola, Cutlass II, Garrett Pro-Pointer, Killer Bee's
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
mini ball could be colonial or civil war who knows good find
 

gunsil

Silver Member
Dec 27, 2012
3,863
6,204
lower hudson valley, N.Y.
Detector(s) used
safari, ATPro, infinium, old Garrett BFO, Excal, Nox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
mini ball could be colonial or civil war who knows good find

It is most certainly not a minie ball. Minie balls are conical shaped projectiles with concave hollow bases. What Ace has is a round ball, either a piece of buckshot or pistol size, or possibly from a squirrel rifle although the exact diameter is not known. Or it could be a split shot sinker for fishing, the photo isn't that good but almost looks like it has the line of a split shot sinker crossing it. Age is indeterminable since lead gets the white oxide on it which then seals the lead so it doesn't oxidize past a certain point. It could be two hundred years old or it could be 60 years old, no real way to tell.
 

Davers

Gold Member
Jan 8, 2013
8,127
7,147
N.of , I-285...GA
Detector(s) used
Whites Spc xlt & Tesoro Tejon- Now back ...Fisher 1266-X. TRX Pointer. New .Teknetics G2 + . New AT Pro .
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I could be wrong.

While I have Much Imput on this thread ; I just type too Slow & tend to rant to say it all.

True Def, not a Minie Ball as it was named after it,s Designer C. Minie & as Gunsil said Conical in shape W, several types of hollow Bases.

Exact Diameter Will be needed to be sure

The Picture Does kinda look like "Pack Man" With a mouth on one side. but it could be an indention from almost anything.

Patina is hard to go by indeed but in my experience the more modern larger cal, round 'shot' does not display as much patina as period ' Shot' does & that goes for fishing sinkers as well. Maybe the lead Composition is diff, in later shot and sinkers.

Someone like The Cannon Ball Guy Wii have WAY better info than I.

IMO I'm 80% sure it's a Round Ball From CW Period ,( if not a sinker) lol
Also IMO It has the right look to it . Tho I may be wrong

Small cal, Round balls Always have been a pain for me to ID, esp if fired.
I usually go by where it was found , Diameter & the look of the Lead/ Patina.

IMO It Seems Folks went almost Strait to Shotguns For their hunting Purposes after the Civil War cause after the minie & other types of CW era Bullets I find mostly Shot Gun Brass Heads that date late1800 s - begin 1900 s . Then is 22s of all sorts Short ,long long rifle.

Est, 95% of the early Cast Lead 38,45,Cal, Bullets that I dig Don.t have much patina at all.

Good Luck Out There
Davers
 

Last edited:

goldnrelics

Hero Member
Apr 1, 2013
708
245
Northern Virginia
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Cortés, Tejón, Cibola, Cutlass II, Garrett Pro-Pointer, Killer Bee's
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
well, i think it's a marble. from 1952-65
 

Davers

Gold Member
Jan 8, 2013
8,127
7,147
N.of , I-285...GA
Detector(s) used
Whites Spc xlt & Tesoro Tejon- Now back ...Fisher 1266-X. TRX Pointer. New .Teknetics G2 + . New AT Pro .
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
well, i think it's a marble. from 1952-65

I don't think Lead Ball's would make good Marbles , but what do I know..

Or were you Kidding..LOL
 

Dwight S

Hero Member
Apr 26, 2010
558
70
NC
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT-Pro & White's TDI & Tesoro Compass uMax
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Looks like a "buck" from a Buck & Ball load. The Buck & Ball consisted of a large 69 cal ball & three bucks. It is essentially a soldier's shot gun load from CW period. I've found several on a battlefield in Virginia.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top