Can I target musket balls?

[BrettCo124]

Hi all,

I have permission to detect on a known revolutionary war battlefield ground. There used to be an old tavern there they would all go to and drink at. The land i can detect on is pretty large. Problem is, it is FULL of iron pieces, rusty stuff, and also glass.

The glass fragments are large, thick pieces, which leads me to believe the grounds could still be unaltered since the 1700s. However, I once pulled a jar out that dated to the early 1900s... so I’m stumped.

I’m getting to my point now...

My minelab Safari just goes absolutely nuts on everything at this site. Much of the rusty iron and trash rings up as good signals such as silver and coins, so I am at a complete loss of what to do here. The machine signals non stop. I know I could use a smaller coil, but it’s still going to cause me to dig up too much trash because it’s ringing up as a good signal.

Do I forget about this amazing opportunity at this site? Or, can I do something such as strictly target musket balls? If I found one single musket ball, id go absolutely crazy in excitement, knowing I did a good job in locating and confirming an actual good area for the first time ever. Plus finding my very first relic. I’d be at a loss of words.

I’d love to strictly target musket balls here at this site. Do you think that would help? If so, do you know what settings (and what notches I should keep) that would signal a musket ball? For example, “39” is a good indicator of silver when using the safari. Is there a Number for musket balls?

Perhaps that would help keep me sane out there, because it’s enough to just want to call it after 15 minutes to be honest.

Thanks all.

 

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[Jason in Enid]

yes you can. If the iron is as bad as you say, its not going to be perfect, but you can ignore most of it. First step is to get a few examples of the musket balls used in the time frame of the area and test them for response. I don't know your detector so I can't give you specific area of response to focus on. Iron falses are most often up in the coin range (at least they are on my detector). So if you focus on the midrange area that your test balls read, that shoudl get you most of them without most of the junk.

 

[BrettCo124]

Great advice. Thanks so much. I’m going to purchase a couple musket balls on eBay or something so I can do a test and see. I hope to be able to find something.

Do I need to be where skirmishes/battlefields were in order to find relics from the wars?

 

[smokeythecat]

You can also substitute fishing sinkers for your test. I don't think you're using the correct machine. A Fisher F-75, XP Deus or about any Tesoro will do the job. Other machines I can't testify to as I have not used them. I detected Brandywine a long time ago. Really did well and was using a Tesoro Lobo, the old version at the time. You will want to dig the more solid iron targets, as they fired a lot of cannon iron canister and grapeshot back then. And no, don't give it up. Digging a Rev battlefield is a rare thing.

 

[Peyton Manning]

the correct question is " May I target musket balls?"

yes you may

 

[smokeythecat]

Jeff, isn't it nap time yet?

 

[Peyton Manning]

excellent idea Smokey

 

[smokeythecat]

Me too. Nap time.

 

[BrettCo124]

Thanks, Fishing sinker it is! I’m not giving up on it just yet. It’s just absolutely littered with trash so it’s tough. But that’s part of the job.

The safari is known to be a great relic machine, so I wouldn’t want to change out of one relic machine to another if I don’t have to.

Thanks for the permission Jeff! Still wondering, if I decided to not check a known battlefield area, do you still run in to musket balls and relics from the war? It’s tough to grasp my mind around it. I feel like you would need to be right there where it happened, and anything else would be a long shot.

 

[sprailroad]

I just fired up my Safari, in a air test, a musket and pistol ball had a high tone with a 33-34 reading in the Relic mode, a small coil WOULD be a great help, getting a couple of round lead sinkers is a really good idea. Having said all that, it's still a tough one, still, it sounds like a site really worth working, very best of luck to you BrettCo.

 

[Underwonder]

I have found lead balls in the oddest places and in isolation and of varied sizes. I am not positive that they are musket balls but they are always interesting to find. Mine were most likely not used in battle. I went searching the other day in a possible battle area, and like you, searched specifically for musket balls, but only found recent hunting shots. Happy "hunting"! So far in my detecting hobby when I am looking for something specific, I come up short and disappointed. When I go for fun and with an open mind I get more excited and find interesting items!

 

[BrettCo124]

Thank you both so much! And thanks for checking that out with your detector! That saved me some money from having to buy musket balls. So, would that safari reading change depending on depth? Or does that not affect the readings? I actually never tested that out, so I don’t know...

I am looking forward to getting out there and checking on Sunday morning. I hope to find something. I will let you know if I do!

 

[sprailroad]

Again, it's a tough one to call Brett, as far as depth?, I do not really look at that, it could be on, near or way off, depends on size of target etc, it's a feature you can't really go by, the numbers readings?, again, they are seldom solid, they will jump around a bit, the numbers are an aid, and I do look at them, but as a reference, in the relic mode, nickels at about 15, but have been as low as 11 & 12, they may have been at an angle, deeper, shallow....penny's at 38 for silver, laying on top of the ground. It's the tone, example, a 14 around a mid sounding tone area, (The Safari being a "flute" like sounding machine) nickel, sinker, some pull tabs (gold rings), 14 at a very High tone, Bottle cap, can slaw, almost always, (key word, "almost", their have been surprises) FBS machines do not fare well on air test for depth, the air test is more for the "sound" of the target, in the ground, there will be other noises, because of iron, but listen for that little bit of mid tone area, one day it just "clicked" for me with this Safari, and you will dig junk, nothing is fool proof, I could be a prime example of that. If you ONLY want musket balls, get a couple of larger round fishing sinkers, and discrim. everything else out. You just have to go out and do it, there's no easy way, but we keep at it because, "You never know".

 

[BrettCo124]

Thanks for the really detailed advice. I appreciate it. I’m definitely learning the safari, and will continue to learn from it. I’ve been pretty good with knowing the sounds it produces. This will help me in finding more relics. I appreciate it. If there is no rain this weekend, I’m heading out and will let you know if I find anything good!

 

[Tpmetal]

You can also substitute fishing sinkers for your test. I don't think you're using the correct machine. A Fisher F-75, XP Deus or about any Tesoro will do the job. Other machines I can't testify to as I have not used them. I detected Brandywine a long time ago. Really did well and was using a Tesoro Lobo, the old version at the time. You will want to dig the more solid iron targets, as they fired a lot of cannon iron canister and grapeshot back then. And no, don't give it up. Digging a Rev battlefield is a rare thing.

MY Grandmother lives in Kennate square, ive always wanted to detect brandywine and just about any property down there,

 

[BrettCo124]

Probably some amazing finds around there! Can’t wait to finally find my first relic from a war