Another Exploding Bullet and other CW Finds...

RiverRat3

Bronze Member
Apr 1, 2009
1,360
419
Maryland
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Minelab CTX3030
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Finally all the snow is gone and the weather has been nice in Maryland. I was able to get out for a couple of hunts this weekend since I was able to get a kitchen pass. Trying to get as many hunts as I can since my wife is due with out little girl this May. Went back to an area I found an Exploding Bullet this past fall and was lucky enough to be rewarded with another one. I use a Safari detector and usually know what sound it makes with lead but since the Exploding bullet is made from pewter it was a totally different tone. When I flipped the plug and saw the bullet I immediately new what it was. It definitely made my day. I also found my oldest coin to date, 1906 Indian Head. I was hoping the coin to be CW era but I take what I can get. Found a few bullets, William's cleaner, Sharps Carbine and two flat buttons. Thanks for reading and Happy Hunting. I posted a picture of both my Exploding bullets next to each other for comparison. The one I found this weekend is not in as good of a condition as the one I found this past fall.
 

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Tnmountains

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Jan 27, 2009
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South East Tennessee on Ga, Ala line
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Why that is as cool as it gets. Nice hunt. I was not aware of such a bullet? I learn every day on here.
Nice finds!!
TnMtns
 

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RiverRat3

RiverRat3

Bronze Member
Apr 1, 2009
1,360
419
Maryland
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TnMountains said:
Why that is as cool as it gets. Nice hunt. I was not aware of such a bullet? I learn every day on here.
Nice finds!!
TnMtns

If it was not for this website then I would have never known I had an exploding bullet. I read this everyday just to learn new things.
 

VOL1266-X

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Jan 10, 2007
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Northern Middle Tennessee
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Another great and rare recovery RR3!!! I have never found one. I was not aware of pewter content but thought the bullet was lead cast over a copper insert. WTG and I would certainly go back there and look for another. HH.
 

Old River

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Dec 15, 2007
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Texas, Old River Winfree
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Wow, some nice finds. Congrats.....
 

Dirtfish

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Dec 27, 2009
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That's not an exploding bullet!! It's still in one piece!!.........Joke.....Very cool finds.I love finding anything CW era.
 

collector01

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Mar 7, 2008
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snow hill, MD
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Congrats on another exploding bullet looks like you had a great hunt! :thumbsup:
 

jimjoy

Newbie
Dec 28, 2007
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0
Maryland
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Great find. You seem to be the lucky one in the group. Could there be more where that came from? Best of luck with future hunts.
 

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RiverRat3

RiverRat3

Bronze Member
Apr 1, 2009
1,360
419
Maryland
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Relic Hunting
VOL1266-X said:
Another great and rare recovery RR3!!! I have never found one. I was not aware of pewter content but thought the bullet was lead cast over a copper insert. WTG and I would certainly go back there and look for another. HH.

I think you are right, dont know to much about them other then info I got off the net, thanks.
 

ringfinder

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Nov 9, 2005
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Nice assortment of finds.

The story about the exploding bullets is when they were first invented, they were passed out to soldiers. One such soldier had 40 exploding bullets in his cartridge box. The box was hit by a bullet and he was killed instantly, but the bullets kept exploding until they were all gone, over an hour later!

Other soldiers heard what happened to the poor soul who had 40 rounds of exploding bullets in his cartridge box and they quickly threw theirs away. So that is why you find them intact.

My buddy found one in Virginia a year ago and several other people asked him where he found it, they hunted the same place and 5 more of them were found the same day.

HH, Ringfinder
 

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RiverRat3

RiverRat3

Bronze Member
Apr 1, 2009
1,360
419
Maryland
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Relic Hunting
ringfinder said:
Nice assortment of finds.

The story about the exploding bullets is when they were first invented, they were passed out to soldiers. One such soldier had 40 exploding bullets in his cartridge box. The box was hit by a bullet and he was killed instantly, but the bullets kept exploding until they were all gone, over an hour later!

Other soldiers heard what happened to the poor soul who had 40 rounds of exploding bullets in his cartridge box and they quickly threw theirs away. So that is why you find them intact.

My buddy found one in Virginia a year ago and several other people asked him where he found it, they hunted the same place and 5 more of them were found the same day.

HH, Ringfinder
Thanks for the information, its very interesting. I wouldn't want to carry them either. So far the exploding bullets are my best metal detecting finds. I am sure there are some more out there. I would not mind finding a few more. I did hear stories about troops aiming at cartridge boxes using the exploding bullets to ignite the ammo. Thanks again.
 

Sim_Player

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Jan 12, 2010
135
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Camano Island, Wa
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Sounds like an old wives tale to me.

A bullet impacting a sack of even 1000 would not trigger a 40 min chain reaction, if any.

It's the kind of story that troops would tell the new guys in the field.

I'll bet the exploding bullets were just in the experimental stages and were being sent to the battlefield for trials.

Awesome find though!!!!

Jim
 

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