OutdoorAdv
Bronze Member
- Apr 16, 2013
- 2,457
- 3,350
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- 1
- Detector(s) used
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XP Deus,
GPX 4500,
Equinox 800,
AT Max
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
I got out on Saturday (12/5) to do some digging and the iron stole the show. It was 25 degrees out when I started at sunrise with everything covered in frost. I dug two pieces of iron and on the third iron signal I listened to it for a bit, then kept going and decided to save that signal for some other time. I walked 5 steps and thought to myself 'its cold out here and I need to dig this iron to stay warm', so I turned back around, relocated it and dug the plug. When I popped the plug out, this bayonet was just laying on its side directly in the center. I couldn't believe what I was seeing... I wish I took an insitu picture, but I snatched it right up I was so excited. I fired off a "you got to be kidding me, another bayonet" text to a couple people! Its great to start a hunt like this because everything else you find is just icing on the cake.
Since I had found that Springfield War of 1812 bayonet 2 months ago, I have recently looked at 100's of pictures of bayonets. Because the end of the socket had a complete raised lip on it, and it was to a very large caliber barrel, I immediately thought "Brown Bess" as soon as I saw it in the dirt. I emailed a bayonet expert, the creator of and webmaster of worldbayonets.com, for a second opinion. I'm still waiting to hear back and will update this post with the results when I do, but I am fairly sure about what it is.
Bayonet Experts email:
"I am still digging out from my backlogged email. I think that you have it nailed. It's a Brown Bess socket bayonet. By the look of it, Revolutionary War Period. Hard to say for sure, but it looks regulation vs. a one-off copy, so probably British manufacture."
Unfortunately this bayonet was not in as good of condition as the War of 1812 (http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/478114-complete-colonial-shoe-buckle-springfield-1810-bayonet-1819-lc-more.html) one I dug. It was in wet soil and was heavily pitted so no stamps or marks we left on it. I did electrolysis on it and monitored it closely so I could remove it as quickly as possible. Then it got a hot wax boil to complete the preservation. It appears to be cut short and re-tapered... definitely modified... maybe for digging or something.
A few feet from the bayonet I got a brass musket forend cap with wood still in it. I originally thought the barrel groove was of a smaller caliber, but once I got my calipers on it I realized that it was nearly 0.8". Meaning it could have been to a 69 caliber smooth bore musket and still had enough barrel clearance. Additionally, it could be to a 58 caliber rifled Enfield with a thicker barrel.
*If anyone out there has found a Enfield forend cap, I'd be interested if you could comment on the dimensions of the barrel groove in the cap. (Isaac... this means you! haha)
I also found what I think is a brass part to a wooden ramrod, but have not had any luck finding a picture of a matching one online. It still has the wood in it and appears to be crushed onto itself.
Here's the rest of the haul from Saturday.
I've found dozens of teeth in my plugs here. Mostly from the trash pits, but these two are huge!
Anyone know what this round reed thing is? Much like a harmonica reed, but obviously round, with two reeds and the size of a quarter. Wondering what sort of instrument this went to.
And the iron for the day. After the third target was a bayonet, I just kept digging it.
Nothing too great showed up, but on the left I seperated out some of the pieces I will zap this winter. Some nice colonial hinge pieces and a cool large forged nail and half a horse bit.
Thanks for looking and happy hunting everyone!
Since I had found that Springfield War of 1812 bayonet 2 months ago, I have recently looked at 100's of pictures of bayonets. Because the end of the socket had a complete raised lip on it, and it was to a very large caliber barrel, I immediately thought "Brown Bess" as soon as I saw it in the dirt. I emailed a bayonet expert, the creator of and webmaster of worldbayonets.com, for a second opinion. I'm still waiting to hear back and will update this post with the results when I do, but I am fairly sure about what it is.
Bayonet Experts email:
"I am still digging out from my backlogged email. I think that you have it nailed. It's a Brown Bess socket bayonet. By the look of it, Revolutionary War Period. Hard to say for sure, but it looks regulation vs. a one-off copy, so probably British manufacture."
Unfortunately this bayonet was not in as good of condition as the War of 1812 (http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/478114-complete-colonial-shoe-buckle-springfield-1810-bayonet-1819-lc-more.html) one I dug. It was in wet soil and was heavily pitted so no stamps or marks we left on it. I did electrolysis on it and monitored it closely so I could remove it as quickly as possible. Then it got a hot wax boil to complete the preservation. It appears to be cut short and re-tapered... definitely modified... maybe for digging or something.
A few feet from the bayonet I got a brass musket forend cap with wood still in it. I originally thought the barrel groove was of a smaller caliber, but once I got my calipers on it I realized that it was nearly 0.8". Meaning it could have been to a 69 caliber smooth bore musket and still had enough barrel clearance. Additionally, it could be to a 58 caliber rifled Enfield with a thicker barrel.
*If anyone out there has found a Enfield forend cap, I'd be interested if you could comment on the dimensions of the barrel groove in the cap. (Isaac... this means you! haha)
I also found what I think is a brass part to a wooden ramrod, but have not had any luck finding a picture of a matching one online. It still has the wood in it and appears to be crushed onto itself.
Here's the rest of the haul from Saturday.
I've found dozens of teeth in my plugs here. Mostly from the trash pits, but these two are huge!
Anyone know what this round reed thing is? Much like a harmonica reed, but obviously round, with two reeds and the size of a quarter. Wondering what sort of instrument this went to.
And the iron for the day. After the third target was a bayonet, I just kept digging it.
Nothing too great showed up, but on the left I seperated out some of the pieces I will zap this winter. Some nice colonial hinge pieces and a cool large forged nail and half a horse bit.
Thanks for looking and happy hunting everyone!
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