I found this musket ball in a park in New England. You can see mold marks. It appears it was cut in half possibly to be used as a checkers or game piece. Anyone familiar with these?
Looks like a "dum dum" ball....Thank you all who replied!
I think the general concensus is that they were sometimes cut in half to "increase their destructive properties". Don't know though. I remember reading something once about how magicians would fool the audience by getting shot with a split ball (which would seperate around them. That never made much sense to me, as why wouldn't it just as easily hit the poor girl in the head and foot as pass her sides? Anyway, I remember reading elsewherethat these were cast using paper to weaken them at the split so they'd fly apart. Here's one link that mentions them. There are probably more. http://books.google.com/books?id=6S7...age&q=&f=false
Interesting link johnnyi. Would never have thought half ball for more destructive power. You would think the balls were destructive enough as they were
Spike, I guess if it manages to cling together long enough, it will seperate on impact making a worse woud. If it splits before impact it may cause double wounds.
"dum-dum" balls used during the rev war. Balls were partially halved or quartered in order to spread upon contact, and so inflict a more dangerous wound.
AMERICAN DIGGERS ON SPIKE: THE TRASH WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCRIMINATE OUT!
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
