Little Enfield bullet help please

[Tnmountains]

I lease some land and they have a few old home places. One is from 1797. The chimney still stands. They have restored one 1800's cabin and brought in another and rebuilt it. Anyways I asked them if they ever found any relics or artifacts around them and they pulled out a large plastic container of eye ball finds..... They had some harmonica reeds square nails and about a baggie full of these enfields.
It was a confederate and later Union Hwy and is on my maps. I have tons of dug enfields with wood plugs and everything else but none with the 57 stamp in them(58cal). Every one they have is stamped and are unfired. The patina is fair but the insides looks pristine.
Can anyone enlighten me on these numbered bases and are they common?
Thanks for looking.
TnMtns

[Ads]

TreasureNet.com is the premier Treasure Hunting Forum on the internet. Registered Users do not see these ads. Please Register - It's Free!

[umrgolf]

I'm not certain if they are "common" but my hunting partner, Sentinel, dug one a couple weeks ago with the 57 in the base and said they are pretty hard to come by.

Between the two of us, I've dug one and him two this year, and only the one had the 57

[Tnmountains]

I'm not certain if they are "common" but my hunting partner, Sentinel, dug one a couple weeks ago with the 57 in the base and said they are pretty hard to come by.

Between the two of us, I've dug one and him two this year, and only the one had the 57

Thanks umrgolf2010. I dig them with the wood plugs all the time that is kinda common here. I am pumped to be able to hit these homesites after deer season. They had about 20 or more all with the 57 a few with the wood plugs though.

[umrgolf]

I'm not certain if they are "common" but my hunting partner, Sentinel, dug one a couple weeks ago with the 57 in the base and said they are pretty hard to come by.

Between the two of us, I've dug one and him two this year, and only the one had the 57

Thanks umrgolf2010. I dig them with the wood plugs all the time that is kinda common here. I am pumped to be able to hit these homesites after deer season. They had about 20 or more all with the 57 a few with the wood plugs though.

I guess it's all about what the troops in that immediate area were using.. Just from what Josh was saying it sounded like the 57 bases were less common than the blank bases. I can't wait to see what you come up with when you hunt it.. Not to slight you, but dig it all! So many nice civil war relics hit lower than pulltabs and many even below foil! I love digging CW sites though

[Tnmountains]

I'm not certain if they are "common" but my hunting partner, Sentinel, dug one a couple weeks ago with the 57 in the base and said they are pretty hard to come by.

Between the two of us, I've dug one and him two this year, and only the one had the 57

Thanks umrgolf2010. I dig them with the wood plugs all the time that is kinda common here. I am pumped to be able to hit these homesites after deer season. They had about 20 or more all with the 57 a few with the wood plugs though.

I guess it's all about what the troops in that immediate area were using.. Just from what Josh was saying it sounded like the 57 bases were less common than the blank bases. I can't wait to see what you come up with when you hunt it.. Not to slight you, but dig it all! So many nice civil war relics hit lower than pulltabs and many even below foil! I love digging CW sites though

Yes sir I will dig it all. I live on a battlefield and my tesoro even hits those little 22's and sometimes I even dig percussion caps and the occasional man hole cover. Grape shot seems to be the hot item at the momment. I always enjoy seeing the steller finds from Va. as well
Thank you sir.
TnMtns

[umrgolf]

I'm not certain if they are "common" but my hunting partner, Sentinel, dug one a couple weeks ago with the 57 in the base and said they are pretty hard to come by.

Between the two of us, I've dug one and him two this year, and only the one had the 57

Thanks umrgolf2010. I dig them with the wood plugs all the time that is kinda common here. I am pumped to be able to hit these homesites after deer season. They had about 20 or more all with the 57 a few with the wood plugs though.

I guess it's all about what the troops in that immediate area were using.. Just from what Josh was saying it sounded like the 57 bases were less common than the blank bases. I can't wait to see what you come up with when you hunt it.. Not to slight you, but dig it all! So many nice civil war relics hit lower than pulltabs and many even below foil! I love digging CW sites though

Yes sir I will dig it all. I live on a battlefield and my tesoro even hits those little 22's and sometimes I even dig percussion caps and the occasional man hole cover. Grape shot seems to be the hot item at the momment. I always enjoy seeing the steller finds from Va. as well
Thank you sir.
TnMtns

I know I'm not much help, but you're more than welcome.. I've never dug a grape shot or any kind of shell

[duggap]

According to the bullet book the number in the bottom is believed to indicate exactly where the bullet was made. The 57 seems to be the most common but there are several others including L and L1. The troops favored the English import Enfields because their calibre was more consistant. The us made ones had a lot of variance in them and were often discarded in favor of the rose plug ones.

[Iron Patch]

Nice one. I don't think numbered enfields are too common because we don't see them every day.... but they were pretty common the two hunts I dug these. (180 the first day) 8)

[d2]

I have found several hundred Enfields and have yet to find one with a number in the base. Thats a good one as far as I am concerned...d2

[Tnmountains]

Nice one. I don't think numbered enfields are too common because we don't see them every day.... but they were pretty common the two hunts I dug these. (180 the first day) 8)

Holy Toledo Iron Patch ! You would have to have a wheel barrow to get those out !! What was the story on those were they all numbered as well. I think that is the mother lode of enfields,lol.

[Iron Patch]

Nice one. I don't think numbered enfields are too common because we don't see them every day.... but they were pretty common the two hunts I dug these. (180 the first day) 8)

Holy Toledo Iron Patch ! You would have to have a wheel barrow to get those out !! What was the story on those were they all numbered as well. I think that is the mother lode of enfields,lol.

Firing range and every one is numbered. That picture might be 25% of the total that came out.

[Tnmountains]

Nice one. I don't think numbered enfields are too common because we don't see them every day.... but they were pretty common the two hunts I dug these. (180 the first day) 8)

Holy Toledo Iron Patch ! You would have to have a wheel barrow to get those out !! What was the story on those were they all numbered as well. I think that is the mother lode of enfields,lol.

Firing range and every one is numbered. That picture might be 25% of the total that came out.

That was a great recovery. We used to think the little triangular base ones were rare then some yahoo found a whole well full and ruined it for us. I think 180 framed enfields on the wall would look very nice. Thanks for the look and help.
Thank you DUGGAP also. You know you are in my town right??
TnMtns

[HISPAN]

In Spain never seen any lead bullet Numbered ...... ever.
Greetings!

[CRUSADER]

According to the bullet book the number in the bottom is believed to indicate exactly where the bullet was made. The 57 seems to be the most common but there are several others including L and L1. The troops favored the English import Enfields because their calibre was more consistant. The us made ones had a lot of variance in them and were often discarded in favor of the rose plug ones.

Its thought to mean; '.57 caliber' (Enfield Pritchett bullet).

I have:
L x1
L1 x1
0 x1
2 x1
3 x2
4 x4
5 x3
6 x2
7 x2
8 x2
55 x1
.55 x1
57 x1

Of course I probably have a lot more but would need to remove the clay inserts.

Heres a quote from a US expert:
The smooth sided Pritchett bullets are often encountered with numbers or letters in the base cavities. Sometimes, there is both a number and a letter such as L2; other bullets have various letters and some have star or asterisk designs. Some bullets have been recovered in America with US or CS stampings in the base cavities (there is some skepticism as to if the markings are original to the Civil War period). Bullets are found with the letter P, with interlocking P's, with q, with variants to include P., q., etc. There are at least 35 different base cavity markings known. The L markings include L, L . , L1, L2, etc up to L 12. Numbers such as 55 or 57 indicate the calibre of the bullet (not necessarily accurate designations).

[Iron Patch]

According to the bullet book the number in the bottom is believed to indicate exactly where the bullet was made. The 57 seems to be the most common but there are several others including L and L1. The troops favored the English import Enfields because their calibre was more consistant. The us made ones had a lot of variance in them and were often discarded in favor of the rose plug ones.

Its thought to mean; '.57 caliber' (Enfield Pritchett bullet).

I have:
L x1
L1 x1
0 x1
2 x1
3 x2
4 x4
5 x3
6 x2
7 x2
8 x2
55 x1
.55 x1
57 x1

Of course I probably have a lot more but would need to remove the clay inserts.

Heres a quote from a US expert:
The smooth sided Pritchett bullets are often encountered with numbers or letters in the base cavities. Sometimes, there is both a number and a letter such as L2; other bullets have various letters and some have star or asterisk designs. Some bullets have been recovered in America with US or CS stampings in the base cavities (there is some skepticism as to if the markings are original to the Civil War period). Bullets are found with the letter P, with interlocking P's, with q, with variants to include P., q., etc. There are at least 35 different base cavity markings known. The L markings include L, L . , L1, L2, etc up to L 12. Numbers such as 55 or 57 indicate the calibre of the bullet (not necessarily accurate designations).

Strange we have never dug an L base here.

[Tnmountains]

I am going to have to look for an "L" base in mine also. It seems a lot of mine may be American made as they looked poured. Looking at them some I thought that were enfields may not be as they have a very shallow cavity and are a little shorter. No clay base's just wood plugs. Maybe the "L" series had the clay. New spot tomorrow wish me luck as the miden is deep. Tesoro country !!
Thanks everyone for the replies,help and interest.
TnMtns

[duggap]

A couple of thoughts, the plug is made of rose wood. The Ls in the base were real rare until they pulled up a boat with a whole load of them on it. Made the price drop to a few dollars a bullet.

[roller]

The number stamped in the base of the Enfield - Pritchett bullet was the code number of the manufacturing contractor, 57 being Eley. Hope this is of some use.