Buck n Balls

[vhs07]

I need some help guys. Were Buck n Balls used by both sides and were they ever used with Minie balls.
I'm finding 3 ringers and what looks like lead shot in various sizes. I also read where Buck n Balls were .030
in diameter. Is that correct? I'm finding bigger and smaller ones, but they all have that old lead patina on them.
Thanks

 

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[civilman1]

They were indeed used by both sides early on into the war when smooth bores were most used. The Springfield and the Enfield.I don't think they were used with Minie balls and if you're finding bigger shot it's probably a .36 cal. pistol shot.Post some pics if you can and some measurements of the bigger round balls.Nice saves

 

[CaptEsteban]

You can find a lot of those in Florida, used during the 2nd Indian Wars.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Buck and ball was used by both sides in the CW - though it wasn't as popular with rifled muskets. The famous Picket's Charge faced the Union Irish Brigade (69th Pennsylvania) holding Cemetery Ridge - who were using smoothbore muskets loaded with buck & ball (or just buckshot). We know how that ended.

Instead of improving defenses that might save lives on the 3rd, the regiment focused night time efforts upon securing additional firepower. Hundreds of discarded Confederate and Union rifle-muskets and smoothbore muskets, dropped by injured or captured combatants, were strewn about in the regiment's front. The regiment collected armfuls of these abandoned weapons and ammunition until, as Robert Whittick of Company E recalled, "each man had some six, or eight, or ten, or twelve, all laying aside of him." Much of the ammunition collected consisted of three buckshot and a ball, smoothbore ammunition, with a label indicating it had been manufactured in Birmingham, England. The men extracted the ball from the cartridges and reloaded the spare guns with 12 buckshot to a load.

69th Pennsylvania