Battle of Mine Run finds and ID help please . . .

[Valley Ranger]

This past Saturday, I attended the invitational hunt sponsored by the Rapidan River Relic Hunters Association. The weather was perfect and I had a great time. I dug a few bullets, a CW era button back and some other odds and ends. Loved it! I also enjoyed a great Saturday evening supper in Orange with fellow relic hunters Doug Hill and Rob Langdon - best hot dog I ever ate! I'll post a video soon about some of the finds, etc. But I wanted to see if I could get some help on these two items I dug Saturday. The bullet appears to be a Gardner, but I've never seen one with that type of nose on it. It doesn't appear to be quite as "pointed" on the nose as all the other Gardners I've dug. Any ideas? Also, the other non-ferrous piece looks familiar . . . what I first thought were letters actually appear to be little cogs. Whachya'll think?

 

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[metalev4]

Looks fired. Good digs

 

[vpnavy]

Nice finds Old Stonewall!

 

[Valley Ranger]

Thanks fellas.

 

[hamiddetecting]

Nice digs

 

[VOL1266-X]

I'm sure you had fun with Rob Richard. As you know the Trio was invited but didn't make it. Looks like a good hunt. Maybe Cannonball Guy can help us with the bullet but it looks like one of the many mold variants for that bullet. It has no ramrod impression and no rifling marks to indicate being fired or even unloaded. The washer is some kind of lock washer to withstand vibraion on something. That's my best guess. HH, Q.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Responding to an emailed request for ID assistance. I can tell from the shape of the bullet's base (in the base-view photo) that Metalev4 had it right ...so I'm publicly giving him credit for being the first to say so. It is definitely a fired one. Note that the base-view photo shows the base is no longer circular, but has spread outward in three evenly-spaced directions -- 4, 8, and 12-o'clock. Also, the lip of the so-called insert is spread outward. Compare both of those characteristics side-by-saide with an unfired Grdner and you'll see what I mean.

The lack of rifling-marks is due to being fired from a dirty (powder-ash grimed) bore. Also, the fired minie's nose looks like it smacked into soft soil, just hard enough to distort its orginal shape without obviously "mushrooming" it.

I'm sure about all this because in the past four decades I have meticulously studied thousands upon thousands of fired civil war bullets. I have a collection of the ones I call "interesting" fired bullets. I've studied them to riddle out how they came to be in the "intersting" shape they are now in. Regarding my answer about Old Stonewall's fired Gardner... as you'd guess, I've also put a lot of study into the various effects that Rifling can have on a projectile's body.

 

[VOL1266-X]

Responding to an emailed request for ID assistance. I can tell from the shape of the bullet's base (in the base-view photo) that Metalev4 had it right ...so I'm publicly giving him credit for being the first to say so. It is definitely a fired one. Note that the base-view photo shows the base is no longer circular, but has spread outward in three evenly-spaced directions -- 4, 8, and 12-o'clock. Also, the lip of the so-called insert is spread outward. Compare both of those characteristics side-by-saide with an unfired Grdner and you'll see what I mean.

The lack of rifling-marks is due to being fired from a dirty (powder-ash grimed) bore. Also, the fired minie's nose looks like it smacked into soft soil, just hard enough to distort its orginal shape without obviously "mushrooming" it.

I'm sure about all this because in the past four decades I have meticulously studied thousands upon thousands of fired civil war bullets. I have a collection of the ones I call "interesting" fired bullets. I've studied them to riddle out how they came to be in the "intersting" shape they are now in. Regarding my answer about Old Stonewall's fired Gardner... as you'd guess, I've also put a lot of study into the various effects that Rifling can have on a projectile's body.

I defer to your expertise. The tip sure fooled me. Good job MT4!! HH, Q.

 

[Valley Ranger]

I'm sure you had fun with Rob Richard. As you know the Trio was invited but didn't make it. Looks like a good hunt. Maybe Cannonball Guy can help us with the bullet but it looks like one of the many mold variants for that bullet. It has no ramrod impression and no rifling marks to indicate being fired or even unloaded. The washer is some kind of lock washer to withstand vibraion on something. That's my best guess. HH, Q.

Hey Quindy - thanks. Actually, it does have a ramrod impression. You can't tell from the photo - I should have mentioned that.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Responding to an emailed request for ID assistance. I can tell from the shape of the bullet's base (in the base-view photo) that Metalev4 had it right ...so I'm publicly giving him credit for being the first to say so. It is definitely a fired one. Note that the base-view photo shows the base is no longer circular, but has spread outward in three evenly-spaced directions -- 4, 8, and 12-o'clock. Also, the lip of the so-called insert is spread outward. Compare both of those characteristics side-by-saide with an unfired Grdner and you'll see what I mean.

The lack of rifling-marks is due to being fired from a dirty (powder-ash grimed) bore. Also, the fired minie's nose looks like it smacked into soft soil, just hard enough to distort its orginal shape without obviously "mushrooming" it.

I'm sure about all this because in the past four decades I have meticulously studied thousands upon thousands of fired civil war bullets. I have a collection of the ones I call "interesting" fired bullets. I've studied them to riddle out how they came to be in the "intersting" shape they are now in. Regarding my answer about Old Stonewall's fired Gardner... as you'd guess, I've also put a lot of study into the various effects that Rifling can have on a projectile's body.

Thanks Cannonball! "just hard enough to distort its orginal shape" Ok, that explains it for me. I appreciate your time and effort so much.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Thanks to all who chimed in.

 

[VaMark]

Sounds like you did pretty good Richard! I was there both days, wish we would have ran into each other, but that was a big farm.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Hey Mark - sorry we didn't bump into each other. I hope to still get with you some time here in the Valley. I'll be in touch.

 

[John Boy]

Cool find buddy.nice

 

[Valley Ranger]

Cool find buddy.nice

Thanks JB!

 

[RelicMedic]

Great digs! Love the color of old lead...the bullet is awesome!

 

[Valley Ranger]

Great digs! Love the color of old lead...the bullet is awesome!

Thanks Ace.

 

[JmCraz8]

Sweeeet finds!!!