Brass Musket or Round Ball?

[ajaj]

Found this morning underwater where I have pulled many War of 1812 buttons, roundballs, and misc. items. It has a seam and an area where it was cut from a mold. It is 14.2 mm diameter and 12.9 g in weight (therefore, density of 8.6 g/cm3). I have never heard of a brass roundball. Did they ever make them? Thanks.

aj

 

[duggap]

How sure are you that it is brass. It looks like lead looks that has been in the water. Definitely looks like it came out of a bullet mold, to me anyway.

 

[DownNDirty]

I was going to say the same thing. Lead doesn't oxidize underwater like it does in the ground.

 

[ajaj]

I know that photos are tough with inexpensive cameras, and the colors may be off, but I've dug many, many Pb roundballs; this one is not Pb. This has a "golden" color and its density is 8.6 g/cm3; Pb's density is just over 11 g/cm3.

aj

 

[KENTUCKYWONDER]

I know it gets cold in Upstate New York in the winter, perhaps it fell off a brass monkey!

 

[RobRieman]

They melted anything they could find when they ran out of lead and someone was shooting at you. Never know what you can find.

 

[Tedyoh]

Only problem is it takes 1000 more degrees to melt brass (brass @ 1652 deg / lead 621 deg) - I think to get up to those temperatures you'd need a crucible, camp fire won't cut it?

Is that rust in the center of the sprue? Maybe it was a clanger for a bell?

 

[DownNDirty]

I know it gets cold in Upstate New York in the winter, perhaps it fell off a brass monkey!

Good one!!