✅ SOLVED Bullet experts: please teach me about this bullet

brianc053

Hero Member
Jan 27, 2015
972
3,359
Morris County, NJ
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800
XP Deus 2
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hello all! I found this bullet over the weekend, and I don't know much about bullets so I'm hoping to learn from some of you.

I've watched lots of detecting videos, and I've watched Larry Hogston (Saving Local History) pull dozens (hundreds?) of "3-ring bullets", and those tend to have a white color and a hollow bottom.

This bullet has 3 rings, but doesn't look the same.
And it's .51 caliber, which seems odd to me.

Could someone with more knowledge please pass along some to me? Thanks in advance!

- Brian

IMG_3164.jpg

IMG_3165.jpg

IMG_3166.jpg
 

TheCannonballGuy

Gold Member
Feb 24, 2006
6,528
12,996
Occupied CSA (Richmond VA)
Detector(s) used
White's 6000, Nautilus DMC-1, Minelab
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Brianc053 wrote:
> Hello all! I found this bullet over the weekend, and I don't know much about bullets so I'm hoping to learn from some of you.
>I've watched lots of detecting videos, and I've watched Larry Hogston (Saving Local History) pull dozens (hundreds?) of "3-ring bullets", and those tend to have a white color and a hollow bottom.

You mentioned an important ID clue, "a hollow bottom." Since you want to learn about bullets, here's a major ID clue to help you tell civil war era bullets from later ones. Note, it is a "rule of thumb," not a 100%-always rule.

In general, if the bullet has a solid base, or just a shallow small cavity in its base, it was made to be loaded into the gunbarrel's back end (called the Breech). If the bullet base has a large cavity, it was made to be loaded from the barrel's front end (the Muzzle). Muzzle-loading firearms (and their bullets) fell out of favor shortly after the end of the civil war, due to the advent of quick-reload Breechloading cartridge firearms.

That being said:
Imitations of civil war bullets are still being made, for use in Reproductions of antique firearms, such as the .50-70 caliber rifle bullet you found.

I myself dug several Reproduction civil war 3-groove .58 caliber Minie-bullets which had been fired into a forested hillside on the Cold Harbor VA civil war battlefield. A blackpowder rifle shooter was doing some target practice, I guess.
 

Upvote 5
OP
OP
brianc053

brianc053

Hero Member
Jan 27, 2015
972
3,359
Morris County, NJ
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800
XP Deus 2
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
You mentioned ....
TheCannoballGuy, thank you for sharing your knowledge. I appreciate that you took the time to pass it along via your reply!

That bullet (and a few others found yesterday) will go in the metal recycling bin, and I'll keep looking for the hollow-bottom ones!

- Brian
 

Upvote 1

Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,003
17,106
South Central Upstate NY in the foothills of the h
Detector(s) used
Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
That bullet could be as old as 1866 or as new as last week. The .50-70 was a US service cartridge for a decade after the Civil War. Could be a good spot to keep pounding.
 

Upvote 2

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top