Bullet Help..... Possibly Carved?

[RiverRat3]

Hello I was detecting a field in Maryland where we have turned up mulitple CW bullets. Today I found the below pictured bullet about 8 inches down with my E Trac. My first find with the E Trac. I dont know if its an actual original bullet or something carved from a bullet. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks and Happy Hunting.

 

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[Kieth-Tx]

Looks like a egg shape slip sinker....does the hole go through it?

 

[RiverRat3]

Looks like a egg shape slip sinker....does the hole go through it?

no it doesnt, I thought of that but maybe it was a bad mold also....

 

[Old Town]

Most large caliber CW bullets were Minie designs making them hollow-based. Your bullet, if it is a carved bullet, did not start life as a Springfield or Enfield slug. It could be some other large bore solid slug worked into the football shape.

My first thought was like the others - an egg sinker. But you say there is no hole.

Being 8 inches down probably makes it fairly old. Could just be a CW chunk of lead that was played with before it got melted for bullets. The boys got bored at times I'd guess. Whatever it is, I'd tend to think it was CW related which makes it a cool find.

OT

 

[Lucas]

Looks like a double ended whitworth.

 

[RiverRat3]

Showed the piece to my father today who said it looked like a handmade piece to a chest set made from lead. It stands by itself. Who knows. Its a first for me...

 

[hammered]

Looks similar to this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sling_bullets_BM_GR1842.7-28.550_GR1851.5-7.11.jpg


hammered

 

[Old Town]

Sure do look like a sling bullet. Were these things used in 1860 America? I think of them as ancient European.

OT

 

[hammered]

Sure do look like a sling bullet. Were these things used in 1860 America? I think of them as ancient European.

OT

Good point OT , it looks like the bullet in my link and that is "Old English", I just assumed in conflict you used what you had or could get .

hammered

 

[Poptopagain]

Jason good find! It's definitely CW era based on all of the other bullets near it having the same patina on it. My guess is that it maybe carved but I doubt that it's a chess piece. It seems to be hard to stand in the position you have it in and think what the soldiers had for tables.

I would check the bottom of it to see if it has the words "This belonged to George B. McClellan" on it. Here's a great pic of a carved bullet that I found near where you were digging. (See Pic)

Good find either way. HH

 

[turtlefoot13]

Is there any chance it is a Vandenburg Bullet? Take a look at BLT 9 on this page.

http://www.armyoftennesseerelics.com/Civil_War_Bullets.html

Doug

 

[Poptopagain]

Good call on that. If you keep scrolling down...

BLT 37. Dug "Sugarloaf Pickett" bullet.
Approximately .44 cal. Perfect dropped condition.
Dug near Corinth, Mississippi.

Resembles your bullet as well, but without the flat ends.

 

[Old Town]

I thought I knew a little about Civil War bullets. Then I looked at turtle's page of photos. This amazed me. Most I'd never heard of. If it ain't a Springfield minie or an Enfield, I got nothing.

OT

 

[RiverRat3]

Jason good find! It's definitely CW era based on all of the other bullets near it having the same patina on it. My guess is that it maybe carved but I doubt that it's a chess piece. It seems to be hard to stand in the position you have it in and think what the soldiers had for tables.

I would check the bottom of it to see if it has the words "This belonged to George B. McClellan" on it. Here's a great pic of a carved bullet that I found near where you were digging. (See Pic)

Good find either way. HH

Mike it actually said Robert E Lee, but good guess. We have to let that joke go before someone we work with actually believes us.

 

[RiverRat3]

Looks similar to this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sling_bullets_BM_GR1842.7-28.550_GR1851.5-7.11.jpg


hammered

I never throught of sling shot lead. I will have to research that some more here in the states.

 

[RiverRat3]

Is there any chance it is a Vandenburg Bullet? Take a look at BLT 9 on this page.

http://www.armyoftennesseerelics.com/Civil_War_Bullets.html

Doug

It looks like it may be carved from one of those bullets.

 

[Lucas]

OK, Pics of the Whitworth, and the Vandenburg. I thought the Whitworth, but the V-burg that Turtlefoot mentioned is way closer.

 

[Sky Pilot]

I agree that the general shape is the same as the Vandenberg, but proportionally it's way off.

I mean, look at the caliber compared to the length........

SkyPilot

 

[Sky Pilot]

Just roughly estimating, the caliber would be what, .45 - .48 ?

This may help for an ID, hopefully.

SkyPilot

 

[Old Town]

Maybe it's a lead suppository. Can't you just see the quartermaster handing out these lead bullets?

"Here, men. A new bullet to try. And if it doesn't fit in your rifle you can always stick it up your......"

OT