Bullet ID help

[davekatz]

Hey all,

I found a bullet the other day and need some help with the ID. It was found at the base of a very large tree on a narrow sidewalk strip in Berkeley California. It weighs 30.3 grams. Obviously not a Civil War bullet but it sure looks like a three ringer to me.

Thanks for your time,

Dave

 

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[ScubaDetector]

Looks like a modern bullet and not a 3 ringer. Do you know the diameter of it?

 

[davekatz]

15 mm by caliper.

 

[sjvalleyhunter]

At 15 mm it would be a .59 caliber, which is huge and I believe even larger than a typical civil war three ringer. It doesn't appear that big in your picture, but I too agree it's modern.

 

[vpnavy]

Dave - I pulled this from another TN thread...

Civil War Bullet ID Chart (Sep 05, 2013)

 

[Bamadad53]

What does the bottom look like? Is it cupped or solid?

Bamadad

 

[davekatz]

Thanks for all your help!

The bottom is shaped like a cone and looks like the .54 three ring on the third row down far left but maybe a little deeper. I know it isn't a civil war era bullet but it was still a very surprising find for a residential area near downtown and the white patina is/was really nice.

If you heard it once you've heard it a thousand times, you all on the east coast are really spoiled! I can only dream of finding anything really old. If anyone in the east is willing to host for a few days please hit me up. I'll fly there in a heartbeat

 

[gunsil]

One has to remember that after the civil war the government went to all breech loading firearms and most of the muzzle loading stuff was sold off as surplus. Hence many were used for the next fifty years by hunters. There are were many more round balls and other bullets fired while hunting or target practice than all those fired during the civil war. Poorer folk used muzzle loaders for many years after the advent of cartridge guns since they were cheap to buy and cheaper to shoot than cartridge guns and killed game just as well. It is not uncommon to find minie balls all over the country that were used for hunting.

 

[Appalachianman76]

I agree with Gunsil. Plus, there where Union Forts in the San Fransisco area during the Civil War. These were to protect the gold coming out of California to San Fransisco to be shipped back east to fund the Union War effort. Alcatraz had a garrison with soldiers and cannons as well as Fort Point which sits under the Golden Gate Bridge. The Confederate raider CSS Shenandoah was planning to attack on San Fransisco in 1865 but the captain found out that the war was over and turned around. Thus, no action was ever seen in the area. However, San Fransisco played a vital role during the Civil War and relics from the Civil War can be found to a smaller degree in the area. It might seem out of place, but there is good evidence that this is a Civil War Period 3-ringer and not a modern bullet.

 

[Fullstock]

It sure looks like a fired Civil War period mini ball to me.