🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Bullet ID

fyrffytr1

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Colt pistol. (from memory, God help us.) Memory isn't as sharp as it used to be.
 

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Possibly CW era, but these were used well up to 1900 in some areas. I have an original model 1860 Colt Army and original mold and have target practiced with it, you can find ones I made and fired 30-40 years ago in the woods near my place.
 

Upvote 2
Actually... it isn't a Colt bullet. The highly-respected "Handbook of Civil War Bullets & "Cartridges" says that although your bullet was made for use in Colt .44 revolvers AND "other holster revolvers", it is not from a Colt bulletmold. It was manufactured by the Elam O. Potter firm during the civil war. It is a bit shorter and lighter than the similar-looking Colt "Old Model" .44 bullets. The measurements you thoughtfully provided for us (thanks muchly) match up with the Handbook's measurements for the Potter-made bullet.

In the handbook, your .44 Elam O. Potter bullet is shown as bullet #9. The similar-looking longer version for Colt and other revolvers was made by the US Watervliet Arsenal. The "New Model" Colt .44 bullet (with one body-groove above the rebated solid flat base, which is made by Colt bulletmolds) is shown as bullet #32. Note, there is a similar-looking variant of the Colt New-Model .44 bullet, made by H.W. Mason SLIGHTLY AFTER THE CIVIL WAR ended. (See the Handbook's bullet #34.) The Mason .44 bullet for revolvers has a "noticeable large sprue" on its flat base.
 

Upvote 8
Thanks for all the replies. I am starting to go through one of the boxes of bullets from my brother and there are quite a few varieties. All were dug in or around Hagerstown, Md. at different camps and battle sites. I will be posting more as time allows.
 

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Thanks for all the replies. I am starting to go through one of the boxes of bullets from my brother and there are quite a few varieties. All were dug in or around Hagerstown, Md. at different camps and battle sites. I will be posting more as time allows.
Second row down, far left with the base sticking up is a tie ring sharps I believe.
 

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Thanks for all the replies. I am starting to go through one of the boxes of bullets from my brother and there are quite a few varieties. All were dug in or around Hagerstown, Md. at different camps and battle sites. I will be posting more as time allows.
Hi looking at your box of lead bullets they look like the ones I have found over here in England. Minnet bullets developed after the musket ball.
 

Upvote 2
Hi looking at your box of lead bullets they look like the ones I have found over here in England. Minnet bullets developed after the musket ball.
All of these and all the others I have came from the Hagerstown, Maryland area and date to the Civil War.
 

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