✅ SOLVED Bullet (maybe) ID #2

[ncsuwolf]

Found what I think is a bullet in the howlett line near hopewell va. Please weigh in with your thoughts. Dia .584-.587. Wt (what’s left of it) =323 grains

 

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[fyrffytr1]

Maybe a William's patent type 2 blow though? What is the length?

 

[fyrffytr1]

The more I look at it, the more I think it may be a Gardner Explosive bullet. They are a pretty rare bird.

Gardiner explosive bullets

I found some more Gardiner explosive bullets. These were only used in two major battles, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. After that they were deemed too barbaric for use and abandoned.

www.treasurenet.com

 

[ncsuwolf]

Maybe a William's patent type 2 blow though? What is the length?

.82”

 

[ncsuwolf]

The more I look at it, the more I think it may be a Gardner Explosive bullet. They are a pretty rare bird.

Gardiner explosive bullets

I found some more Gardiner explosive bullets. These were only used in two major battles, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. After that they were deemed too barbaric for use and abandoned.

www.treasurenet.com

One of my theories is exploding bullet, but don’t think Gardiner, as this one doesn’t have rings. Also, no hole that goes all the way through the base

 

[searcher]

It also resembles the lead outer sleeve to a concrete anchor.

 

[Almy]

It does appear to have rifling grooves on it.

 

[fyrffytr1]

It does appear to have rifling grooves on it.

I thought I saw remnants of 3 grooves in the first picture on the right end. Also, the material in the center of the base looks different than the surrounding lead which made me think William's type 2.

 

[ncsuwolf]

I thought I saw remnants of 3 grooves in the first picture on the right end. Also, the material in the center of the base looks different than the surrounding lead which made me think William's type 2.

Think I can see riflings too.

 

[searcher]

If there are definite rifling grooves then, it is what it is.

However, I don't see any rifling grooves.
There do appear to be grooves that run parallel the length of the item.
But of all the rifling grooves I've looked at, I've never seen any like that.

 

[ncsuwolf]

If there are definite rifling grooves then, it is what it is.

Agreed….pretty sure it’s a bullet, real question is what type?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Ncsuwolf, your latest mystery-bullet is a .577 Enfield Minie, whose plug/cup cavity's skirt was blown off by the shooter having loaded too much gunpowder into the rifle. It measures .584 because the bullet expanded into the rifling grooves. The nose is deformed by many "harsh" attempts to "pull" it by using both an inside (screw) worm and an outside-worm (a.k.a. double-helix worm). Since he was unable to succeed at worming/pulling the minie, apparently he unscrewed the nipple and packed as much gunpowder as possible behind the bullet. When he re-inserted the nipple and pulled the trigger, the bullet finally fired, but the blast was so great it blew the "skirt" off of the Enfield Minie. I've seen other fired .577 Enfields that are missing the skirt.

 

[ncsuwolf]

Ncsuwolf, your latest mystery-bullet is a .577 Enfield Minie, whose plug/cup cavity's skirt was blown off by the shooter having loaded too much gunpowder into the rifle. It measures .584 because the bullet expanded into the rifling grooves. The nose is deformed by many "harsh" attempts to "pull" it by using both an inside (screw) worm and an outside-worm (a.k.a. double-helix worm). Since he was unable to pull/worm the minie, apparently he unscrewed the nipple and packed as much gunpowder as possible behind the bullet. When re-inserted the nipple and pulled the trigger, the bullet finally fired, but the blast was so great it blew the "skirt" off of the Enfield Minie. I've seen other fired .577 Enfields that are missing the skirt.

Thank you. My other theory involved an enfield, but I assumed some sort of accidental double load. Thanks for the id.

 

[searcher]

Ncsuwolf, your latest mystery-bullet is a .577 Enfield Minie, whose plug/cup cavity's skirt was blown off by the shooter having loaded too much gunpowder into the rifle. It measures .584 because the bullet expanded into the rifling grooves. The nose is deformed by many "harsh" attempts to "pull" it by using both an inside (screw) worm and an outside-worm (a.k.a. double-helix worm). Since he was unable to pull/worm the minie, apparently he unscrewed the nipple and packed as much gunpowder as possible behind the bullet. When re-inserted the nipple and pulled the trigger, the bullet finally fired, but the blast was so great it blew the "skirt" off of the Enfield Minie. I've seen other fired .577 Enfields that are missing the skirt.

Now that is some good work and information worth knowing.