Bullet

[dusty1530]

Exactly what kind of bullet did I find and how old is

 

[Red James Cash]

Most likely union 3 ring .58 caliber unfired.

 

[dusty1530]

I found this in a house in Deep South Texas that was built in 1902

 

[Red James Cash]

Probably civil war era,they are still made today though.

 

[tennessee digger]

It looks like a pistol carbine bullet from the civil war era.

 

[dusty1530]

This house has been abandoned for a very long time people say that is haunted and may have proof to prove it and here is a picture of a house one picture

 

[vpnavy]

Nice find! Thanks for sharing...

 

[dusty1530]

I took it to a gun shop and he told me it's definitely is from the Civil War

 

[danimal03]

I agree with Tennessee Digger and it does look like a pistol carbine bullet. definitely Civil War. My hunch would be it was lost before the house was built. or I suppose some veteran or kid pulled out an old cartridge box and lost one. would work the area to see if more.

 

[dusty1530]

I am still in my area in still hunting how can I determine the exact caliber of the bullet

 

[treblehunter]

Looks haunted to me. Nice find, keep looking there.

 

[dusty1530]

I have been told that it is haunted for real

 

[Red James Cash]

I have been told that it is haunted for real

I'd have no problem with the company while i searched the place

 

[Carolina Tom]

To determine exact cailber, measure the diameter with calipers. If the bullet is .58" in diameter...then it is 58 caliber. Caliber is equal to it's diameter in inches. The white patina is oxidized lead, so you can tell that it is old. Three ringers were used by the enemy... the South used mostly 2 ringers. GL&HH.

 

[Red James Cash]

it should mic out at .575-.577

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

No need to measure it, because there's only one type of bullet which has that exact form. Note the three main identifying characteristics:
1- deep conical base-cavity
2 -three "flat-bottomed" grooves encircling its body
3- flat disc on the nose's tip, from being nose-cast.
It is definitely a civil war era US .58-caliber "Regulation" Minie-bullet, in unfired condition. A couple of old out-of-date books on civil war bullets called it a Pistol-Carbine bullet, but recent research in civil war US Ordnance Department production-records has proved it was officially called the US "Regulation" .58 Minie-bullet, made for use in the .58 Springfield Rifle (although it could also fit into a .58 Pistol-Carbine). See bullet #156A (and B) in the "Handbook Of Civil War Bullets & Cartridges" by James E. Thomas and Dean S. Thomas.

Unfired US Regulation .58-caliber Minies typically measure about .574-inch in diameter.

The old relic-diggers' saying that "3 grooves means a yankee bullet, two means a Confederate bullet" was just a loose rule-of-thumb. In actual fact, there are dozens of varieties of Confederate bullets which have 3 grooves, and some yankee ones have 2 grooves.

 

[dusty1530]

Okay I just got back from the second gun shop which has an older person in it and lots of books he measured it and weight it it most definitely is a 58 caliber mini ball unfired from the Civil War and even matches in size and also in weight of course it is a little heavier now because the extra dirt it weighs 32. 8 grams

 

[dusty1530]

My math skills me that is five hundred and six grains

 

[Pointman]

No need to measure it, because there's only one type of bullet which has that exact form. Note the three main identifying characterisitcs:
1- deep conical base-cavity
2 -three "flat-bottomed" grooves encircling its body
3- flat disc on nose from being nose-cast.
It is definitely a civil war era US .58-caliber "Regulation" Minie-bullet, in unfired condition. A couple of old out-of-date books on civil war bullets called it a Pistol-Carbine bullet, but recent research in civil war US Ordnance Department production-records has proved it was officially called the US "Regulation" .58 Minie-bullet, made for use in the .58 Springfield Rifle (although it could also fit into a .58 Pistol-Carbine). See bullet #156A (and B) in the "Handbook Of Civil War Bullets & Cartridges" by James E. Thomas and Dean S. Thomas.

Unfired US Regulation .58-caliber Minies typically measure about .574-inch in diameter.

The old relic-diggers' saying that "3 grooves means a yankee bullet, two means a Confederate bullet" was just a loose rule-of-thumb. In actual fact, there are dozens of varieties of Confederate bullets which have 3 grooves, and some yankee ones have 2 grooves.

This leads me to a question, Mr. CannonballGuy, what is a good definitive book on this subject along with pictures. I have the Civil War Projectiles II book, but it does have some misinformation I understand.

 

[dusty1530]

Well wish me the best I am going to put this on Garrett's find of the month