Button and Rim Fire ID

[worldtalker]

Any Ideas on this button and rim fire cartridge? .580 dia. God Bless Chris

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

The marking "CDL" on your broken-off rimfire catridge;s base represents Charles D. Leet, a cartridge-manufacturer in Springfield Illinois from 1862 to about 1867.

To identify the cartridge's caliber with certainty, we need super-precise measurement. But for the moment... comparing its size with the penny in the photo, it appears to be a .56-caliber Spencer. Insofar as I'm currently aware, no CDL-marked Spencer cartridges have been excavated from civil war battlesites.

Please very carefully search the entire area where you found your broken-off cartridge base. Ought to be more than one of them there. A complete specimen, even if damaged, would help a lot for arriving at a 100%-certain ID.

 

[worldtalker]

Sorry for not being more precise,does this help,sure hope so.Thanks

The marking "CDL" on your broken-off rimfire catridge;s base represents Charles D. Leet, a cartridge-manufacturer in Springfield Illinois from 1862 to about 1867.

To identify the cartridge's caliber with certainty, we need super-precise measurement. But for the moment... comparing its size with the penny in the photo, it appears to be a .56-caliber Spencer. Insofar as I'm currently aware, no CDL-marked Spencer cartridges have been excavated from civil war battlesites.

Please very carefully search the entire area where you found your broken-off cartridge base. Ought to be more than one of them there. A complete specimen, even if damaged, would help a lot for arriving at a 100%-certain ID.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Thank you for making and posting the photos showing calipers measuring the your cartridge-casing's exact body diameter and head diameter. The measurements (.575" body and .650" head), respectively) confirm my eyeball-guesstimate that it is a .56-caliber cartridge casing for Spencer rifles.

About your other mystery-object:
It does not have a typical back to be a button. Three or four weeks ago, somebody posted a similar-looking "eagle walking on bunched arrows" emblem on a circular brass object. I'll look for that post.

 

[Diggit]

It is indeed a 56 cal. Spencer. And the reason no CDL Spencer casings have been found at CW battlesites is that they were a small company and as far as I know, had no military contracts for that cartridge.
That's not to say they were NOT used, just that finding them on a battlefield would be very lucky indeed, compared to other types.

Good find.

 

[worldtalker]

Thank you for making and posting the photos showing calipers measuring the your cartridge-casing's exact body diameter and head diameter. The measurements (.575" body and .650" head), respectively) confirm my eyeball-guesstimate that it is a .56-caliber cartridge casing for Spencer rifles.

About your other mystery-object:
It does not have a typical back to be a button. Three or four weeks ago, somebody posted a similar-looking "eagle walking on bunched arrows" emblem on a circular brass object. I'll look for that post.

Thanks CannonballGuy,I really like this field,20 acres open mowed grass!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

I found the What-Is-It forum Feb. 11, 2012 post which shows an object very similar to your "button."
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/282503-possible-civil-war-button-pre-cwe.html#post2676026

Unfortunately, that object is missing its back, so no help there.

But the "eagle walking on bunched arrows" emblem on it seems to be identical to yours, or very nearly so. Please compare it with your "button" and let us know whether the emblem is identical or not.

As I mentioned, the back of your "button" does not have a typical button's attachment-form, such as a loop or shank. It looks more like the back of a rivet-button, with the rivet-flange broken off. What is the diameter of your "button"?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Update: Upon doing super-close inspection to compare the nearly-identical emblems, I noticed that the eagle isn't walking on four arrows... it is walking on two arrows and two lightning-bolts (note the zig-zag in them).

 

[worldtalker]

Dia. of .875.

I found the What-Is-It forum Feb. 11, 2012 post which shows an object very similar to your "button."
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/282503-possible-civil-war-button-pre-cwe.html#post2676026

Unfortunately, that object is missing its back, so no help there.

But the "eagle walking on bunched arrows" emblem on it seems to be identical to yours, or very nearly so. Please compare it with your "button" and let us know whether the emblem is identical or not.

As I mentioned, the back of your "button" does not have a typical button's attachment-form, such as a loop or shank. It looks more like the back of a rivet-button, with the rivet-flange broken off. What is the diameter of your "button"?