Civil War Bullet ID?

[Fullstock]

I found this bullet today in Virginia today and I've never seen another one quite like it before. It appears to be about 54 caliber and has a swaged base with what appears to be a letter T in the base. I believe it was shot or carved on. Any ideas what it is?

 

[snapler]

there are plenty of gun nuts... sorry, enthusiasts on youtube... hit up one of them. given how it does not look metal (as in something a detector would pick up i am going to side on carving. the answer may lie in the location it was found.

 

[Fullstock]

It's made of lead Snapler, and I did find it with the detector. Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[snapler]

if it is lead i am sorry. I do hope you get the answers you seek

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

It is a .58-caliber "six-arm swaged" yankee minie bullet. There is no .54 version of that bullet. The actual correct terminology is "Machine Pressed & Turned" which means a bullet-making machine compressed a slug of lead into a bullet shape, and the machine then lathe-cut the body grooves into the bullet's exterior. Yes, a little of your bullet's original length has been carved off of its base. No such bullets were manufactured with a letter T stamped into the base, so what you are seeing must be an accidental result of the swaging/lathing process, or was done by the person who carved on your bullet..

 

[Fullstock]

Thank you Cannon ball guy, I appreciate the ID.

 

[tennessee digger]

Pete (TheCannonballGuy) is exactly right on his I.D.