First round ball at a rev war site! Also some whats its.

[PalmettoJoel]

First round ball at a rev war site! Also some what's its.


This is the third time that I hunted this field, but the first time I found anything better than clad! The musket ball was only two inches deep and rang up an 80 on my omega. I was ecstatic to see it roll out of the plug. I know it is tuff to label a round ball as rev war but I'm hunting next door to a historic battle site. That's good enough for me!
The second and third pic I believe to be the lid of a compact. I'm really not sure. Any ideas?
And the last two pics are some what's its I found in the same field.
I know one round ball isn't much but I'm super proud of it and can't wait to get back and find more!

 

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[ATpro5]

Is that musket ball lead? Has a odd patina.

 

[PalmettoJoel]

I'm pretty sure. It's very heavy. I read that pine trees can darken the patina. And there are pines around.

 

[GatorBoy]

I'm not sure how the numbers work on your machine but if it rang up high it's probably not a musket ball and not lead.... lead reads as a mid tone.

 

[PalmettoJoel]

It read just below a copper penny. It has a spru and mold marks. I'll weigh it tomorrow but I don't have a way to measure it. What do y'all use to measure them?

 

[MackDog]

Nice diggs

 

[ATpro5]

Read like a copper penny? That's odd. Never heard of anyone casting a brass or copper musket ball but I guess its possible.

 

[GatorBoy]

Calipers but admittedly I don't have a pair and don't measure mine often

 

[GatorBoy]

Pretty easy to tell when something's lead or steel or copper I mean if you tap it on something does it go clunk or tink?

 

[GatorBoy]

Read like a copper penny? That's odd. Never heard of anyone casting a brass or copper musket ball but I guess its possible.

If its copper or brass its not a musket ball

 

[GatorBoy]

You're right about the pH when there's a lot of pine needles but that usually turns them dark here I'll grab a couple

 

[PalmettoJoel]

It clunks. And feels heavy for its size. I found it literally 10 feet from a historic site that was british occupied from 1780 to 1781 and then attacked and regained by the US. I also placed it in a dip can that was full of red baseball field dirt. Ha. That may be the patina issue. If you look at the pic where it's in my hand it is fresh from the ground and does look darker.

 

[GatorBoy]

I hope its a musket ball still sounds like it reads too high it really sounds like it's a cast iron grinding ball

 

[johnnyi]

I'm not familiar with your detector, but some detectors can fool you on larger lead. I've found a lot of musket and shot, some here in the pines and most Rev period, but none that clean and with not only sprue, but seams, unless it was newly dropped (re-enactors or hunters). You found a tent guy tightener in the same area?, and you are adjcent to a well known Rev War site? That might prove to be the kind of place reenactors would favor.

 

[CRUSADER]

I'm not familiar with your detector, but some detectors can fool you on larger lead. I've found a lot of musket and shot, some here in the pines and most Rev period, but none that clean and with not only sprue, but seams, unless it was newly dropped (re-enactors or hunters). You found a tent guy tightener in the same area?, and you are adjcent to a well known Rev War site? That might prove to be the kind of place reenactors would favor.

Exactly what I thought.

Not trying to burst any bubbles but it nothing like the thousands I have found, looks modern to me or not even a musket ball.

 

[Vino]

It is a musket ball...Just a modern one.
Nice find..Keep swinging.
George

 

[treblehunter]

Use micrometer, Harbor Freight or Amazon, most modern musket balls are almost perfect with no spur (they are sold along side with smokeless ammo). There are molds for sale for making your own, which could have a spur. Most modern muzzys come in 50 cal. or 54. cal and those are side hammer or in line muzzy's. I don't know about modern flintlocks. I don't know what current muzzleloading hunting laws are in Pa., but used to be flintlocks only.
My opinion is all according to size. I'm leaning towards modern, only because of the patina and how it looks, crisp, new looking. Still a cool find new or old, just nice to think it was in someones hands like George Washington. If the size measures bigger, like 54 cal or 69 cal I'd might lean towards old. From the pix it looks like a 50 cal.

One important note, reinactors would not be putting any musket balls in. It would have to be a hunter who likes to use primitive weapons.
Check out this link
Roundballs still best overall choice for flintlock hunting | Times News Online

Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold 50-250-REAL 50 Cal (517 Diameter) 250 Grain These molds make a near perfect round ball bullets

Hard to identify, one with a spur like yours could very well be old. I think they favored big caliper bullets in those days, more knock down with big lead.


After looking again it looks like a 69 cal, I change my mind, could be old. Here is a pic of one I found on a very historical site notice how it looks totally different from yours? Nothing would surprise me.

 

[The Patriot]

Exactly what I thought.

Not trying to burst any bubbles but it nothing like the thousands I have found, looks modern to me or not even a musket ball.

thinking the same thing

 

[PalmettoJoel]

A modern repro dropped by a reenactor is quite possible. This site is reenacted yearly. Oh we'll maybe next time

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

The best prices I've seen for a HIGH-QUALITY (stainless-steel) digital caliper are at Harbor Freight Tools. (Don't buy a plastic/composite caliper -- that type wears out quickly. Go to:
Harbor Freight Tools ? Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977
and type the word "caliper" into the search-box at the top of the webpage. HFT has a stainless-steel 4-inch caliper on sale for $14.95. That size is plenty large enough for measuring coins, bullets, buttons, and buckles.

If you don't want to buy it online... Harbor Freight Tools has hundreds of local stores, located all over the US. The website has a store-location finder -- just type your zipcode into it. I bought my caliper at an HFT store here in the Richmond VA area.

I should mention... battle re-enactors don't use bullets/musketballs. ;-) If your musketball is from the "modern-era" (1900s), it was lost by a Blackpowder Rifle shooter who was either deer hunting or doing target practice.