Found this oxidized lead found ball.. Help?

[dirtfishinMS]

It's too small to be a musket ball, but larger than buckshot. Any ideas?

First pic measured in inches, second pic in millimeters.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[Red James Cash]

The pics both show the same numbers.more than likely a rifle ball.

 

[dirtfishinMS]

My mistake.. sorry

 

[Red James Cash]

Rifle balls,single shot muzzle loading pistol balls (rifled barrels only)are smaller than bore diameter,for revolver they're bigger.Your ball is .40 caliber.kind of an odd size.If a rifle ball it would be around.410 bore,give or take,(need room for the patch).

 

[Red James Cash]

Could be a .410 shotgun pumpkin ball.

 

[dirtfishinMS]

I live way out in a rural area. Wasn't settled till the mid 1800s, but best I can tell there was no one around here till later than that. No civil war activity here either (that I know of). I was just kind of poking around the yard trying out my new carrot I got from the mother in law and found this.

Got me curious as to what it is.

 

[Yak1366]

It looks to me like the caliper tips are below the equator of the ball, i.e. not accurately measuring the diameter. Use the flat part of the caliper jaw to get a better measurement.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Nice find!

 

[dirtfishinMS]

Nice find!

I promise I'm not being a smart@ss, but I see that you have a lot of posts and that's why I'm asking this. Why would you say that this is a nice find?

I guess my main curiosity was the level of oxidation on the lead compared to all the other way less oxidized lead that I've found in my woods.

 

[lairmo]

I promise I'm not being a smart@ss, but I see that you have a lot of posts and that's why I'm asking this. Why would you say that this is a nice find?

I guess my main curiosity was the level of oxidation on the lead compared to all the other way less oxidized lead that I've found in my woods.

well it is OLD lead....

 

[dirtfishinMS]

well it is OLD lead....

Fair enough, haha

 

[Davers]

I promise I'm not being a smart@ss, but I see that you have a lot of posts and that's why I'm asking this. Why would you say that this is a nice find?

I guess my main curiosity was the level of oxidation on the lead compared to all the other way less oxidized lead that I've found in my woods.

IMHO
The professor is 'like me in a way' & thinks every find is a good find , worthy of a comment , (i don't think he say's "Nice Find" on pull-tabs or Foil. He is being a nice guy, I like your find , it could be from a-lot of different loads .

The patina says old but then again I have dug 45 ACP Jacketed bullets W/O the very base being jacketed ( not FMJ I suppose ) nut the exposed lead was as white as it is on CW Minnie's I have dug. + Had some fishing weights from the Lake / mud that were pretty darn white. The 1911 45 ACP bullet could be 107 years old .
I have also dug other modern but Old bullets that were pretty darn White , guess ? it depends on the Alloy & the Soil type .

P.S. That is a nice Find .

 

[Davers]

It looks to me like the caliper tips are below the equator of the ball, i.e. not accurately measuring the diameter. Use the flat part of the caliper jaw to get a better measurement.

MM or smaller do matter .

Heck one of our US probes to Mars Failed because someone here failed to convert the measurement's it to our customary style from the Metric.

NASA , never a strait answer. lol

 

[dirtfishinMS]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I really want to stress that I was in no way trying to be unappreciative. I just initially didn't think it was a good find and was wondering why someone with way more credentials than myself did consider it one.

I tried to get a more accurate measurement with the calipers. The ball is a little deformed as it looks like it was fired.