Help IDing what I think is a bullet

[Clarky821]

Help ID'ing what I think is a bullet

Hi everyone!

A couple of weeks ago I found what appears to be (and I hope is) the pictured bullet below. I took the slug into work and measured out its dimensions/weight. The size of the ball is .60 inches round, and it weighed between 21-22 grams. Can anyone lend an opinion, or is there a web site I could check out that could help determine if this is possibly an old pre civil war/civil war slug, or is it something more modern. The site I found this ball on has a church close by that was founded in 1773. So that's what peaked my interest as to possible dating of this. Thanks!!!!

 

[recondigger]

looks like a .60 cal round ball its lead but as far as a date that is any ones guess

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Dating round balls accurately is pretty much impossible, they are still in use today. From the oxidation I can tell it's been in the ground quite a while. Your best bet for an approximate date is any other datable artifacts found near it.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

That's a 330 grain +/- round ball that would fit a 20 gauge smoothbore. Hard to date it to a particular time period. I shoot 16 gauge (0.650" in a 0.662" bore) round lead balls at deer currently during deer season with a flintlock smoothbore.

I use my detector behind my practice backstops to recycle and remelt the fired balls. Some day a future detectorist will pass over those that returned to the earth from those I missed or from inside rotted trees and wonder if a battle took place there. Interesting to note that in five years a "new" lead ball left in the local soil will be entirely white from oxidation and has the same appearance as a 150 year old lead ball or bullet.

There a big 'ol stump in the woods behind the house I used to live at that has probably 15 pounds of lead balls accumulated.