✅ SOLVED Lead ball

[njrelicgairl]

Could this be an lead pistol ball or an musket ball? It came from a early e1800s sight.

 

[ncsuwolf]

Could this be a lead pistol ball or a musket ball? It came from an early e1800s sight.

Could be…. What are the measurements and can we see a few different angles?

 

[njrelicgairl]

Could be…. What are the measurements and can we see a few different angles?

Shore I will take another picture and measure it.

 

[njrelicgairl]

The there are three pictures taken at different angles and one withe the ruler that shows the measurement.

 

[pepperj]

The there are three pictures taken at different angles and one withe the ruler that shows the measurement.

Musket ball, congrats.

 

[releventchair]

50 caliber in muzzleloading rifles run .490-.495.
495's are tight in the 50's I've tried them in but I stick with a 15 thousandths thick cloth patch too.
A .490 is close to half an inch across.

 

[smokeythecat]

Looks like a fired musket ball, and due to where you are probably Revolutionary war. Nice.

 

[michael NY]

Could this be a lead pistol ball or a musket ball? It came from an early e1800s sight.

Yep old led has the white color to it! Musketball it is congratulations

 

[njrelicgairl]

Looks like a fired musket ball, and due to where you are probably Revolutionary war. Nice.

This was discovered at a church late 1700s

 

[RobNC]

I've found a couple bullets that are lead and have that white outer to them. I've always wondered if the degree of white build-up is related to age or not? Like older it is the more that happens. Does anyone know about the white discoloration and intensity of it being used to further date lead items?

 

[pepperj]

This was discovered at a church late 1700s

I guess it wasn't a shotgun wedding then.🤣

 

[pepperj]

I've found a couple bullets that are lead and have that white outer to them. I've always wondered if the degree of white build-up is related to age or not? Like older it is the more that happens. Does anyone know about the white discoloration and intensity of it being used to further date lead items?

I've dug musket balls that are a 150-200 yrs old.
They look close in color to one's that were older than that.
I'm sure if one was to measure the white coating it might be thicker on something dug that was a thousand years old.
But things that I have dug 500+ years old the white patina seems a bit heavier on some items, while other items it's not.

 

[michael NY]

This was discovered at a church late 1700s

Possibly a shotgun wedding?😛

 

[ArfieBoy]

The white deposit on lead is oxidation of the lead. Just like rust on iron.

 

[njrelicgairl]

I guess it wasn't a shotgun wedding then.🤣

No, probably not.

 

[njrelicgairl]

The white deposit on lead is oxidation of the lead. Just like rust on iron.

Makes since.

 

[Tedyoh]

I've found a couple bullets that are lead and have that white outer to them. I've always wondered if the degree of white build-up is related to age or not? Like older it is the more that happens. Does anyone know about the white discoloration and intensity of it being used to further date lead items?

Good rule of thumb is the whiter the lead is, the purer the lead is....not always how old the lead is. Pretty sure they started adding alloys to lead (to make the lead harder ((arsnic, tin, antimony)) around 1900, alloys will slow the oxidation (white powder) of the lead, but don't be fooled, modern flint lock muzzle loaders must use pure lead balls.

 

[Gene Mean]

Nice one! Keep digging that church site if possible.

 

[njrelicgairl]

Nice one! Keep digging that church site if possible.

I will do.