lead...bullet? ramrod tip?

[captain Jack]

I found this near the chickahominy river, just north of one of the outer CW defenses of Richmond. I don't know if this is a relic or even what it is. It is lead, and was about 4" deep. Kinda looks like a bullet, but then it has something that looks like the metal sleeve of a pencil around it on the bottom half. I thought it may be also the tip of a ramrod or something. It's not too big, hopefully pictures really are worth a thousand words. Any help?

 

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[CRUSADER]

Looks like a bullet with abit of its casing.

 

[captain Jack]

That's what I thought, then I wondered what would foul up a casing that bad...at first I thought it can't be that old because it's not very oxidized, but then I didn't know if the high water content in the ground would effect that one way or another. since it's right next to the river you have a puddle in your hole at about 8".

 

[beerbarrel]

In my opinion, it kind of looks like a .22 short, I may be wrong.


Beerbarrel

 

[junkdigger]

OK,this may sound like a stretch to you,but bear with me. From measurements taken on my screen,I think the bullet is about .30 caliber,so not CW era. It appears to me that a shot was fired from a .30 caliber rifle,and the bullet lodged in the barrel,probably when the primer fired but the powder did not.Or there was no powder in the cartridge. Then another cartridge was fired,forcing both bullets out of the barrel. The second bullet,the larger diameter bullet,was enlarged by obturation at the muzzle.And with two bullets stuck together like that,they became unstable,and they struck the ground (or whatever)with the rear bullet in the lead(backwards).That would have further enlarged the rear bullet,and caused the deformation to it.
I have fired a million(s) bullets in my time,and I think that is what happened.No,I have never fired a stuck bullet out of a barrel. It's dangerous,and will cause a bulge (ring) in the bore,or worse.

 

[captain Jack]

OK,this may sound like a stretch to you,but bear with me. From measurements taken on my screen,I think the bullet is about .30 caliber,so not CW era. It appears to me that a shot was fired from a .30 caliber rifle,and the bullet lodged in the barrel,probably when the primer fired but the powder did not.Or there was no powder in the cartridge. Then another cartridge was fired,forcing both bullets out of the barrel. The second bullet,the larger diameter bullet,was enlarged by obturation at the muzzle.And with two bullets stuck together like that,they became unstable,and they struck the ground (or whatever)with the rear bullet in the lead(backwards).That would have further enlarged the rear bullet,and caused the deformation to it.
I have fired a million(s) bullets in my time,and I think that is what happened.No,I have never fired a stuck bullet out of a barrel. It's dangerous,and will cause a bulge (ring) in the bore,or worse.

knew if it was a bullet it was too small to be CW era, but as long as it's not trash, I'm a happy camper. I think your idea makes sense. I with you though, I wouldn't fire a jammed bullet out either. I value my face. thanks for the input!