Need help verifying

[Tigerdude]

I need help on this one . I think this is civil war but not sure. Found it in a washout at a significant skirmish. It weighs 379 grains, much heavier than any modern bullet , I think, except maybe a slug. What concerns me is the backside in the center looks flat, round and small. What say you?
.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[mirage83]

Looks like a very seriously impacted CW-era minie ball to me. Practically turned it inside out. Interesting find.

 

[jewelerguy]

looks like an impacted 3 ringer, and a heck of an impact at that. you would think it would have had to hit a rock at a short distance and maximum velocity

 

[Tigerdude]

I agree somewhat but the weight is a little light

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

It is definitely a civil war minie ball, fired, and impacted onto a rock at very close range, which turned it almost inside-out. I dug some just like it at the Rocky Face Ridge GA civil war battlefield. As that battle name implies, lots of bullets hit rocks/boulders at very close range there.

Yes, 379 grains is light for a .58-caliber Minie-bullet... but that weight-range is quite correct for several varieties of .54-caliber minies. Check the weights for the 54s in the McKee-&-Mason book on civil war bullets. (The "Handbook Of Civil War Bullets & Cartridges" by Jim Thomas also tells the weight of the bullets in grains.)

 

[Tigerdude]

Thanks for the info. And explanation on the weight