✅ SOLVED Need identity help! .40 Caliber Minie Ball?

[jkimm7]

[Solved] Need identity help! .40 Caliber Minie Ball?

I recently found this bullet lodged in the wood of a very old bird house of all places. I am not familiar with the sizes and history of these types of bullets so any help would be appreciated. It is 0.4-0.41 inches in diameter, three bands around the base, there is rifling on the sides, and there is no cavity on the end. I am in Rhode Island, however, I do not know where the wood for the birdhouse would have come from. Any help identifying this would be appreciated

 

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[fyrffytr1]

I believe you have a modern bullet. More knowledgeable people will be along to positively ID it. And, welcome to the forums. It's a great place to share your finds and learn about them. Good providence on your next hunt.

 

[Robot]

Best Advice...Is Advice Already Given!

Hello jkimm7...and welcome to The Show!

I recently found this bullet lodged in the wood of a very old bird house of all places. I am not familiar with the sizes and history of these types of bullets so any help would be appreciated. It is 0.4-0.41 inches in diameter, three bands around the base, there is rifling on the sides, and there is no cavity on the end. I am in Rhode Island, however, I do not know where the wood for the birdhouse would have come from. Any help identifying this would be appreciated

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http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/my-best-finds/113071-civil-war-3-ring-bullet.html

I believe you have found is a Civil War 3 Ring Bullet... as shown in a 2009 Post find right here on TNet!









Most of these Minie Ball 3 Ring bullets were .58 Caliber Springfield.

The only .40 Caliber Weapon I see was the Wesson and Leavitt Dragoon pistol that fired a Cap & Ball Bullet.

 

[pistol-pete]

Modern 41 Colt or 10mm pistol. Only cailbers in that Dia.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Jkimm7 wrote:
> .40 caliber Minie ball?

Robot wrote:
> I believe you have found is a Civil War 3 Ring Bullet... as shown in a 2009 Post find right here on TNet!

Sigh.
No... the NUMBER-ONE defining characteristic of a Minie ball/bullet is that it has a hollow base. (Meaning, the base a large cavity centered in it -- see the big cone-shaped cavity in the "cutaway-view" diagram attached below this text.)

Jkimm's bullet has a solid base, so it is definitely not a Minie ball/bullet.
Minié ball - Wikipedia

As Pistol Pete correctly answered, jkimm's bullet is not a civil war bullet... "Modern 41 Colt or 10mm pistol. Only calibers in that diameter."

Jkimm7, welcome to TreasureNet's "What Is It?" forum... the best place on the internet to get unknown objects CORRECTLY identified.

 

[Robot]

Boy...I Think I Shot Myself In The Foot...With that Post!

Forgot about the Hollow Base.

 

[jkimm7]

Thanks for the help and insight! It certainly looked like a minie ball but I was confused as to why it would be so far up north and why it was small. Didn't know about the hollow base of the minie ball. Thanks again!

Also thanks for the warm welcome! Surprised I haven't found this forum before, I will certainly be back with more questions in the future!

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Modern 41 Colt or 10mm pistol. Only calibers in that Dia.

I agree for pistols - but I can come up with a handful of rifles from the 1880-1890 era that used .40 / .401" caliber.

In fact, the .38-40 uses a 0.401" bullet. That was fairly popular in both rifles and pistols and would be my guess.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38-40_Winchester

 

[gunsil]

And let's not forget the 40-60 Winchester rifle, that slug could well be shortened by abrasion besides impact.