Pulled bullet hypothesis?

[chopper]

Hard to see the pond in the pic, but the view northwest from here is beautiful at sunset. The area I've been hunting drops off on three of four sides with the train track on level to the south. I dug the three above yesterday, just my second 69 cal bullet, the first dug on Friday and they are both pulled!




I dug everything else this afternoon. And another pulled bullet...very odd. That's my fourth pulled bullet in a week and all of them from this small section. So is it coincidence that all of these pulled bullets are here? I imagine a bunch of dudes sitting around on there @$$es for weeks not cleaning their rifles when suddenly they gotta take care of business...I don't know but out of 50+ bullets I only had 1 pulled at my previous site, and I've only dug probably 12-13 here and 1/3 of them have been pulled. Anybody care to hypothesize?



Can you imagine this mother comin' atcha?
It's easy to forget that this stuff wasn't a "relic" at one time, just a shiny piece of lead that might keep you alive, or kill you.

 

[Siegfried Schlagrule]

After battle campsite where everyone cleared their weapons and cleaned them. siegfried schlagrule

 

[trikikiwi]

Great finds. Looks like a nice place to hunt and I like Siegfrieds call.

Now is that a camp stove handle at top of the 3rd pic or part of a spur?

Mike

 

[txkickergirl]

what an awesome place, bet you find a coin there

 

[gemee]

Someone fill me in, but what is a "pulled bullet"?

 

[auger]

Someone fill me in, but what is a "pulled bullet"?

Ramrods could be fitted with a corkscrew tip that allowed for a bullet to be removed (extracted) from the weapon without actually firing the round.

 

[auger]

After battle campsite where everyone cleared their weapons and cleaned them. siegfried schlagrule

Another thought............ perhaps after X number of days in wet or humid conditions, they pull, dump powder, and reload with known dependable powder? Or............ Being a military retiree myself, they were simply performing Friday field day (clean everything you were issued once a week whether it needs it or not).

 

[dcinffxva]

From my experiences with shooting and hunting with black powder for a lot of years, if I wanted to get rid of a charge, and clean my rifle, it is a lot easier, safer and quicker to just shoot the round out, rather than pull it.

If you are finding several pulled bullets in one area, I'd guess that it's a pretty good chance that you found an area where they were doing field repairs.

 

[trikikiwi]

or perhaps they needed a fire starter

 

[auger]

From my experiences with shooting and hunting with black powder for a lot of years, if I wanted to get rid of a charge, and clean my rifle, it is a lot easier, safer and quicker to just shoot the round out, rather than pull it.

.....And would you do that if there might be an enemy within earshot? I think not. Remember, Many rival encampments were only separated by a few hundred/thousand yards.

If you are finding several pulled bullets in one area, I'd guess that it's a pretty good chance that you found an area where they were doing field repairs.

.....I agree, maintenance.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

If there was a camp near by, you might be digging a picket post.. the men would stand duty guarding the camp.. when their turn was over.. they pulled the bullets versus walking back into camp with loaded weapons.. I have one site I hunted that I found piles of them every 100 yeards of so along a wood line that hand been there during the period.... found a few drops.. but mostly pulled.... I found 8 pulled in one hole!!

MB

 

[ModernMiner]

Chopper,
You are finding some great CW relics. Some nice lead and part of a spur too.
Congrats,
MM

 

[Dman]

Great finds. Looks like you are in a really good campsite.
Dman

 

[sneaky6]

It is quite possible that the troops were ordered to pull the bullets rather then discharge them in an attempt to practice noise discipline. Firing a .69 calibre minie has a distinct way on letting your adversaries locate your position.

Great finds!! Keep digging!!!

HH,
Sneaky6

 

[fortbball9]

Very nice CW relics
Looks like that place is still producing some good stuff
Keep swinging and you will find that perfect dropped monster 69,Ilove finding CW bullets but when you pull a 69 from the dirt it is a even greater feeling.Congrats on your finds

fortbball9

 

[chopper]

After battle campsite where everyone cleared their weapons and cleaned them. siegfried schlagrule

Great thought, thanks.

Great finds. Looks like a nice place to hunt and I like Siegfrieds call.

Now is that a camp stove handle at top of the 3rd pic or part of a spur?

Mike

Thanks, 3rd pic's a chuck o' spur.

what an awesome place, bet you find a coin there

I wish! I've been waiting for a C.W./ pre C.W. coin since I started detectin'.

If there was a camp near by, you might be digging a picket post.. the men would stand duty guarding the camp.. when their turn was over.. they pulled the bullets versus walking back into camp with loaded weapons.. I have one site I hunted that I found piles of them every 100 yeards of so along a wood line that hand been there during the period.... found a few drops.. but mostly pulled.... I found 8 pulled in one hole!!

MB

A picket post would be nice! 8 pulled bullets in one hole would be incredible!!

Great finds. Looks like you are in a really good campsite.
Dman

Chopper,
You are finding some great CW relics. Some nice lead and part of a spur too.
Congrats,
MM

Thanks folks!

It is quite possible that the troops were ordered to pull the bullets rather then discharge them in an attempt to practice noise discipline. Firing a .69 calibre minie has a distinct way on letting your adversaries locate your position.

Great finds!! Keep digging!!!

HH,
Sneaky6

You ain't lying! I wonder how many soldiers went home near deaf!

Very nice CW relics
Looks like that place is still producing some good stuff
Keep swinging and you will find that perfect dropped monster 69,Ilove finding CW bullets but when you pull a 69 from the dirt it is a even greater feeling.Congrats on your finds

fortbball9

Yeah, that last 69 was probably my favorite yet. A flawless one would be nice to find. Thanks Fortball!

 

[BuckleBoy]

I can think of two possibilities:

1. You've found a picket post (as has been said above). You will find lots of .69 cal ammunition in a picket post.

OR

2. You're VERY close to the campsite. Soldiers were not allowed to have loaded weapons in camp. They wormed out or pulled the bullets as they got close to a campsite.


GREAT spur piece!


-Buck

 

[zaxfire69]

I like your bullets and the part of the spur. Must be nice to have an area like that to hunt. Awesome job

 

[midirtdevil]

I agree...... Nice finds! KOD!!!!

 

[shaun7]

fascinating stuff