questions on ~1870s frontier site finds (warning, pic heavy)

[Jason in Enid]

Hopefully someone reading this is a cowboy era bullet expert and can give me some information.

Now, a little background. This weekend I started hunting the area around a trading post / stage stop type of site. Supposed to be in use from 1860s to 1880s until trains put it out of use. I have been finding a lot of bullet casings and lead but I'm not really sure what was really in use at the time. Don't know if these are all period or if some are modern "contamination".



I've found many bullet sized chunks of lead which may or may not be bullets. I have found 44-40 casings (some marked, some unmarked), 2 rimfires which seem about .25 and .32 or .38 sized. Also, some round balls which I have no idea is they are pistol ball or shotgun shot. and lastly .22 bullets.



I have been GPS marking every old find, except the .22s. I thought they were modern remains and didnt record them, but now I find that 22s were in use back then. These don't have the modern shoulder and are straight sided with a concave base. Rifling marks show a very slight right-hand twist.





3 .44 partials dug in very close proximity but they are not from the same bullet. All (but the nose) show rifling marks. Why would someone cut bullets like this. Appears to be 2 bases and one nose?



Lastly, any info about the brass buckle? Period? use?



Of course, I;m very happy with the only coin found so far. 1868 Shield nickle, must have been almost new when lost.

 

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[GB1]

sweet finds

 

[11KBP]

I started hunting the area around a trading post / stage stop type of site. Supposed to be in use from 1860s to 1880s until trains put it out of use. I have been finding a lot of bullet casings and lead but I'm not really sure what was really in use at the time. Don't know if these are all period or if some are modern "contamination".

It appears to me that you have a mixture of old and new and many pieces that I won’t attempt to ID.

Obviously the coin and the rim fire cases fit into the 1860’s and into the 1870’s sites. I can add that I have found a number of the small 2-prong buckles on the early pre-1880 sites I hunt.

On the military/Indian Wars related sites I hunt I only find rim fire casings and internally primed center fire casings. Externally primed casings did not show up until the early 1870’s.

 

[Jason in Enid]

It appears to me that you have a mixture of old and new and many pieces that I won’t attempt to ID.

Obviously the coin and the rim fire cases fit into the 1860’s and into the 1870’s sites. I can add that I have found a number of the small 2-prong buckles on the early pre-1880 sites I hunt.

On the military/Indian Wars related sites I hunt I only find rim fire casings and internally primed center fire casings. Externally primed casings did not show up until the early 1870’s.

thanks for the info. I know the 44-40 didnt come out until 1873. Have you ever found .22 bullets at your older sites? Still on the fence about those. Lots of rivets that are probably from horse tack just based on thickness.

Glad to know the rimfires are probably from the earliest days, or at least from someone carrying their "old trusty" rifle.

 

[11KBP]

Have you ever found .22 bullets at your older sites? Still on the fence about those. Lots of rivets that are probably from horse tack just based on thickness.

I have, but since there has been a bazillion .22’s adding up for nearly a century and half I pay little attention to them.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Congratualtions on the nice finds!

 

[devldog]

Jason, nice finds. In the next to last pic., 2nd item down looks to be a U.S. brass Cavalry suspender buckle. I have one of these dropped by one of "Uncle Billy's" troopers here in Georgia.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Jason, nice finds. In the next to last pic., 2nd item down looks to be a U.S. brass Cavalry suspender buckle. I have one of these dropped by one of "Uncle Billy's" troopers here in Georgia.

Ah, thanks! Thats very possible for this site. Both military and civilians traveled this road

 

[scruggs]

Nice ole finds!

 

[Misuraco]

Hey Jason do u know what you found in this pic? I recently found one of these and can’t figure out what it is??

 

[Jason in Enid]

Hey Jason do u know what you found in this pic? I recently found one of these and can’t figure out what it is??
View attachment 1512975

Its a rivet, most likely from horse tack.

 

[Misuraco]

Thanks .. nice finds btw

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

thanks for the info. I know the 44-40 didnt come out until 1873. Have you ever found .22 bullets at your older sites? Still on the fence about those. Lots of rivets that are probably from horse tack just based on thickness.

Glad to know the rimfires are probably from the earliest days, or at least from someone carrying their "old trusty" rifle.

.22 shorts were very popular in the 1890's on through the depression and up until the late 1950's for squirrel and rabbit hunting.
I find lots of them around mining areas.

 

[Phishfarmer]

Nice Shield nickel! Congrats.

 

[Phishfarmer]

Union CW knapsacks used a similar rivet also.