Short Trip to a Couple of Indian Wars Sites

[Mason Jarr]

I made my first trip of 2026 to a couple of private sites from the 1870s/1880s that were forts during the Snake Indian War. I'm just two months off a back surgery so I limited myself to 2 or 3 hours per day. My finds were less than normal due to the shorter days, but I still managed a decent haul....mainly cartridge casings as usual. A few pieces I haven't identified as of yet (those next to the quarter in the photos). I'm fairly certain one of them is the hinged lid from a salt shaker.

One of the dropped cartridges has a headstamp of US/ 38 S&W. There is also an intertwined US on the primer. It's probably from the 1890s. Old, but not period to the time of these fort sites. I usually find older shotgun bases there also. From what I've researched most military units had a few shotguns on hand that were used as foraging pieces.

Nothing really out of the ordinary this time, but a good trip considering the back limitations.

 

[Mason Jarr]

I forgot to mention I also found an 1879 Indian Head cent. It's in rough shape but it's a semi-key date. I'll post a photo after I've tried to clean it a bit.

 

[VTColonialDigger]

Wow! What a great bunch of interesting finds! The variation in types of ammunition you recovered is fascinating. From the looks of the minie balls and percussion cap, there was some muzzeloading muskets as well as later cartridge rifles used there. It's cool to see that technological transition in the artifact record.

 

[RedLeaf]

I always find cartridge cases, bullets, & head stamps interesting. Some of the bullets look like the now obsolete straight case Winchester cartridges.

 

[Mason Jarr]

I always find cartridge cases, bullets, & head stamps interesting. Some of the bullets look like the now obsolete straight case Winchester cartridges.

In my photo from l to r those casings are Spencer, .50-70, .50-70 blank, .44 Colt and .45-70. Mostly in the pile are .45-70s.

 

[Mason Jarr]

Wow! What a great bunch of interesting finds! The variation in types of ammunition you recovered is fascinating. From the looks of the minie balls and percussion cap, there was some muzzeloading muskets as well as later cartridge rifles used there. It's cool to see that technological transition in the artifact record.

The biggest fort site was active from 1866 to 1886. So the Spencer rifles had already been introduced in the Civil War, but many troopers were still carrying muzzle loading rifles and pistols. Along came the .50-70, the Henry, the .44 Colt and S&W, and the .45-70. There is a wide variety of bullets and casings at both sites, but more at the larger fort.

 

[russau]

I had 2 45.70 Trapdoor Springfeild rifles . Onw was H&R replica and the other was a original but it had a sawed off barrel and a homemade pistol grip. My Father found it while cleaning out a old building(in the early 40s) earning $$ for Colledge. I'd lik to restore it with another barrel & stock . anybody have any old parts I mentioned for sale ? Please P.M. me if you have any of these 2 parts. Russ

 

[russau]

I've been told that those 2 items will probly cost more than just buying another rifle ........ well there goes the memories !

 

[pepperj]

Good amount of recoveries for the time spent each day.
Good luck with the back, detecting is great therapy.

 

[Mason Jarr]

I had 2 45.70 Trapdoor Springfeild rifles . Onw was H&R replica and the other was a original but it had a sawed off barrel and a homemade pistol grip. My Father found it while cleaning out a old building(in the early 40s) earning $$ for Colledge. I'd lik to restore it with another barrel & stock . anybody have any old parts I mentioned for sale ? Please P.M. me if you have any of these 2 parts. Russ

There is a guy out near Helena MT, John Hawkins, that restores them. He had some spare parts at one-time I heard. He metal detects so you might find him on a forum.