✅ SOLVED STRANGE LOOKING PROJECTILE

[Alan Payne]

Went detecting this past Sunday on an old brick road that the city had just pulled up the bricks. Thought we were going to get some good old coins, but all we found were a bunch of lead and all modern I believe. I did find and interesting one that is odd looking to me and I would appreciate any help in deciphering what it is.
Based on the pictures and the caliper readings I believe this lead to be either a .357 CAL. or a 360 CAL. It has 5 riffle marks from being fired and doesn't look like it has hit anything and appears to be .584 Long. It has what looks to be four grooves and I can't tell if it was in a cartridge or was it a black powder musket round. Thanks for all you help and interest in advance.

 

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[mick56]

I believe that is called a wadcutter. When shot at a paper target, it makes a nice hole that can be seen very easily.

 

[firemanphob]

Looks like a modern 38 cal. wadcutter cast bullet. Used for paper target shooting because they cut a nice round hole.

 

[Tony in SC]

Wad cutter. For making round holes in target.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I grew up casting those things with my dad. He called them dum-dums, but I think wad cutter is a more common name. Gary

 

[Nick79]

I detected one last month too!

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I have fired thousands and thousands of those in .38 Special over the years.

Mid-range wadcutter bullets. Nice, round holes in the targets and they stop a bunny without much damage.