Tiny lead cap. Civil war related?

[vthepresident]

This tiny lead cap was found at a civil war site. I have no idea what it is. Any ideas?

Here's a picture with some other finds for scale

Thanks for the help
V

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[fortbball9]

I don't have a clue,but I found one just like yours also in a civil war camp.
I hope someone ID's it for you.

fortbball9

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Lead cap for a roofing nail?

 

[RPG]

Lead cap for a roofing nail?

This one looks a little different from the roofing nail caps I have found. Usually, when I find lead nail caps, I find lots of them.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Lead and brass won't spark, and I understand they used such caps to cover the nipple of a loaded musket with the cap removed as a "safety" and to seal out moisture.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Lead and brass won't spark, and I understand they used such caps to cover the nipple of a loaded musket with the cap removed as a "safety" and to seal out moisture.

It makes a lot of sense. I use a rubber cap, when I hunt in the rain, and put the hammer down on top of it carefully...

Put a cap inside to see if it fits.

 

[BuckleBoy]

It could be a nipple protector--but the shape seems wrong. Most of them were crudely carved out of bullets:

http://www.horsesoldier.com/catalog/R13903.JPEG


http://www.horsesoldier.com/catalog/r13902.JPEG


http://www.horsesoldier.com/catalog/r14757.JPEG


http://www.dixielandrelics.com/Bullets_files/round protecter 2.JPG



Regards,



Buckleboy

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Nothing worse than a damp cap lol. I let the hammer go many times on a wild hog just to hear a click. Here in the Everglades, I have to put on a fresh cap about every hour just from the humidity. And I keep my caps in an air tight plastic film container! If it rains, I would have to hold it under my raincoat and hope it will stay dry. I considered the idea of firing with a cigarette lighter. Shotgun primers are the way to go, but thats not primitive hunting. I wonder if they fought in the rain? Must have been a lot of hand to hand combat.

 

[traderoftreasures]

could have been a cap to a aftershave bottle

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Here are some similar. http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,92750.0.html

 

[River Rat]

Looks like a lead tin roofing nail cap to me.

RR

 

[DirtyMike]

I have dug two of these things as well and both from differant civil war sites. They have had me stumped since a friend of mine showed me one that he had dug. So they must be sort of common and I guess just over looked. I am thinking maybe along the line of a lead /wax seal on a common bottle, some tobacco, or something like that. Or a flask topper/plug. Who knows....

 

[traderoftreasures]

the top left is a salvaged musket cap observe
http://www.civilwarantiqueshop.com/r20.htm

 

[searcher]

Here's a stab in the dark.

I know almost nothing about civil war era stuff.

The bit of lead reminded me of a medicine vial seal for injectable medication.

As a former medic I have seen a few of the new ones.

The pic is of the new aluminum ones.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

the top left is a salvaged musket cap observe
http://www.civilwarantiqueshop.com/r20.htm

Forget about that. Musket caps are not lead. Nor are any percussion caps.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Here's a stab in the dark.

I know almost nothing about civil war era stuff.

The bit of lead reminded me of a medicine vial seal for injectable medication.

As a former medic I have seen a few of the new ones.

The pic is of the new aluminum ones.

Here is a picture of a little glass dental floss I found in a dump. I guess it could be something like this lead cap but without threads. But RiverRat thinks it from a nail.

 

[searcher]

Could you post a pic of the other side of the lead piece please?

 

[One mans trash...]

Just one more thought. I ran across a reference to the Union regulation 1839 cavalry buckle. The studs are described as having lead caps. That seemed like something that might become separated from time to time. Here's their photo.



I also see mention of a lead cap from a powder pouch. I have no idea what that looks like or what size.

May also have been a lead cap for a small medicine bottle that may have originally had a piece of paper over it and wired around the neck.

 

[traderoftreasures]

lead on a dental floss container ha ha

 

[CRUSADER]

I have found a number of similar caps, thought to be off old tubes of toothpaste, animal ointment etc..