Two finds that need help with identification. Small Minie Ball?

[CharlestonHistoryNut]

I found these near Morris Island, SC, and was wondering if anyone could help ID. I'm pretty sure one is steel grapeshot. It is flattened and marked up on one end, which I believe is from impact after impact. This would also explain the greater diameter on that part of the ball. The diameter is widest on the impact sides, and is 18mm. The diameter on the thinner side is 12-13mm. It weighs 27.1 grams. I Just some folks to help confirm on this one if possible.

With regards to the tiny minie ball(?) I found, I'm pretty stumped. It is just at or a touch over 10mm in diameter, and is 12-16mm long. There are some scratches and a small bit missing from one side of the tip. She's the tiniest I've ever seen, and I'm assuming from some kind of pistol. It weighs 13 grams even. There are no rings at all on the bullet, and it appears to have never been discharged as you can see in the pictures. In my searches I couldn't find a match anywhere. These were both recovered near a battery, near Morris Island, SC. I'm long time history obsessed, but a total beginner to the hobby, and any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[mirage83]

Well, the bullet you found appears to be a jacketed .45 ACP slug judging by the pictures of the base of the bullet. The other find isn't going to be steel grapeshot, not that small nor flattened out like that. That said, I'm not really sure what it is. Does it react to a magnet? Perhaps some other members will have some insight on it.

 

[CharlestonHistoryNut]

Well, the bullet you found appears to be a jacketed .45 ACP slug judging by the pictures of the base of the bullet. The other find isn't going to be steel grapeshot, not that small nor flattened out like that. That said, I'm not really sure what it is. Does it react to a magnet? Perhaps some other members will have some insight on it.

. Thanks for the help with the bullet! Being new, I completely forgot to do the magnet test on the misidentified grapeshot. Anyway, it is not drawn at all to my high power magnet. Thanks again for the help. This hobby has brought me so much joy already , and even the smallest finds are major thrills.

 

[CharlestonHistoryNut]

I just scratched the surface lightly with a knife. There is no copper alloy coating, so can it be a jacketed acp if it's all lead?

 

[Slingshot]

Might be a nickel jacket, a lot of these and even some soft steel jackets were in use in the second World War due to metals shortages. The metal nickel was in such short supply that the nickel 5 cent coins were made of silver so the regular nickel could be used in our armaments industry. If it was a lead bullet it would need one or more grooves close to it's base for necessary lubrication to avoid leading up the barrel. Does indeed look like some kind of .45 ACP though. There were some lead bullets made in the late 1800's and early 1900's that didn't need lubrication grooves but were lubed by a internal lubricant that was put into the bullets base and was forced out of several small holes that connected the interior with the exterior of the bullet from the gas pressure when they were fired. These holes would be close to the base below the seating line of the cartridge case so that they weren't exposed until the bullet was activated. Cheers!!