Mining for lead

[tab-nabit]

Well there ya go - I bet you thought detecting was going to help you loose weight. Not looking like it to me
Super nice! & thanks for the pics
And you say might someday find one or two - Wrong!

 

[Odanscoils]

This is very close to a known large Union camp. Other members of my club were noting these are not powdery white like finds in some other states. It might have something to do with our local Ohio soil, which is generally rather mild. Based on the location, these would not have originated from a battle. It is in line of sight from the camp. More likely (and guessing from club member’s reported distribution) these bullets are from target practice, possibly shooting at game or for the fun of it, or sentries discharging weapons at the end of their shift.

After reading this is in Ohio.
Is location this near PA,WV or Kentucky ?

 

[Geologyhound]

After reading this is in Ohio.
Is location this near PA,WV or Kentucky ?

I would say closer to Kentucky.

 

[Geologyhound]

I spent a chunk of Saturday morning calling and visiting local gun shops. The first location that knew something of Civil War bullets pointed out the “wadcutters” as newer bullets (but I don’t know how much newer). These are the shorter flatnose four on the left side of the picture with 14 bullets. This gentleman was of the opinion the rest of the bullets were a mix of newer and older, but he wasn’t interested in looking through them to see which was which.

The second location pulled out a small pile of bullets with an extra ring incised around the nose cone and said those are indicative of newer bullets (again, I don’t know how much newer). He said for the rest of the bullets he was 70% certain they were either from the Civil War or from the same weapons in the years following the Civil War. However, he also said his primary area of expertise was more World War I forward, and I should probably check with more experts as each expert would have his own opinion.

In the attached photos, the larger batch of bullets is the group the second person was 70% certain were older. The two in the bottom row and the one by itself at the very bottom are the three that might be pistol bullets. The one by itself also has the extra ring cut in the nose and might be newer. Of those three, the one with the extra ring is the only one with obvious rifling marks.
The picture of 14 bullets is the group which the second shop thought may be newer. In the picture of five bullets (included in the 14), I tried to get close enough to show the extra ring cut around the nose cone (indication of newer bullet per the second gun shop).

There is one more local gun shop which may reportedly be of help. However, he won’t be open until Monday.

 

[Picketwire]

(indication of newer bullet per the second gun shop).

The ring can be caused by the wrong top punch of a lube-sizer or wrong one on a seating die but it can also be caused by the ramrod of a muzzleloader so I don't think it gives any indication of age.

The first location that knew something of Civil War bullets pointed out the “wadcutters” as newer bullets (but I don’t know how much newer).

Wadcutters are flat or maybe with a small dimple in the middle. They are designed to cut paper targets instead of puncturing them. As far as I know they were always made for pistols. I cast wadcutters for 44cal and 357 cal bullets and none look like the ones in the picture. I also know of only one factory wadcutter with a hollow base and again, the nose is flat and sharp around the edges. Just because someone runs a gun shop doesn't mean they are experts on old bullets. See

Wadcutter - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[fwcrawford]

The three bullets shown below that you found resemble a Merril round, but from what I see, they have solid bases whereas yours look to have a cavity at the base.

 

[Geologyhound]

The three bullets shown below that you found resemble a Merril round, but from what I see, they have solid bases whereas yours look to have a cavity at the base.

Yes, all three of those have a cavity in the base. FYI, one of my club members showed some of their bullets from this site around diggerpalosa, and the general consensus was they were Civil War period.