musket balls how to determine caliber ?

[dfmike]

I initially thought musket balls were all the same size but metal detecting proved me wrong. I found 2 different sizes in the same area which was host to a few battles in the past. Most are blue-gray while some are almost black. How can I determine the caliber of these ? I believe I have to measure circumference ? Thanks.

 

[WV62]

You will need to measure the diameter and then convert to decimal number if needed, that should get you in the ball park. I don't know much about calibers of rifles used in the CW, but if you do a little research you can find out what they used and then see where your bullets come in at. Keep in mind that if they are round balls they are a little smaller than the rifle bore to allow room for a patch.

I have done a little black powder hunting and shooting, but I am not into CW.

Ron in WV

 

[jimmyk]

A micrometer is the bast way. A digital one isn't all that expensive. Shot balls are usually somewhat to very out of round. Dropped bullets are pretty consistent.

jimmyk in Missouri

 

[GeorgeinSC]

You can get a cheap digital micrometer at Harbor freight that will do the job. Measure the diameter of those that are not deformed. Remember that round balls will be slightly undersized for the caliber due to needing room for the cloth patch to make a good fit in the barrel.

 

[doc holiday232]

Usual calibers: 54,577,58,&69. The large round balls are usually 69,but then the pistol balls are smaller--.

 

[dfmike]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll be on the lookout for a micrometer.

Any sure way of finding out if they are old or not ? I have reason to believe they are from an old battle but could have been shot more recently although black powder hunting is kind of rare around here and I am sure that hunting has been banned for some time where I found them. The ones I found were relatively deep and the sinking rate is slow around here. Also only a few are what I would call perfectly round. The rest go from slightly to moderately deformed. The color varies a lot too. I'll post a picture in the Fisher F forum soon.

 

[WV62]

It sounds like you have round balls and not conical, so I think about all you do is go by caliber. Here are some of the new calibers that are used for hunting, .36, .45, 50, and .54.

A fired round ball that hit something should have at lest a little mushroom look, just a dropped one will be somewhat round with maybe some damage from years in the ground.

I would guess yours are old ones from the CW or from old timers pre CW hunting in that area.

Ron in WV

 

[still looking 52]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll be on the lookout for a micrometer.

Any sure way of finding out if they are old or not ? I have reason to believe they are from an old battle but could have been shot more recently although black powder hunting is kind of rare around here and I am sure that hunting has been banned for some time where I found them. The ones I found were relatively deep and the sinking rate is slow around here. Also only a few are what I would call perfectly round. The rest go from slightly to moderately deformed. The color varies a lot too. I'll post a p
icture in


the Fisher F forum soon.

you might take the balls to a pawn shop and let those guys take a look at them, they could let you know if it's modern ammunition or not.

 

[dfmike]

Thanks for the info still looking and WV62. Wouldn't the new balls (those that are still sold today to hunters) be more "perfect", done in a more modern factory with state of the art equipment. The ones that I found or at least most of them seem very crude. They look like they were hand made.

Here is a picture of the difference in size between the 2 types I have found. The ones on the left are of smaller size. It's more obvious live than in the picture.

 

[GeorgeinSC]

Old cast round balls should have a nub where the lead was poured into the mold. Modern round balls are swaged so they do not have that little nub.

 

[WV62]

They look like dropped balls to me, if fired I would expect to see more out of round shape. That large one top right looks like it may have a bit of flat area on its lower right.

Just the fact that you are finding mixed sizes, I would say you are in some kind CW site, maybe a battle area or camp site. I would keep hunting that area maybe you could come up with a cannon ball or a belt buckle, wouldn't that make your day.

Interesting finds,

Ron in WV

 

[dfmike]

Thanks Ron and George. I just showed the ones that looked good. Most of what I found are not perfectly round. Many had clearly hit something. Some of them seemed splattered with deformed piece attached while others were virtually cut in half. I'd be surprised if the rest were dropped but in the heat of a battle, it could very well be a possibility. I found about 30 of the smaller variety in an area covering only about 20 X 15 feet. These all come from a place where US troops attempted to gain Canadian land at one time but were met with heavy English resistance eventually driving them out. There's a good reason why all our coins are adorned with Brit royalty. And I did find an old belt buckle there. It was about 7 inches deep under the roots of a big tree.

George, I will look for the nub you mention but have not noticed it yet. Are the modern round balls still made out of lead ?

 

[MI-AuAg]

Old cast round balls should have a nub where the lead was poured into the mold. Modern round balls are swaged so they do not have that little nub.

Having the spru marks ("little nub"), isn't necessarily indicative of "Old cast round balls". Lots and lots of modern day shooters of patched roundball firearms cast their own lead roundballs.

There are clubs and individual target shooters, and hunters who cast roundballs in .32, .36, .45, .50, and .54 calibers. I myself have cast many .54 cal. lead roundballs for both target and hunting. They have the spru mark.

 

[GeorgeinSC]

Old cast round balls should have a nub where the lead was poured into the mold. Modern round balls are swaged so they do not have that little nub.

Having the spru marks ("little nub"), isn't necessarily indicative of "Old cast round balls". Lots and lots of modern day shooters of patched roundball firearms cast their own lead roundballs.

There are clubs and individual target shooters, and hunters who cast roundballs in .32, .36, .45, .50, and .54 calibers. I myself have cast many .54 cal. lead roundballs for both target and hunting. They have the spru mark.

I was trying to point out that modern factory manufactured round balls would not have the spru and that old ones would have. I shoot 32, 36, 33, and 50 cal. Round balls and conicals.

 

[MI-AuAg]

Old cast round balls should have a nub where the lead was poured into the mold. Modern round balls are swaged so they do not have that little nub.

Having the spru marks ("little nub"), isn't necessarily indicative of "Old cast round balls". Lots and lots of modern day shooters of patched roundball firearms cast their own lead roundballs.

There are clubs and individual target shooters, and hunters who cast roundballs in .32, .36, .45, .50, and .54 calibers. I myself have cast many .54 cal. lead roundballs for both target and hunting. They have the spru mark.

I was trying to point out that modern factory manufactured round balls would not have the spru and that old ones would have. I shoot 32, 36, 33, and 50 cal. Round balls and conicals.

I understand what you are saying, and you are correct where factory ones are concerned. What I was pointing out, is that modern hand cast roundballs ALSO have the spru, and are thus not an absolute indicator of an old find.

 

[dfmike]

So no sure way of telling if the ones I have found could have been used in modern hunting ? "Modern" meaning in the last 50-60 years or so. Depth could be an indication but it's not 100% accurate either. They were found at 4-7 inches deep. Most of the good stuff I find that is about 100 years old or more is usually at those depths or beyond. Modern stuff is found at 3 inches or less. There are exceptions to the rule of course but generally, that's the case in my soil.

Another question I have for the experts: Are the balls generally made of pure lead ? I'm asking this because the variation in color intrigues me. Most are dull gray but some are almost cobalt blue and I have a few that are almost black. I'm thinking that if they were made of a single chemical element the color shouldn't vary. I'm certainly not an expert in chemistry. Just a thought.

 

[MI-AuAg]

Location has a lot to do with It. Me being in Michigan, obviously no Civil War battles took place here. Any very old roundballs would have come from hunters/trappers/traders and such, although some old forts did exist here. Finding roundballs is not uncommon for me, but, as to age?? Locations of Civil War camps and battle sights would hold more significance. The caliber of the roundball is important. Since several different type and caliber of rifles and revolvers were used. That is where the calipers would be helpful.
I would think the lead used back in the old days, was pretty much free of a great deal of impurities or alloys. (guessing) It doesn't take lead very long to oxidize and turn gray. Roundballs that I cast and sat unused have the gray powdery oxidation. I'm guessing again, but I would think the darker colors you mention are probably due to naturally occuring minerals and acids in the soil.