Newbie bullet question

[Anonymous]

Last weekend I had the opportunity to dig a few handfuls of bullets and I need some help classifying them. Most of the bullets are the 'common' 3-ringer variety. These are all measuring a diameter of .565" - .574" so I guess they're considered .57/.577 calibre? I'm basing this on the information in the Mason & McKee bullet book.
<img src="http://www.findmall.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10164/DIV III Finds 058a.jpg" alt="" />
Six of these 3-ringers were of a pointed variety. They are measuring about .570" dia, 1.040" - 1.045" len, 470gr - 475gr. My question is, are these an unusual variety, or are they fairly common?
<img src="http://www.findmall.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10164/DIV III Finds 052a.jpg" alt="" />
The last bullet I need help with is a .36 calibre pistol that appears fired. This bullet measures .360" - .362 dia, .560" len and about 122 gr. I can't find anything actually close in the M&M book. Also, I can't explain the ridge of raised lead if this were a fired bullet.
<img src="http://www.findmall.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10164/DIV III Finds 050a.jpg" alt="" />
I would appreciate any help on these common finds. Thanks and HH - Sarge

 

[Anonymous]

John, the fired pistol bullet has the raised place on it because it hit the ground or something and as I call it "smeared". I may not be right but that seems logical. Also, now I aint no expert, but the second bullet I think is a variation of the first. If I am wrong someone will tell us. Nice finds...d2

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks d2.......I believe you're right that the pointed bullet is a variation. Just wandered if if was something unusual or if these are common among the 3-ringers. Thanks for the info d2.

 

[Anonymous]

Welcome to the Relic Forum. There are many varieties of the "3 ring" bullet. Both US and CS manufacture and this includes imports. The .577 variety would have been used in .58 caliber rifles. When comparing very similar bullets, they need to vary + or - 5 grains to be considered a variant. The most consistant bullets in both size and weight will be the imported Enfield/Pritchett bullet. These were made by the automatic bullet machine. Lead was compressed into the mold by force. These are high quality, consistant projectiles, and feature a "plug" base. Many would have arsenal marks (L, L1, L2, L12 etc) or dates of Manufacture; 55, 57 etc. The US made "swaged" bullets. These had the grooves (rings) applied by hand on a lathe. The tell-tale marks are: base will have 5 or 6 lines in the base cavity forming a star. Nose has very fine lines circling the ogive (nose to shoulder area). To collect and study bullets, the M/M book is an excellent start. Get yourself some reloading scales that weigh in grains; calipers or a Birch Bullet gauge and you'll have an easier time at identifying bullets. We can only guesstimate how many different bullets were used in the War of the Great Rebellion. Most likely between 1600 to 2000. Does your pistol bullet have rifling marks on it? I can't tell. If not, I would say it was a cased bullet. Could have been stomped into the ground. The case mouth would have caused the raised ring and the scratches could have been caused by sand/grit in the soil. Good hunting, David @ Dixie

 

[Anonymous]

Actually I've been on the forum before, but it's probably been a good 8 months or so since I've last posted..........just haven't had anything worth putting up. Anyway, I've got the Birch gauge and M&M book (got 'em from you!) and that's was I was using to refer my finds to; I''m using a 4-beam scale that weighs in grams and doing the conversion back to grains. It seemed out of 3 measurements on the pointed bullets (diameter, length & weight) I could only actually get 2 out of the 3 to even get 'in the ballpark', with usually the weight being way out - like mine weighing in about 466 grains and the M&M book showing 482 or so.
For instance, on the pointed variation I dug, mine all measured about .565" - .570" and were 1.020" - 1.040" in length which is right in the ballpark for the M&M 380, but mine all weigh in under 470gr, most weighing about 466gr - 467gr. Trying to match the bullet to the picture, the bullet seems to closer resemble #376 (the steeper sides, not so rounded leading up to the point), but they're no where close to the suggested 1.080" length. And I would hardly imagine I dug 5 CSA bullets that had been scattered about in this hut........although that would be way cool! I'm presuming, however, that absent any other convincing arguement, that I have a slight variation of the M&M 380 with these pointed 3-ringers.
The cavities on all these bullets are the standard cone cavity, no Washington Arsenal stars, no swage marks, no casting marks, etc.
As for the .36 bullet - I can't tell for sure if it really has rifling on it or not. My first impression is the ridge was caused, as you suggest, by the cartridge and the striations I'm seeing are too close together to be rifling. It's entirely possible that the bullet was scraped and then the soldier tried shoving it back into a cartridge? The striations just seem too close together to be rifling, but too uniform to be from a random scrape like being dragged across a rock by a boot.
But I guess this is the fun of collecting these relics!