OK, I know they are musket balls but...

[Batch]

...can probable weapons used be identified based upon the below information?

There was a three day French-Prussian engagement known as the Battle of Kaiserslautern (Germany) in 1793 and I have been detecting in the woods around one of the battle sites. Many detectorists have pulled musketballs, uniform items, and at least one cannonball from this area. As I was examining my finds this week I noticed the musketballs seem to be of two distinct sizes. Which leads me to the first two of three questions...what muskets were likely used in this battle and which side had which? I ASSUME the two different diameters were from opposing sides.

The smaller weigh 21.3 grams with a diameter of 15.9 millimeters (0.625 inches) and the larger weigh 25.8 grams with a 16.9 millimeter (0.665 inches) diameter. These are "averaged" measurements of multiple items for both weight and diameter; for the diameter, only "dropped"/round balls were used. I used an old school balance beam scale accurate to a 1/10 gram calibrated with a known weight and a quality digital caliper so I am confident in my base numbers.

As for calculations, if I use the density of pure lead (11.34 grams/cubic centimeter) the numbers don't "add up" so to speak...the diameters should be noticably less (15.3 and 16.3 mm respectively). However if I use a density of 10.00 gr/cc the numbers work out pretty darned close. Which is my third question, what alloy was probably used for these musket balls?

The photo shows a representative example of both sizes side-by-side.

Any answers/insight you can provide will be greatly appreciated...and if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

Respectfully,

Batch

 

[Aarong81]

Take a look at some of THESE examples and use your calculations to determine if their weights are anywhere near 10 gr/cc . Alloys have been used for musket balls for several hundred years to harden the ball. Lead is so soft that it deforms too easily if you don't add tin or other hard metal.
But I'm not sure it will help determine the age since pure lead is not a normal composition for musket balls.

 

[Batch]

Thanks for the info Aarong81. That shows you how little I know about ammo and such...I though pure lead was the "norm" for musket balls at that time. I do have the calculations down to an art now so I will check those in the link you provided to see if it sheds any light on the situation. I am fairly certain the balls are from the 1793 battle as they litter the fields where the battles are documented to have occurred. I've found other - more modern - cartridges, bullets, artifacts in the surrounding woods as well that I can date with some accuracy. I'm just really curious to know if it can be determined which side fired which balls and from what guns.

Thank you again for the info!

Happy hunting,

Batch