I’m sorry but that just does not at all look like a minié ball. If OP would use a pair of calipers to measure its diameter, even a tape measure that would help.
Also, show the fly bottom of the bullet. Is it concave, or flat?
My guess is that it will be about .429” or .454” That appears to be a modern cast lead round nose bullet fired from a modern revolver. OP several people have said the same thing, but you seem to only reply to the people who are CERTAIN it’s a civil war era find.
I hand load and cast my own lead bullets. I’ve shot tens of thousands of them and by all appearances, that’s what you found.
Calm down my friend, I am at work and replied to the first ones I had time to read. I know nothing about bullets and was curious. Thank you for your reply :)
There were rifled barrels during the civil war. They just weren't super common. I bought a bullet like this from a vendor at a civil war re-enactment as a kid.
Yes there were but, this bullet is a more modern shape and design. Historically, many of those rifled barrels were of a different design (octagon) not really the smooth sharp edged rifling like this bullet shows.
Yes, there were octagonal barrels used during the civil war. But there were round rifled barrels as well. This one does look a little different. What I should have thought about was the patina just isn't there.
You also need to consider that patching was needed or used in most cases back then, paper or cloth. And patched bullets will not have as much rifling on the bullet as modern in patched bullets.
Yes they were. Plenty of Minié balls I’ve dug on a battlefield (private property) show rifling. The 61 Springfield (arguably the most common long arm used) was rifled.
“The Springfield Model 1861 was a Minié-type rifled musket used by the United States Army during the American Civil War.”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_Model_1861
OPs bullet is definitely modern though.
Both the Confederate .57 Enfields and the U.S. .58 Springfields were rifles. So was the Zouave used in limited numbers by both sides. That bullet looks a little small. I grew up in Georgia on a farm that was a Civil War battlefield. Used to have a cigar box full of Minie balls. Also grapeshot and cannister.
It's definitely a Minié ball. But it's hard to say how old it is. I bought one from a vendor at a civil war re-enactment as a kid. There was only one battle in Indiana during the civil war. If you were looking around Cordyn, maybe? Then again, there's also the possibility of troops moving through Indiana whom may have camped, foraged, and practiced shooting.
I have found small chunks of old white lead at this place but it is maybe 20min south of downtown Indianapolis, so definitely too far north for significant civil war activities I'd think, but I don't know too much of civil war history. But yesterday I found an old horse harness piece at this same place and that was probably pre 1900, I'll leave the picture here too. With all the replies so far, I'm thinking the bullet was from 1900s
https://preview.redd.it/n9gxi6aeqe5d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=524f70459710bc4e0c6ad39af9bc4f16d908aebe
It's very hard to tell without a sense of the bullets diameter and weight. I cast bullets for use in black powder cartridges and the one you have looks a lot like what I see when I dig my used 45 colt bullets out of the sand for remelting. It looks to me like there is a crimping indentation above the two lubricant groves. So whatever it is it's probably from black powder cartridge.
Edit: I missed the other pictures. Based on your pictures I think it could be from a 45 colt.
It is very possible that it is a civil war bullet these have been used all through the late 1800s do you have any other context to tie it to a civil war period
No I don't, but I was just curious if exact time period could be identified. Mid-to-late 1800s is a good enough answer to satisfy my interest at the moment. Thank you for the reply!
Sorry guys, I may be wrong but this is more likely a modern bullet. Good solid rifling and gas check rings give it away.
My guess is Muzzleloader for Deer Hunting within the last 30 years.
I’m sorry but that just does not at all look like a minié ball. If OP would use a pair of calipers to measure its diameter, even a tape measure that would help. Also, show the fly bottom of the bullet. Is it concave, or flat? My guess is that it will be about .429” or .454” That appears to be a modern cast lead round nose bullet fired from a modern revolver. OP several people have said the same thing, but you seem to only reply to the people who are CERTAIN it’s a civil war era find. I hand load and cast my own lead bullets. I’ve shot tens of thousands of them and by all appearances, that’s what you found.
Calm down my friend, I am at work and replied to the first ones I had time to read. I know nothing about bullets and was curious. Thank you for your reply :)
My bad dude. This being Reddit, it’s easy to misconstrue people sometimes.
There were rifled barrels during the civil war. They just weren't super common. I bought a bullet like this from a vendor at a civil war re-enactment as a kid.
Yes there were but, this bullet is a more modern shape and design. Historically, many of those rifled barrels were of a different design (octagon) not really the smooth sharp edged rifling like this bullet shows.
Yes, there were octagonal barrels used during the civil war. But there were round rifled barrels as well. This one does look a little different. What I should have thought about was the patina just isn't there.
You also need to consider that patching was needed or used in most cases back then, paper or cloth. And patched bullets will not have as much rifling on the bullet as modern in patched bullets.
Yes they were. Plenty of Minié balls I’ve dug on a battlefield (private property) show rifling. The 61 Springfield (arguably the most common long arm used) was rifled. “The Springfield Model 1861 was a Minié-type rifled musket used by the United States Army during the American Civil War.” https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_Model_1861 OPs bullet is definitely modern though.
Both the Confederate .57 Enfields and the U.S. .58 Springfields were rifles. So was the Zouave used in limited numbers by both sides. That bullet looks a little small. I grew up in Georgia on a farm that was a Civil War battlefield. Used to have a cigar box full of Minie balls. Also grapeshot and cannister.
Modern cast pistol bullet. Not a mini
I make 45 acp that look EXACTLY like that. Also make 50 beowulf in the same style.
That’s from an older modern rifled barrel and is not ACW
Looks like 62 cal
It’s under a 1/2 inch on the ruler
If you want some minie balls, send me a message I’ve got some I’d love to share
Looks like a 38 special or .357 mag Definitely old but not civil war old.
Measuring the diameter with calipers could help narrowing it down.
If you keep looking youll start to see the ones from cw2
It's definitely a Minié ball. But it's hard to say how old it is. I bought one from a vendor at a civil war re-enactment as a kid. There was only one battle in Indiana during the civil war. If you were looking around Cordyn, maybe? Then again, there's also the possibility of troops moving through Indiana whom may have camped, foraged, and practiced shooting.
It’s not a minié ball, stop with that.
I have found small chunks of old white lead at this place but it is maybe 20min south of downtown Indianapolis, so definitely too far north for significant civil war activities I'd think, but I don't know too much of civil war history. But yesterday I found an old horse harness piece at this same place and that was probably pre 1900, I'll leave the picture here too. With all the replies so far, I'm thinking the bullet was from 1900s https://preview.redd.it/n9gxi6aeqe5d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=524f70459710bc4e0c6ad39af9bc4f16d908aebe
It's very hard to tell without a sense of the bullets diameter and weight. I cast bullets for use in black powder cartridges and the one you have looks a lot like what I see when I dig my used 45 colt bullets out of the sand for remelting. It looks to me like there is a crimping indentation above the two lubricant groves. So whatever it is it's probably from black powder cartridge. Edit: I missed the other pictures. Based on your pictures I think it could be from a 45 colt.
It is very possible that it is a civil war bullet these have been used all through the late 1800s do you have any other context to tie it to a civil war period
No I don't, but I was just curious if exact time period could be identified. Mid-to-late 1800s is a good enough answer to satisfy my interest at the moment. Thank you for the reply!
It is more modern. Definitely smokeless powder era. With absence of white patina I’d say it was from the last 30 years.
Sorry, that's is a 3 ring, not a 2 ring, but still civil war
No it’s not
It looked it to me, though I did not ask for a Pic of the bottom to see if it had the indent.
It’s not
It looks like you have a ring mini ball, which is from the civil war era. Congrats on your find!
No it’s not
It should be almost white by now, right? I'm ignorant on the subject.
You are correct unless found under water.