Bullet id

[Capt7thWvCoA]

What type of round is this ? It was found and given to me today . It's a relic from the 1864 battle of Smithfield crossing. I want to know what type of round it is and what weapon fired it.

 

[tbuckley]

A picture of the base and measurements will help to identify it. From what I see it is probably a fired three groove minie ball.

 

[Jobe Holiday]

IMHO, not the correct Ogive for a .58 caliber Minie Ball, but tbuckley is correct that more specific dimensions and photos are needed. Also to be remembered there may have been 150+ years of sport shooting and hunting done in that area, and it may not be related to the ACW at all.
J.

 

[UCVRelics]

A base photo would be helpful as with the rounded nose a 3 rings it could be one of many.

 

[Capt7thWvCoA]

If it's a minnie I haven't seen one like it

 

[tbuckley]

It is still a bit difficult to tell the measurements without using calipers but i am guessing it could be a .54 caliber minie. I am assuming that the cavity might be a cone cavity. It has been rammed and I can see rifling, so it is definitely fired. Commonly used rifles of .54 would have been the US M1841 and the Austrian Lorenz. I'm leaning toward it having been fired from an Austrian M1854 Lorenz if it is .54.
If you are getting into bullet collecting, an inexpensive reference to the many different bullets of the period I would recommend is A Handbook of Civil War Bullets & Cartridges by James and Dean Thomas. Beware, Civil War bullet collecting can be habit forming.