Civil War bullets help

[Albion]

Hello to the relic hunters forum, I recently bought some bullets from a friend, they are supposed to come from Gettysburg I have no proof of that but I liked them and thought they looked ok.

My thing is usually swords so I don't know too much about firearms or ammunition and these are the first Civil War bullets I have bought, I would be grateful if anyone can confirm they are what they were labelled as and give me any more information such as whether any of them are more likely to have been used by Federal or Confederate troops etc

The ball on the left was labelled 69 cal, the bullet to right of it labelled 57 Sharps Carbine, the next labelled 44 pistol bullet and the one on the right 54 three band.

 

[UCVRelics]

Hello to the relic hunters forum, I recently bought some bullets from a friend, they are supposed to come from Gettysburg I have no proof of that but I liked them and thought they looked ok.

My thing is usually swords so I don't know too much about firearms or ammunition and these are the first Civil War bullets I have bought, I would be grateful if anyone can confirm they are what they were labelled as and give me any more information such as whether any of them are more likely to have been used by Federal or Confederate troops etc

The ball on the left was labelled 69 cal, the bullet to right of it labelled 57 Sharps Carbine, the next labelled 44 pistol bullet and the one on the right 54 three band.View attachment 461007

View attachment 461006

The 2 middle one are 52 cal Sharps just different version. The round ball and 3 ringer need to be measured or put the 3 ringer on top of the round ball and post a photo.

 

[Albion]

Thanks, here is a photo.

 

[Albion]

The 2 middle one are 52 cal Sharps just different version. The round ball and 3 ringer need to be measured or put the 3 ringer on top of the round ball and post a photo.

Thanks I have a put a photo in post 3.
The diameters as best as I can measure them are about 17mm for the ball and 14mm for the three ringer.

 

[Albion]

Hello, If anyone could give me any more information about these bullets I would be very grateful.

 

[UCVRelics]

Thanks I have a put a photo in post 3.
The diameters as best as I can measure them are about 17mm for the ball and 14mm for the three ringer.

Soory I was out of town. The 3 ringer is a standard minie ball rd for a rifled musket, The round looks like a standard 69 cal round ball for a smooth bore musket the other 2 are Sharps.

 

[Albion]

Soory I was out of town. The 3 ringer is a standard minie ball rd for a rifled musket, The round looks like a standard 69 cal round ball for a smooth bore musket the other 2 are Sharps.

Thanks. Could that minie ball round have been used in either an Enfield or a Springfield rifle musket, I have read the ammunition was interchangeable but as I said above I don't know much about firearms and ammunition?

 

[UCVRelics]

Thanks. Could that minie ball round have been used in either an Enfield or a Springfield rifle musket, I have read the ammunition was interchangeable but as I said above I don't know much about firearms and ammunition?

For the CS Enfield No as it was .57. The US version was .58. Your 3 ringer would have been fired from the Springfield.

 

[Albion]

For the CS Enfield No as it was .57. The US version was .58. Your 3 ringer would have been fired from the Springfield.

Thanks. The Sharps cone base has grooves on it which I guess are from the rifling so presumably has been fired, and also has a grey residue in the cone, could this be the remnants of burnt powder?

 

[Albion]

For the CS Enfield No as it was .57. The US version was .58. Your 3 ringer would have been fired from the Springfield.

I have now got another 3 ringer round which is smaller calibre than the first one and also seems slightly smaller calibre than the Sharps rounds. It has a cone base. I am guessing it might be .50 calibre, could this be a Civil War round. I have read that .50 calibre rifled musket rounds were introduced just after the Civil War?

 

[Albion]

 

[UCVRelics]

If you mic it, it would help but looks like a 54 cal and its Civil War.

 

[Albion]

If you mic it, it would help but looks like a 54 cal and its Civil War.

Thanks, sorry but I don't know what you mean by mic it?

 

[UCVRelics]

Thanks, sorry but I don't know what you mean by mic it?

Use a caliper to measure but looking at it, 54 cal would be my guess.

 

[Albion]

Use a caliper to measure but looking at it, 54 cal would be my guess.
View attachment 461336

Ok thanks, I don't have a caliper like that at the moment.

 

[Albion]

Therfore my next question is what type of rifle musket would use a .54 cal 3 ring round?

 

[UCVRelics]

Therfore my next question is what type of rifle musket would use a .54 cal 3 ring round?

The first that come to mind id the model 1841 rifled musket. The South did import a few foreign 54 cal muskets.

 

[Albion]

The first that come to mind id the model 1841 rifled musket. The South did import a few foreign 54 cal muskets.

Thanks, I have now seen online a lot of .54 cal 3 ring rounds described as Confederate, did they make more use of them generally than the Union or does it come down to the details of the round itself as to which side might have used it?