CSA Bullet Side Seams

[CWLeadManiac]

Once again, I'm a relative novice to relic collecting, so be gentle....
Question, do any Union bullets have side casting seams running down them or were these "seams" strictly CS?

 

[Manassas 1861]

I don't think so. The Confederacy was not good with producing things like ammunition and artillery shells. Alot of CS shells were made of poorly made iron because of air bubbles in the casting. So it makes sense they weren't able to produce perfect bullets. The Union had great production capabilities, so they made perfectly casted bullets, unlike they're southern counterparts.

 

[CWLeadManiac]

I don't think so. The Confederacy was not good with producing things like ammunition and artillery shells. Alot of CS shells were made of poorly made iron because of air bubbles in the casting. So it makes sense they weren't able to produce perfect bullets. The Union had great production capabilities, so they made perfectly casted bullets, unlike they're southern counterparts.

That's pretty much what I was thinking too. The North had outstanding industry and technology compared to the South. All of the Union bullets I have are seamless and appear to be machined. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Manassas 1861]

I believe some CS soldiers were able to get their hands on 3 ringer bullet molds. So if you see a 3 ringer with a side seam, it might have been made by a CS soldier.

 

[Manassas 1861]

A fun fact for you, if you see a bullet with corrosion on it, like mine, that means it's been sitting in its own gunpowder for a long period of time.

 

[CWLeadManiac]

A fun fact for you, if you see a bullet with corrosion on it, like mine, that means it's been sitting in its own gunpowder for a long period of time.View attachment 502876

Almost every bullet I have has crust, lol!! I'm amazed at how different bullets look when exposed to different chemicals/environmental situations. I posted a pic on this forum awhile back and these Jedi masters knew immediately that the bullet was from the wishing well in Savannah!! I'm soooo glad ai found CWT!!! A GREAT EDUCATION!!!

 

[Manassas 1861]

Almost every bullet I have has crust, lol!! I'm amazed at how different bullets look when exposed to different chemicals/environmental situations. I posted a pic on this forum awhile back and these Jedi masters knew immediately that the bullet was from the wishing well in Savannah!! I'm soooo glad ai found CWT!!! A GREAT EDUCATION!!!

I own a 3 ringer found by author Dean S. Thomas, who wrote a few books on the subject of bullets. It still hasn't turned white from being in the ground for 100 years like most ACW bullets do.

 

[Digger70pa]

Once again, I'm a relative novice to relic collecting, so be gentle....
Question, do any Union bullets have side casting seams running down them or were these "seams" strictly Both sides made some of the bullets the same way. So some rounds have a seam. I just recovered these out of a 2nd corps Army of the Potomac camp just before Gettysburg. They have visible seems. What's notoriously Confederate is nose cast 3 ringers. Not to be confused with Williams regulation bullets though. I've dug a lot bullets from union spots that had seems. Some of the .69 cal three ringers I find in union camps have seems.

 

[CWLeadManiac]

View attachment 502884

Do only the Williams regulation 3 ringers have obvious nose cast sprues or blobs? Any other identifying features? Also, how rare are .69 3 ringers with truncated cone bases? The ones I've seen most commonly are cone bases but I recently came across one with a truncated cone. Thanks for any info!!

 

[Manassas 1861]

The Williams regulation was used for the 1855 pistol carbine, the difference is the 3 grooves, and the base. This one for sale does have a nose bulb.

 

[CWLeadManiac]

The Williams regulation was used for the 1855 pistol carbine, the difference is the 3 grooves, and the base. This one for sale does have a nose bulb.View attachment 502930

I forgot about the distinctive "squared" rings on the Williams. Thanks for the pic!

 

[Manassas 1861]

I forgot about the distinctive "squared" rings on the Williams. Thanks for the pic!

I haven't been home, in a few days I'll post a pic of the fired one in my collection.

 

[UCVRelics]

Once again, I'm a relative novice to relic collecting, so be gentle....
Question, do any Union bullets have side casting seams running down them or were these "seams" strictly CS?

You have to remember that there were over 400 different types of small arms ammo used during the CW and nose cast or side cast is not held to one side. I have dug 1000's of bullets and field casting was not that prevalent except for some pistol ammo.

The Confederacy was not good with producing things like ammunition and artillery shells

There is nothing farther from the truth. Yes when the war started the South did not have many foundries but it didn't take long for them to gear up and the South had some very fine arsenal after the first 2 years of the war The Selma arsenal turned out some of the finest artillery pieces as well as ammo. The also made small arms ammo for use in all the captured yankee weapons. One of the biggest suppliers of weapons for the South was the north.

The Selma lube groove bullets was a prime example of small arms ammo.

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

You have to remember that there were over 400 different types of small arms ammo used during the CW and nose cast or side cast is not held to one side. I have dug 1000's of bullets and field casting was not that prevalent except for some pistol ammo.


There is nothing farther from the truth. Yes when the war started the South did not have many foundries but it didn't take long for them to gear up and the South had some very fine arsenal after the first 2 years of the war The Selma arsenal turned out some of the finest artillery pieces as well as ammo. The also made small arms ammo for use in all the captured yankee weapons. One of the biggest suppliers of weapons for the South was the north.

The Selma lube groove bullets was a prime example of small arms ammo.
View attachment 502932

 

[CWLeadManiac]

You have to remember that there were over 400 different types of small arms ammo used during the CW and nose cast or side cast is not held to one side. I have dug 1000's of bullets and field casting was not that prevalent except for some pistol ammo.


There is nothing farther from the truth. Yes when the war started the South did not have many foundries but it didn't take long for them to gear up and the South had some very fine arsenal after the first 2 years of the war The Selma arsenal turned out some of the finest artillery pieces as well as ammo. The also made small arms ammo for use in all the captured yankee weapons. One of the biggest suppliers of weapons for the South was the north.

The Selma lube groove bullets was a prime example of small arms ammo.
View attachment 502932

I've got a Selma lube Groove and that's one of the first things I noticed about it. A very finely made bullet uncharacteristic of many of the CS bullets I have.

 

[Joe Whitworth]

I don't think so. The Confederacy was not good with producing things like ammunition and artillery shells. Alot of CS shells were made of poorly made iron because of air bubbles in the casting. So it makes sense they weren't able to produce perfect bullets. The Union had great production capabilities, so they made perfectly casted bullets, unlike they're southern counterparts.

Union arsenals were swaging bullets.

 

[Digger70pa]

Do only the Williams regulation 3 ringers have obvious nose cast sprues or blobs? Any other identifying features? Also, how rare are .69 3 ringers with truncated cone bases? The ones I've seen most commonly are cone bases but I recently came across one with a truncated cone. Thanks

Union arsenals were swaging bullets.

Absolutely were buddy. They had them at Gettysburg.