What is this???

[CWLeadManiac]

I picked up this bullet at a pretty good price and was told it was a Confederate used bullet of foreign manufacture. It's about a .71cal and measures just over an inch in length. I'm a novice to collecting and any info would be appreciated!

 

[scooter748driver]

Looks to be in good shape. I have no idea if Confederate or not though. The experts will be better able to say for sure.

paging @UCVRelics

 

[delta rifles]

This looks like a McKee and Mason # 323 at first glance. They list it as a .72/73 Foreign Mold Bullet. Was it recovered in the Wishing Well of Savannah, Georgia by chance?

 

[Ole Miss]

@UCVRelics would be an excellent source of information especially with Confederate relics.
Regards
David

 

[UCVRelics]

I don't have my Round Ball to Rimfire book at hand and if @delta rifles see's it in M&M book it may be listed as that, but I think they were for French imported CS muskets.

 

[delta rifles]

I don't have my Round Ball to Rimfire book at hand and if @delta rifles see's it in M&M book it may be listed as that, but I think they were for French imported CS muskets.

McKee and Mason list it as a foreign mold, but this bullet is either 582 or 583 (don't know the total length of the bullet above) in volume 4 of Round Ball to Rim Fire. The bullet appears in the foreign bullet section of the book which is contains a bunch of French bullets. I assume it is listed there because it fits the same criteria as the rest of the bullets in the sub-group.

 

[CWLeadManiac]

This looks like a McKee and Mason # 323 at first glance. They list it as a .72/73 Foreign Mold Bullet. Was it recovered in the Wishing Well of Savannah, Georgia by chance?

You are correct sir! I checked with the seller and I guess I missed the part about it being identified as a MM #323. Per the seller, it was dug in central Virginia. Thanks for the help!!!

 

[CWLeadManiac]

I don't have my Round Ball to Rimfire book at hand and if @delta rifles see's it in M&M book it may be listed as that, but I think they were for French imported CS muskets.

Thank you very much!! I was wondering what kind of firearm this monster would've been fired from. That's very helpful!!

 

[History hoarder63]

You are correct sir! I checked with the seller and I guess I missed the part about it being identified as a MM #323. Per the seller, it was dug in central Virginia. Thanks for the help!!!

That patina screams "wishing well" not central Virginia.

 

[CWLeadManiac]

That patina screams "wishing well" not central Virginia.

I was sort of wondering about the "crust" on it and the darker color of the lead. Are those characteristics of the "wishing well" bullets?

 

[UCVRelics]

I was sort of wondering about the "crust" on it and the darker color of the lead. Are those characteristics of the "wishing well" bullets?

Or a pit.

 

[gc45]

Wishing Well? for a novice here, what does that term imply?

 

[jack1492]

Wishing Well? for a novice here, what does that term imply?

The wishing well was a water well that citizens of Savanah used to throw away thousands of Minie balls, and much other ammunition when Sherman's army was marching that way. Diggers found the horde years ago.

 

[Wawyasto]

Doesn't look like a minie for the Austrian Kammerbusche but were there other muskets used that had a 71 caliber rifle bore?

 

[CWLeadManiac]

Doesn't look like a minie for the Austrian Kammerbusche but were there other muskets used that had a 71 caliber rifle bore?

I looked into it and it looks like the majority of the rifled muskets that fired this hunk of lead were French made and sold to the Confederates. It's officially one of my favorites in my collection and I've got another one inbound!! I may need an intervention....

 

[Cornpone and Molasses]

I looked into it and it looks like the majority of the rifled muskets that fired this hunk of lead were French made and sold to the Confederates. It's officially one of my favorites in my collection and I've got another one inbound!! I may need an intervention....

Lol I think you outbid me on it.

 

[Wawyasto]

I looked into it and it looks like the majority of the rifled muskets that fired this hunk of lead were French made and sold to the Confederates. It's officially one of my favorites in my collection and I've got another one inbound!! I may need an intervention....

Nah...

It's a disease, except once you've caught it, you're cured!

 

[CWLeadManiac]

Lol I think you outbid me on it.

If it's the same Ebay auction, and the bullets actually are as described, I think I hit a good deal!!!

 

[bamaman]

I picked up this bullet at a pretty good price and was told it was a Confederate used bullet of foreign manufacture. It's about a .71cal and measures just over an inch in length. I'm a novice to collecting and any info would be appreciated!

View attachment 498297

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Wow, it's no wonder that civil war bullets were so destructive and bone shattering

 

[rebed19th]

An article was written in North South Trader magazine about 1991 about the Confederate Wishing Well. As the articles states a few bullets were found just like any metal detecting hunt and they just kept digging and digging and digging with 700 bullets being found at the 6ft level and bullets all along the way down till eventually they got to a final depth of 15ft. A total of 7,876 bullets being found (that's right 7,876 bullets). There were Savanah Greene (Enfield) bullets 2 different sizes, French Triangle bullets, .72 caliber bullets and .69 caliber round balls. The hole was so deep they used a bucket to haul up the bullets As for speculation how the bullets got there there may be some connection to Lt. Gen. Hardee's orders of Dec. 19, 1864 written at HQ in Savannah. He ordered all ammunition that couldn't be carried be destroyed. Thus this is where they ended up.
This is a pic of the wishing well bullets in my collection. a Greene Enfield and 69 caliber French Triangle