X-rated bullet

[R. Porter]

Has anyone found a carved bullet, x-rated or otherwise, that has been fired? Was the removal of a bullet from its powder permanent, i.e. were they ever put back together and used in a fight or just carried around in a pocket or left in camp when the unit moved on? Also, was there any concern about lead poisoning, or was that a thing back then?

 

[Joe Whitworth]

Has anyone found a carved bullet, x-rated or otherwise, that has been fired? Was the removal of a bullet from its powder permanent, i.e. were they ever put back together and used in a fight or just carried around in a pocket or left in camp when the unit moved on? Also, was there any concern about lead poisoning, or was that a thing back then?

Carving most common bullets would require removing the bullet from it's paper cartridge which would tear up the paper ruining the cartridge. However judging by the number of recovered unfired bullets from dropped or discarded wet ammo finding carving material wouldn't have been difficult.

 

[DoctorKingSchultz]

Any one else out there find one of these?

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A perfect example of why I love Civil War Talks. Always so much I never knew about... clearly! Does UVCRelics or Horse Soldier sell specimens? Asking for a friend!

 

[DoctorKingSchultz]

Has anyone found a carved bullet, x-rated or otherwise, that has been fired? Was the removal of a bullet from its powder permanent, i.e. were they ever put back together and used in a fight or just carried around in a pocket or left in camp when the unit moved on? Also, was there any concern about lead poisoning, or was that a thing back then?

I cannot speak for any collectors but as should be fairly clear, once the projectile is removed it's not easy to just put it back... this destroys any paper cartridge design I can think of, i.e. be it any rifle-musket cartridge or pistol cartridge, even where the head is exposed.. and would be a lot of work to put back (and a waste). Meanwhile these specimens mostly seem to have the base and grooves all carved with the rest of the bullet, indicating strongly these were not meant to be fired after. this is a far cry from carving an X into the tip of a Sharps bullet, for example.

 

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

The more things change the more they stay the same I suppose.

This is surely the first I've heard of soldiers carving likenesses of their ... "equipment" onto their bullets.

 

[Ben Ford 987]

It's the only one I've found. I often wondered why some soldier would spend so much time and detail on the little work of art while camping and living with so many other men.

boredom