Strange old bullet

[Stelth]

These are a couple of bullets I found in an old shed in Virginia, about 40 years ago. They looked just as old then.

The one on the left looks to my untrained eye to be a garden-variety minie ball. The one on the right is obviously something different. I haven't measured them, but they look to be around .58 cal.

I'm guessing that the "post" which is inserted into the base of the second bullet is supposed to have something to do with sealing the bore, like the hollow in the base of the minie, but the post isn't tapered much, if at all. The post-base-thing seems to be made of soft lead like the bullet.

Have you ever seen anything like this?

 

[Al]

They are likely both Minne balls. They came in 54, 58, and 60 caliber of 1 to 1.5 oz.

 

[FastGame]

The one on the right is an old Williams Cleaner bullet. http://touchthepast.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-williams-patent-bullet.htm

 

[tinmanSC]

Originally Posted By: FastGame
The one on the right is an old Williams Cleaner bullet. http://touchthepast.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-williams-patent-bullet.htm


I think you missed a letter in that link. Here is the corrected version: http://touchthepast.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-williams-patent-bullet.html

 

[FastGame]

Originally Posted By: tinmanSC
Originally Posted By: FastGame
The one on the right is an old Williams Cleaner bullet. http://touchthepast.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-williams-patent-bullet.htm


I think you missed a letter in that link. Here is the corrected version: http://touchthepast.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-williams-patent-bullet.html



Sorry, thanks !

 

[Stelth]

Interesting article. I thought this might be something unusual, but apparently people are tripping over piles of them in the South.

 

[Whitewolf]

Thanks, what an interesting article.