Musket Balls

[1515Art]

Anyone know much about musket balls, found these a while back on some private land I had a chance to check, the large one has a very heavy lead oxide layer and the lead feels heavier than I expected for its size?

[cabelafella]

Ive found hundreds of them and I was sure each  one was a sweet sounding  nugget .. and when I felt the weight hit my hand  I was even more sure it was sweet gold .. and just when I look to find  and pick up my treasure …….I see  lead.. my shoulders drop … I say a few words ..and its off to find the next target  .. … the way things are going they may be quite valuable in the future so don't throw them away.

cheers. greg

[tvanwho]

Are they Civil War vintage or older or modern ? Not really worth much. 3 ring Civil war bullet drops are like a buck or 2 each.

 

 

[klunker]

 I have found many pounds of them and a lot of three ring slugs. It's always encouraging because it implies the area hasn't been thoroughly detected. I also like to think that there was a gun fight over the rich deposit that I am about to find.

[1515Art]

Ya, I figured the big fat heavy chunk of old lead must have been fired off in a fight of some kind...somebody trying to make a getaway with a prized lump of vitamin yellow, or fending off the fangs and claws of a monster grizzly terrorizing the camp. 

guess i'll have to go back and find a few more stories...

thanks for the tips...

[matt]

I found big one at around 15" during the ICMJ hands on. Thought for sure it would be a nugget, but no love just another musket ball. It was just a whisper and when about a foot deep I started breaking up bedrock and got it out of the hole the magnet didn't pick it up, well...the next one will be yellow.

I did find a tool that makes musket balls several years ago. It's likes a pair of pliers, but in reverse. Squeeze it and pour the lead into it and then open it to get the ball out.

[Johnnysalami1957]

It's hard to find musket balls. You have to pry their legs open!

[fredmason]

that is bad...

have you ever smelled moth-balls?

YES!

so........................

How did you get your nose between their legs

sorry Steve, i can't help myself.

fred