bullet identification

O

ohiochaplain

Established Users
I haven't posted in a long time. I was up at the Ohio Civil War show last weekend and I have a question. I know anyone can mis-identify a bullet, but I wondered if there might be any particular reason why a picket bullet was listed as a ".54 cal. Mississippi rifle bullet"? Any comments will be appreciated.
 
Hi Dennis,
The bullet that Mason & McKee listed as the M&M 11 Picket Bullet has been identified as the "Harpers Ferry Slug" or ".54 Mississippi Rifle bullet" thanks to Dean Thomas' research. The molds were made before the war at Harpers Ferry and they were continued in use by the Confederates.
Dean's Round Ball to Rimfire Vol. 4 is the best source for information on Confederate bullets.
I was at Mansfield Saturday morning and made some nice additions to my collection including a M&M 297 and a .58 skin cartridge from Barry Banks, a really cool 12lb. shell fragment from Mike Ward, and a few other items.
Tom Buckley
 
Hi Tom,

Good to hear from you again. Thanks for the information. I haven't seen the new "Roundbound to Rimfire Vol. 4" yet. I have Thomas & Thomas's "A Handbook of Civil War Bullet & Cartridges", but it does not mention about picket bullets also being called ".54 cal. Mississippi bullets." I am more familar with M&M 301 (T&T 135) going by that designation. Do you know any other resources which make mention of this?
Sounds like you made some nice purchases.
Does anyone else have any further information or attended the Mansfield show?
 
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