I was metal detecting on my uncles farm in St. Clair Michigan where I found these three bullets. they look old but i am not sure how old. Any help would be appreciated. the first one with two grooves is 1 cm wide by approximately 15 mm long. The second one is pointed and made of steel and is approx. 17 to 18 mm long and 7 mm wide at the base. The third one is 16 mm long by about 9 mm wide with 3 grooves and cylinder shaped.Im just getting started and have been out there twice and found seven bullets.I know four are modern designs,but im curious about these three.Im having fun anyway and cant wait to go again.Thanks!
bullets found metal detecting
- Thread starter scott
- Start date
Hi Scott. Welcome to the Civil War Bullet forum. 
I'm one of the "oldtimer" relic-hunters who hang out here, mainly to help newcomers in the relic-hunting & collecting hobby. Though I bought my first metal detector about 35 years ago, I still remember how it feels to be "just getting started" and very much hoping for helpful advice from the well-experienced relic hunters.
About the bullets you found:
Unfortuantely I have to tell you that none of them are from the civil war era ...and at least two of them are from the mid-20th Century.
The rusty one is a steel-jacketed .30-caliber military rifle or carbine bullet, dating from the World War 2 era (and still being manufactured today).
Regarding the other two bullets:
Anytime you see the many-many tiny ridge-like lines INSIDE the grooves on a bullet (the lines are called "reeding", which you see on the rim of some coins), the bullet is not from the civil war era. Bullets with "reeding" inside the body-grooves were first manufactured during the Indian Wars era. But most of them we dig up are from the 20th-Century.
Your bullet which measures one centimeter would be a .40 caliber, for a pistol.
Your bullet which measures 9 millimeters and has a flat nose (manufactured that way, not smashed flat by impact) is called a Wad-cutter bullet, intended for target practice use (not for hunting or self-defense). It could be either a .38-caliber or a very modern 9mm bullet, made for use in a pistol.
Hope the info is helpful. Please do not be too disappointed. Civil war era bullets are going to be very-very scarce in the ground of your state, because their only usage there was for Military-Recruit training, and for game-hunting.
Also, please do not feel embarrassed to post photos of your finds and ask for ID help. That is the best way to learn, short of going through hundreds of relic photos in a book. NOBODY is going to make fun of you for asking for ID help.
Two of the best books for identifying civil war era bullets are:
"Civil War Projectiles II - Small Arms and Field Artillery" by McKee & Mason ...costs about $35.
"A Handbook of Civil War Bullets & Cartridges" by James E. Thomas and Dean S. Thomas ...which costs less than $10.
Both of those books are available from many civil war relic dealers, and on the Internet.
As its name indicates. this website (cwbullet.org) is mainly for collector-discussion and ID of civil war bullets. Another very good website which you may enjoy (and learn from) is:
American Relic Hunters Forums
A lot of relic-diggers post their finds there, and share relic-hunting tips and metal detector info.
Good luck in your digging trips.
Regards,
Pete [P.C. George]
I'm one of the "oldtimer" relic-hunters who hang out here, mainly to help newcomers in the relic-hunting & collecting hobby. Though I bought my first metal detector about 35 years ago, I still remember how it feels to be "just getting started" and very much hoping for helpful advice from the well-experienced relic hunters.
About the bullets you found:
Unfortuantely I have to tell you that none of them are from the civil war era ...and at least two of them are from the mid-20th Century.
The rusty one is a steel-jacketed .30-caliber military rifle or carbine bullet, dating from the World War 2 era (and still being manufactured today).
Regarding the other two bullets:
Anytime you see the many-many tiny ridge-like lines INSIDE the grooves on a bullet (the lines are called "reeding", which you see on the rim of some coins), the bullet is not from the civil war era. Bullets with "reeding" inside the body-grooves were first manufactured during the Indian Wars era. But most of them we dig up are from the 20th-Century.
Your bullet which measures one centimeter would be a .40 caliber, for a pistol.
Your bullet which measures 9 millimeters and has a flat nose (manufactured that way, not smashed flat by impact) is called a Wad-cutter bullet, intended for target practice use (not for hunting or self-defense). It could be either a .38-caliber or a very modern 9mm bullet, made for use in a pistol.
Hope the info is helpful. Please do not be too disappointed. Civil war era bullets are going to be very-very scarce in the ground of your state, because their only usage there was for Military-Recruit training, and for game-hunting.
Also, please do not feel embarrassed to post photos of your finds and ask for ID help. That is the best way to learn, short of going through hundreds of relic photos in a book. NOBODY is going to make fun of you for asking for ID help.
Two of the best books for identifying civil war era bullets are:
"Civil War Projectiles II - Small Arms and Field Artillery" by McKee & Mason ...costs about $35.
"A Handbook of Civil War Bullets & Cartridges" by James E. Thomas and Dean S. Thomas ...which costs less than $10.
Both of those books are available from many civil war relic dealers, and on the Internet.
As its name indicates. this website (cwbullet.org) is mainly for collector-discussion and ID of civil war bullets. Another very good website which you may enjoy (and learn from) is:
American Relic Hunters Forums
A lot of relic-diggers post their finds there, and share relic-hunting tips and metal detector info.
Good luck in your digging trips.
Regards,
Pete [P.C. George]
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