Lead and wood

[Menzl]

Hi. I was yesterday briefly outside to use the time between the sleet to go hunting. Unfortunately, I did not have much time. But I still found something interesting. I first wondered where the signal disappeared to. Then there was no doubt that it must be in the piece of wood. I was able to take the wood like two shells and found inside a small lead round ball. Probably from a pistol. In the wood it is for me a rare find.

[Tony Two-Cent]

Fascinating find! I would display it just like that with both pieces of wood. I wonder what the intended target was?

:congrats:

[Menzl]

Thanks Tony. In the area, the target may have been a Frenchman or Prussian. The forest is full of lead.

[OxShoeDrew]

WOW, very interesting! Any other evidence at the site that could date the shot?

[Menzl]

Thank you. Yes there are some shoe buckles and a button of the French Revolution line infantry around 1794-96. Unfortunately, otherwise only lead balls.

[Digger_O'Dell]

That's quite the unusual historical find. I agree with Tony, that would make a really interesting display!

[fyrffytr1]

Very nice find. That is on my bucket list.

[Menzl]

Here's another curiosity I've been wondering about for a long time. How can something like this come about? Apparently, 2 balls are fused together. I think one possibility is that the soldier loaded 2 balls to do more damage at short range. The bullets then fused together in the hot gun barrel.

[fyrffytr1]

That sounds plausible, Is that a ramrod mark on the top ball?

[Menzl]

Thanks for the replies @fyrffytr. I have a few things on my bucket list as well. - Yes the balls have a ramrod mark. So then a load of gunpowder and two balls was loaded on top. I seem to have read once that some muskets from Gettysburg were also loaded in the same way when they were found after the battle.