Lead and wood

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.

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

:congrats:

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

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

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.

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

Very nice find. That is on my bucket list.

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.

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

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.