Posts: 64
North Carolina
Detector used White's MXT, Minelab Explorer II
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Posted Sep 07, 2009, 06:36:41 PM |
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I found this musket ball in a park in New England. You can see mold marks. It appears it was cut in half possibly to be used as a checkers or game piece. Anyone familiar with these?
Looks like a "dum dum" ball....Thank you all who replied!
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Posts: 2736
New Zealand
Detector used Minelab Sovereign GT
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Reply To This Topic #1 Posted Sep 08, 2009, 02:11:20 AM |
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JimDon, I did a search on TreasureNet for Lead Checker pieces and came up with one link http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,187558.0.htmlwhich looks nothing like your half a musket ball find. Call it a Cool Treasure! Mike |
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Posts: 2710
NC
Detector used Whites XLT
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Reply To This Topic #2 Posted Sep 08, 2009, 02:47:17 AM |
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Neat musket ball  Was it cut in half or just not enough lead in the mold? |
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Reply To This Topic #3 Posted Sep 08, 2009, 02:50:59 AM |
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OK. I'm glad you posted it. I'm currious too. I have found one as well. I'll post it a new one so I don't distract your thread.
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"THE ULTIMATE CAMPING TRIP WAS THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION"
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Posts: 2710
NC
Detector used Whites XLT
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Reply To This Topic #4 Posted Sep 08, 2009, 03:17:49 AM |
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The checker piece idea sounds likely.
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Posts: 1706
new jersey
Detector used minelab
_____________  U.S. Navy Buckle_____________
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Reply To This Topic #5 Posted Sep 08, 2009, 04:30:19 AM |
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I think the general concensus is that they were sometimes cut in half to "increase their destructive properties". Don't know though. I remember reading something once about how magicians would fool the audience by getting shot with a split ball (which would seperate around them. That never made much sense to me, as why wouldn't it just as easily hit the poor girl in the head and foot as pass her sides? Anyway, I remember reading elsewherethat these were cast using paper to weaken them at the split so they'd fly apart. Here's one link that mentions them. There are probably more. http://books.google.com/books?id=6S...snum=5#v=onepage&q=&f=false |
johnnyi
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Posts: 2710
NC
Detector used Whites XLT
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Reply To This Topic #6 Posted Sep 08, 2009, 05:42:30 AM |
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Interesting link johnnyi. Would never have thought half ball for more destructive power. You would think the balls were destructive enough as they were  |
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Posts: 1706
new jersey
Detector used minelab
_____________ U.S. Navy Buckle_____________
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Reply To This Topic #7 Posted Sep 08, 2009, 06:12:55 AM |
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Spike, I guess if it manages to cling together long enough, it will seperate on impact making a worse woud. If it splits before impact it may cause double wounds.
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Posts: 2710
NC
Detector used Whites XLT
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Reply To This Topic #8 Posted Sep 08, 2009, 08:10:07 AM |
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Yeah, but if half balls were so much better why didn't they just use those |
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Posts: 4603
Whiting, NJ
Detector used Ace 250
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Reply To This Topic #9 Posted Sep 08, 2009, 11:11:55 AM |
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Interesting and puzzling find there  |
Please note, the author is not responsible for any ideas, facts, etc stated in his comments and does not constitute any liability for his dribble.
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Posts: 8500
Dirtyville
Detector used Explorer
_____________ 1699 Spanish Cob - Revolutionary War Officer's Button & Colonial Silver_____________
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Reply To This Topic #10 Posted Sep 08, 2009, 02:02:00 PM |
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"dum-dum" balls used during the rev war. Balls were partially halved or quartered in order to spread upon contact, and so inflict a more dangerous wound.
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 dumdum.jpg (96.81 KB, 382x400 - viewed 158 times.)
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I'm as dirty as I look!
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Posts: 2710
NC
Detector used Whites XLT
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Reply To This Topic #11 Posted Sep 09, 2009, 02:21:45 AM |
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Nice pic Iron Patch. It does appear that the balls were cut and not molded this way.
Are the examples shown all fired musket ball relics?
Dum-dum pieces only scorn not cut? If fired scorned pieces the cut almost too clean. Were the pieces loaded and fired wrapped in something?
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