Two lovely musket balls

Finds and artefacts found while out metal detecting which require identifying.
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Foggy
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Two lovely musket balls

Post by Foggy »

Hi guys
Is it possible to date these things?
Regards
Foggy
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Verulamium
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Post by Verulamium »

If you can determine the exact diameter you should be able to determine the caliber of the musket and then it's type and then it's date. There are some websites that provide all that info. Good luck! ::g
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Philthy Phil
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Post by Philthy Phil »

Sizewise I'd say they're 17th century matchlock balls Foggy, Civil War era ::g ::g


.................can't believe I just commented on a picture of a pair of balls rl;
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alfaowner
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Post by alfaowner »

Philthy Phil wrote:Sizewise I'd say they're 17th century matchlock balls Foggy, Civil War era ::g ::g


.................can't believe I just commented on a picture of a pair of balls rl;
=)) =)) ::g
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Jason5223
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Post by Jason5223 »

You are clearly an expert in this field :))
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Foggy
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Post by Foggy »

Thanks everybody for the comments on my balls :))
I think they are 17mm, I have had quite a few items from the adjoining fields, dates range from 12th century to 20th!
Can somebody point me in the direction of a site where I can find out what type of gun fired this so I can get the date?
Regards
Foggy
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Jason5223
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Post by Jason5223 »

If they are only 17mm I could point you in the direction of a bloody good doctor ::g
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budwieser
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Post by budwieser »

Love the replies and comments!!!!!!! =)) =)) =)) =))
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Philthy Phil
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Post by Philthy Phil »

That calibre could be anywhere from 1500-1800, difficult to be more accurate as it's a pretty commonly used size buddy :)
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Foggy
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Post by Foggy »

Thanks guys, I see what you mean about dating, I would imagine 17th - 18th century based on other finds around.
Thanks for all the comments
Regards
Foggy
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Fusion
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Post by Fusion »

Some useful info here:
http://www.metaldetectingforum.co.uk/vi ... 131&t=4808
http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co ... ullets.htm
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Foggy
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Post by Foggy »

Thanks Fusion, some really good info over the two links ::g
I still think trying to accurately date a musket ball is very difficult, maybe even impossible!
I'm heading out at the weekend to try and find the gun which might of fired these :))
Regards
Foggy
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Trotboy
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Post by Trotboy »

Accurate dating is pretty much impossible, since muskets were in use up to the late 19th Century in the countryside, and you need to think of them as the equivalent of shotgun cartridges of their day. I know people immediately think 'battle' or 'civil war' when they find them, but 95% of them just show someone was shooting at something.
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