Southport beach

[WINDSONG58]

Hi folks, has anyone ever found bullets on Southport beach, if so, what type ?. Also, is there an official process you have to go through with the police for example if you do find any ?......and yes, I have found some, unfired blanks I think.

[stargazer]

Southport beach ?

Crikey it's huge. Some fenced off near the park.

A dead loss in my opinion. It's totally different now than when I was last there in the 1960's, since being there in May 2018.

[WINDSONG58]

I know it has changed a lot over the years. There is a lot of hot rocks and layers of oil tainted sand which creates very confusing signals. But I like hunting well away from the main populated areas and go further towards the sea and towards the sea grass areas at either end of the beach. Today was a total surprise finding bullet after bullet. I spoke to the lifeguard there and he had heard that bullets had been found much further up the beach, but not in a relatively central area.
I'm still pretty new to detecting, so can't wait to go back and maybe find items belonging to whoever dropped the bullets. A cap badge or uniform button would be nice.......either that or one of Red Rums horse shoes , lol.
ps, will try and post photo asap.

[cp333]

Every year during the Southport air show they do mock battles with beach landings helicopter assaults and use a lot of blank ammunition.

[stargazer]

Sir Henry Seagrave may have lost a half sovereign in his day ?

Good luck with it .

[WINDSONG58]

Aw, thanks for the heads up. When I clean them up tomorrow, I'll look up the bullet markings and get an idea on the age etc., still, it made for an exciting day which only got me more enthusiastic for the hobby, and avidly hunting that gold coin, lol

[fred]

Aw, thanks for the heads up. When I clean them up tomorrow, I'll look up the bullet markings and get an idea on the age etc., still, it made for an exciting day which only got me more enthusiastic for the hobby, and avidly hunting that gold coin, lol

Blanks are not illegal to possess. They can still be dangerous so if they are live be carefull with them! Lots of advice about ammunition by searching these forums.

[Koala]

Southport beach is a Site of Scientific Interest.


I have read the document. It doesn't mention metal detecting. It does mention bait digging saying it might damage it but again it doesn't ban it.


This was my interpretation when I checked about a year ago.


I would limit the depth I dug to no more than about 12" and neatly fill the holes. No point in giving people an excuse to ban detecting.


I don't regularly beach detect but I have detected on similar beaches. Normally the finds are sorted by weigh.


Take one example I have detected. Closes to land moving towards the sea.

Dry sand thigs drop straight down


Then onto the wet

303 fragments, cases and aluminium blobs
303 bullets
50 cal and 20 mm

Then a dead zone


More 50 Cal and larger items


But they are also sorted left to right


You have to find the right area.

[WINDSONG58]

Hi there, thanks for the advice. From the web searches I did before starting detecting, Southport beach between high tide and low tide is ok to dig, but the areas of green sea grass are wildlife areas and like the dunes further up the coast, are restricted (Formby especially). To be honest, I don't have the muscle to dig too deep, lol. I always refill the holes and although I stomp it down there is usually a slight mound left behind but chatting to a passing horse rider, she said that the mound is a good thing for them as they can see it and choose to avoid it.
The only sad part of the day was noticing the amount of oil contamination about 3-4 inches down.
The bullets are 5 x 6.8cm and marked L13A2 10 RG. And 15 x 5.4cm and marked LiA2 0.3 RG.
There doesn't seem to be any rifling marks but they are pretty beat up. Any info on them would be very welcome.
Happy digging !, cal ;-)x

[WINDSONG58]

Slight correction, it should be L1A2 0.3 RG and L13A2 10 RG

[jarrett]

Military designation and made at Radway Green,google up the L1 part and you should get the calibre and they are the cartridge case that is ejected when fired rather than the bullet which messes your day up.

[jarrett]

Should have said that even with blanks the cartridge case is still ejected,

[WINDSONG58]

Hi folks, thank you for the advice and info, all very helpful so I can keep notes on the things I find. Reading through other posts on the forum, I phoned the local Police and they came around to take the bullets to destroy........Still can't believe my most successful day hunting happened and there is an empty space in my collection.....such as it is, lol, to show for it.
Oh well, those are the rules. I'm back on the beach on Wednesday but will go further out towards the shore line. Lets hope I can at least keep what I find this time, lol.
Happy digging,
cal

z4.jpg

y4.jpg

x4.jpg

[Koala]

The foreshore is also protected for wadding birds


Like I said earlier as I read the documents detecting is fine but please dont take my word for it. The documents are here

https://designatedsites.naturalengland. ... e=S2000426


I see bait digging is now included but again I can't see metal detecting but I only had a quick skim through.

[jarrett]

Look like fired blanks to me except possibly the 3rd from the right,you can hold blanks and put them in the scrap pile for weighing in!