Help with Museum -- ID help needed

[callicles]

Went by our local museum (I live in a very small town).  Took some pictures of items donated that need to be identified and/or explained.  I told the historian that people here could help. Sorry for the bad pictures.

It has been speculated that this .58 3-ringer was somehow wormed . . . Okay, I don't think I can explain . . . anyway, it is asserted that this bullet was wormed sideways.  I'm simply too uneducated to say yes or no. What do you guys think about the worm hole in the side?  Any Thoughts?  I may need to go back and get better pictures.  In the mean time, thanks for your thoughts and ideas.

[tom buckley]

If the hole goes completely through the bullet, it might have been used as a sinker. Another possibility is that it was done by a bored soldier. Just a couple of possibilities.

[Bill Ewing]

There is no possibility to worm a bullet sideways in a gun barrel.  There is simply not enough room between the barrel wall and the bullet.  This bullet was likely drilled while in camp and the pictures support that as the bullet appears to be a drop and does not show any rifling or deformation from being rammed down a barrel of a rifled musket.  It could have been done by a bored soldier or for training showing another soldier how much pressure it takes for a worm to bury into a soft lead bullet and that if they overexerted/overrotated, it would strip the threads in the lead and simply leave a hole where the bullet could then not be extracted from the gun.

Just my two cents worth. 

[misipirelichtr]

I can't make out in the photos if the hole has thread marks or not.  But my first thought was a square nail had been driven through the bullet.  Second thought was a bored soldier screwed a screw or bullet worm through the bullet out of boredom or for some reason such as making a sinker.  I have 5-6 minies and quite a few pieces of flattened lead with square nail holes in or through them.  Even have a couple with the nails still in them.

Cassicles, which town is your museum located in?

[callicles]

I've been out of pocket.  I want to say "thanks" to you guys for chiming in.  I think we will cosider this the result of a bored soldier.

Again, thanks.  This is why I love this site.