Bullet and Shell Civil War Projectiles Forum

Author Topic: Howdy from England/UK!!  (Read 15313 times)

col73

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Howdy from England/UK!!
« on: January 26, 2013, 09:59:59 AM »
I couldn't see anywhere specifically for new members to post so hope it's ok if I post here, as my first questions are bullet related.

Hi all,
My name is Chris and I am from the England/UK. I am very much into the American Civil War and have been reading soldily about it for the past year. During this time I have obtained a few bits and pieces, mainly ammunition which interests me the most.
I didn't realise what a vast subject American Civil War ammunition, variants and calibres etc is until I started collecting.
I haven't got a large collection as such but on most of them I am not confident to say 100% what fired them & calibre etc. So I thought I'd join this great forum in order to learn more and share stuff. Is it ok if I put up some pictures to settle my doubts on what I have and to get confirmed solidly what I do know?
Thanks very much and pleased to be here.
Regards,
Chris.
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato

emike123

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2013, 10:37:27 AM »
Welcome aboard Chris.  Post 'em up!

col73

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2013, 12:27:40 PM »
Thanks for the warm welcome emike, here goes  :)
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato

col73

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2013, 12:31:56 PM »
impacted
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato

col73

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2013, 12:32:36 PM »
not sure about these
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato

col73

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2013, 12:33:18 PM »
I think these maybe Spencer rounds?
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato

col73

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2013, 12:33:55 PM »
x3 .52 Cal Sharps Carbine drops
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato

col73

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2013, 12:34:36 PM »
x4 sharps .52 cal ringtail
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato

col73

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2013, 12:35:12 PM »
x4 US drops .58 Cal.
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato

col73

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2013, 12:36:01 PM »
I am quite happy these are x6 Spencer carbine rounds
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato

emike123

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2013, 12:42:08 PM »
I'll channel Pete here first:  It is very helpful if you provide precise measurements as per a digital caliper.  If you go to the left side of the main page of the commercial part of the website, there is a document about how to ID bullets that may help in doing this.  For bullet IDs, straight on side views and cavity photos are helpful too.

Minies 3 look like a Gallagher carbine bullet on the left and a "machine groove" 54 caliber on the right.  Both look period.  I also think the ones you are calling Spencers are Sharps carbine bullets.

Pete George

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2013, 01:22:20 PM »
Welcome to the forum, Chris/col73. :)

  Emike beat me to asnwering most of your ID-questions by a few minutes.  I agree, the bullet in Reply #4 on the left looks like a US Gallagher Carbine bullet.  On the right, a US "machine-grooved" (also called machine-pressed-&-turned) minie.  As you may already know, those were manufactured in a bullet-making machine rather than being cast in a bulletmold.

  We need to see close-up photos of the base-cavity to be certain about their ID.

Reply #5 and #8 are definitely US .52 Sharps Breechloading Rifle/Carbine bullets, not Spencer bullets.

  That being said, you might have a fired .52 Spencer bullet in Reply #3, seconf from left.  Second from right looks like a fired CS Gardner minie.  Again, we need photos of these bullets' base-cavity to be certain about their ID.

Reply #7, they are definitely US/CS .52 Sharps "Ringtail" bullets.  I say US/CS because we know both sides used and manufactured them.

Reply #9, bullet at far right looks to be a nose-cast latewar CS 3-groove minie.  (The bulletmold's filler-hole connected to the bullet's nose-tip, and the resultant "sprue" the after casting was nipped of, leaving a small flat spot on the very tip of the bullet's nose.)  That type is plentiful in 1864-65 battlesites in Virginia, because the Virginia Confederates made and used huge numbers of nose-cast 3-groove minies after manufacture of the Garner minies was discontinued.

  Again, welcome to the forum.

Regards,
Pete

ETEX

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2013, 03:00:50 PM »
Chris/Col73 welcome to the forum and it's great to have another leadhead to get in on the bullet section. Looks like the bullets got pretty well identified by Mike and Pete. The fired Ringtail Sharps is a good looking bullet and retained great characteristics to identify it as a Ringtail. It almost looks like a strechie but doesn't appear to be long enough to have been fired through a smaller caliber weapon.

Again, welcome aboard.

col73

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #13 on: January 26, 2013, 04:21:06 PM »
Many thanks indeed for your replies, it is very much appreciated. It just goes to show I have a lot to learn, but we all have to start somewhere.

I have photographed all the bases of the above I posted, as they appear in line order, from the rear as in the original pictures. I hope these are ok as I have trouble with my hands shaking these days.

I can't see where to obtain the document about identifying tips etc emike.  Once again thanks very much.
All the best, Chris.
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato

col73

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Re: Howdy from England/UK!!
« Reply #14 on: January 26, 2013, 04:21:36 PM »
minies 2 bases
' only the dead have seen the end of war ' - Plato