Bullet and Shell Civil War Projectiles Forum

Relic Discussion => Bullets => Topic started by: tom buckley on July 28, 2017, 08:30:57 AM

Title: Formerly Known As Selma Arsenal
Post by: tom buckley on July 28, 2017, 08:30:57 AM

I've asked this before, but got no responses. Sometimes re-wording a question gets results. :)
I have seen examples of the .54 three groove bullet for Mississippi Rifles, formerly known as Selma Arsenal Bullets, from Virginia, West Virginia, and Gettysburg.
Have any of these bullets, No. 266 in RBTRF Vol. 4, been found at any sites in Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi or maybe the Trans Mississippi???
Also, those that I have looked at seem to be a bit crude so could these have been "field cast"??
My belief is that these are early to mid- war bullets possibly produced, or "field cast" in Virginia.
Any information or opinions??

Title: Re: Formerly Known As Selma Arsenal
Post by: Steve Phillips on July 28, 2017, 09:41:59 AM

I have never thought these are Selma bullets. I've found over 1000 bullets in the river at Selma and none are like this.

Title: Re: Formerly Known As Selma Arsenal
Post by: tom buckley on July 28, 2017, 09:55:06 AM

Thanks, Steve.
We'll probably never know why these bullets were called "Selma Arsenal Bullets", but, as I said, I suspect that they originated in Virginia.

Title: Re: Formerly Known As Selma Arsenal
Post by: tom buckley on July 28, 2017, 10:06:26 AM

I finally found my copy of September Blood; The Battle of Carnifex Ferry[, and in a picture of bullets recovered there is a RBTRF Vol. 4 No. 266.
The Battle of Carnifex Ferry was Sept. 10, 1861 in the mountains of (West) Virginia, another thing that makes me believe that the bullets or molds originated in Virginia.

Title: Re: Formerly Known As Selma Arsenal
Post by: tom buckley on July 28, 2017, 10:08:54 AM

Don't know what I did with italics. ???