MM-297/TT-174/TS 06-197/RBTRF IV 168

[ETEX]

I have been reorganizing some of my displays and started looking at the 58 Caliber Suhl/Tennessee Rifle and noticed that the bullets I have in my collection both have a ring below the tip of the nose. It looks/appears as if someone started to pull the bullet leaving a very faint circular line (almost like the bullseye appearance but only one line and again very faint) but then I looked at the pictures in the above books and they all appear to have a similar casting mark. Am I seeing things in the photos are does this bullet typically have a casting mark around the nose. If everyone would check the bullets in their collection I would appreciate the feedback. I have listed the MM/TT/TS/RBTRF IV numbers for the bullet as listed in different books so hopefully everyone will know what bullet I am talking about.  If someone thinks its a Suhl great, or if they think it's a Dresden-Suhl great, or if they think it's a 58 Caliber Tennessee Rifle family great. I have gotten use to using the MM numbers but anyone that can add any input to the markings on the nose would be greatly appreciated. I don't have a pic of the bullets but will get one in the next day or so showing the marking.

 

[Jim T]

I'd bet it's a mark from a swage.  All cast bullets were to be swaged to assure proper size.  The bullet was dropped into a swage; the "drift" was then inserted (shaped like the cavity of the bullet) and struck with a hammer; to remove the bullet, a nose piece within the swage was struck to pop the bullet out...this nose piece often left a ring on the nose...especially after some wear.  A similar effect is often seen on machine pressed Enfield bullets where there was a nose piece to push the bullets out of the mould.

[ETEX]

Jim, I thought these nose cap markings were from the swaging process but had never noticed how prominent they are on this bullet type. Thanks for the information.

[pachaplain]

After reading this post, I went and looked at the 58 caliber Suhl/Tennessee bullet that I have in my collection. I can find no evidence of a ring around the nose of the bullet (sorry the picture is fuzzy, but I checked the bullet with a magnifying glass). Bu there seems to be evidence of a mark within the cone cavity (see clearer picture of the cavity of the bullet). I was wondering if this may have been left by the "drift" that Jim T mentioned or is it something else?