A lead piece...of something...

[IowaRelic]

I recovered this today. It was pretty deep, thought it was another mini ball by the signal. It’s some sort of broken lead part with a hole through it. I dug it under some big power lines. The cut for the lines was made in the early 50s. Nothing but old battlefield prior to that. Possible sparse colonial activity...

 

[wildwilly]

Very good pics but no idea.

 

[Taxidea]

If it is what I think it is you have a rare and very cool find. I believe you have the fired base of a Gardiner Exploding Musket Shell, if you search that term and select images you'll see what I mean. An interesting note - there is probably vert fine raised lettering cast in along the edge of the base reading "S. Gardiner Jr. Shell Patent" or "S. Gardiner Jr. Shell Patent Secured" (I've seen references to both. These were used by the Union and only issued (as far as I can tell) on a very limited basis - with Chancellorsville and Gettysburg being the most notable. They were then withdrawn because they produced horrible wounds and were deemed "too fiendish" for use - and this from folks who saw wounds from all sorts of musket balls. Seriously - G@@gle Gardiner Exploding Musket Shell, there are some seriously fascinating forum threads and articles on this. From the size I'd guess its the 58 cal example. If you wanted to rule it out take the base ring diameter, if it is way over 0.58 inches (it might have expanded some due to being fired, exploding, and developing a corrosion layer) then I'm wrong. The best way to confirm it would be to look for the lettering.

 

[IowaRelic]

If it is what I think it is you have a rare and very cool find. I believe you have the fired base of a Gardiner Exploding Musket Shell, if you search that term and select images you'll see what I mean. An interesting note - there is probably vert fine raised lettering cast in along the edge of the base reading "S. Gardiner Jr. Shell Patent" or "S. Gardiner Jr. Shell Patent Secured" (I've seen references to both. These were used by the Union and only issued (as far as I can tell) on a very limited basis - with Chancellorsville and Gettysburg being the most notable. They were then withdrawn because they produced horrible wounds and were deemed "too fiendish" for use - and this from folks who saw wounds from all sorts of musket balls. Seriously - G@@gle Gardiner Exploding Musket Shell, there are some seriously fascinating forum threads and articles on this. From the size I'd guess its the 58 cal example. If you wanted to rule it out take the base ring diameter, if it is way over 0.58 inches (it might have expanded some due to being fired, exploding, and developing a corrosion layer) then I'm wrong. The best way to confirm it would be to look for the lettering.

It’s bigger round than a .58. More like a 69. It’s too massive to be a bullet I think. It’s appear exploded. The material, while lead, seems a different composition than a bullet. It’s flaking kinda like pewter but more towards lead. Not sure.

 

[IowaRelic]

My partner had dug many many relics in the past 35 yrs thinks it must be part of the lines. That doesn’t explain why it looks blown up

 

[IowaRelic]

Solved. Over on the CW forum. It’s what’s left of a zinc percussion fuse.

 

[Taxidea]

Very nice ID, I'll have to check out the CW forum, the diameter would be the deciding factor. I'm surprised it's zinc, usually that wouldn't flare out like on your relic, it would fracture. Interesting side note, the Gardiner shells were made from pewter, not lead so they'd fragment.