Civil War Location Finds

[bunker314]

Hi All,
I have been hitting a friends property here in the Atlanta area. This is probable the 5th or 6th time with no luck except square nails. But today I finally found what I was told was a cleaner bullet. (cotton was placed in the groove then fired, thus sort of cleaning the barrel as it exited) Correct me if I am wrong please. Also in one hole under a downed tree was the buckle and I'm not sure what the other thing is. (strap connector?)
The nails would low grunt to high squeal in all metal mode. The bullet was crazy sounding and jumping around from a minus to a plus 26. Air tested it at a solid 33 on my Safari.
Thanks for looking,
Bunker

 

[bunker314]

Got the scoop on the bullet. A zinc disc went in the space to lube the barrel.
Bunker

 

[MikeO]

Nice finds. Love the Bullet

 

[bigfootokie]

Cool Finds...GREAT BULLET!!!

 

[DocBars]

I bet those types of bullets are rarely found,congrats.

 

[DirtyDeedsDugDirtDeep]

I believe these bullets are called Williams cleaner bullets.
They were supposed to be fired between so many standard loads to help clean the black powder fouling out of the barrel.

As I understand it,the powder explosion was supposed to shove the rivet head into the lead head expanding a zinc washer into the rifling, thus scraping the powder residue out .
I believe they weren't too popular because the zinc washer had a nasty habit of disintegrating as soon as it left the barrel.
Anybody standing nearby could get clobbered by friendly fire.

Yours appears unfired; and I've read that a lot of these were pitched rather than fired as per instructions.
Usually, fired ones will have the rivet head driven into the lead base.

 

[bunker314]

@5D's, Thanks again for the info!
Bunker