Petersburg Dead

[BumpusTN]

Re: Petersburg Dead

What is the origin of the Eagle Medalion on the stock. I have a Remington Army .44 with the same medalion and have not seen another.


Scott Bumpus

[wilber6150]

Re: Petersburg Dead

Jim, have you ever come across a lead conical "Minie'" style bullet with 2 holes bored across from eachother on either side of the nose going straight back into the bullet but not all the way through it? It is about .56" and has 2 bands. A buddy that has land in the Murfreesboro, TN area found it and said he'd found some others like it in the same spot. I got a look at it but don't have a picture to post so all I can do is describe it at this time. We thought about cross-cutting it to see what the holes might connect to, (perhaps a hollow powder chamber?) but that would destroy the bullet.

Could that be one of the explosive bullets? I've heard reports of them in period accounts but have never seen one...

[Todd Watts]

Re: Petersburg Dead

I thought it may be one of the exploding bullets but without cutting it I don't know if I can find out. I also thought about a worm-pulled bullet, but the holes appear drilled straight back and directly opposiet eachother. The guy said he'd found another like it near the same spot. It was noticeably smaller caliber than a .58" we had beside it, but appears larger than a .54". I'll try sketching it tonight and post tomorrow.

[Jimmayo]

Re: Petersburg Dead

The explosive bullets have a hole in the base. The rest of the bullet looks normal. Have they been fired or dropped.

[Dutchman Dick]

Re: Petersburg Dead

Could be a type II P-1853 Enfield. They had solid bands retained by springs. Both sides had them, in limited quantities, but they were nowhere near as common as the type III. Robbins & Lawrence even made some for use in the Crimean War, but the war ended before the contract was completed. Many of the Robbins & Lawrence Enfields (marked "Windsor" on the lockplate) wound up in the hands of Georgia troops.