Musket balls have been in use for nearly five hundred years. They are rather more than round lumps of lead and have characteristics which have been named and may be described. This commentary refers mainly to round musket balls rather than the conical or hollow based bullets used in rifled muskets from the Crimea to Gettysburg.

     Visual examination may reveal a casting seam caused by the mold being made in two parts. If the MOLD  is damaged or misaligned when lead is poured, the result is a visible seam. The channel which provides access for the molten lead creates what is called a SPRUE. The shape and size of the sprue is determined by the characteristics of the mold.

     Some molds make several bullets at a time. These are sometimes called GANG MOLDS. They produce bullets connected in a group or string by the connected lead. The SPRUE is usually clipped off and returned to the melting pot so such examples are less common than the clipped ones.

     Weight and caliber are also important. In the United States, for example, bullets were and still are weighed in grains. A .38 special standard lead bullet, for example weighs 158 grains and the British .38 service revolver of WW II used a 200 grain bullet. A Brown Bess bullet may weigh in the range of 450 grains. A postal scale, particularly an electronic device which gives decimal readings, can be helpful in providing weight.

   Caliber, unless in shotguns, is a measure of bore diameter. Both inch and millimetre designations are in common use. For historical material the use of inch caliber may be preferred since most literature will refer to the Brown Bess, the Kentucky rifle, the Enfield, and the Springfield in inch calibers.

     It is extremely useful to photograph musket balls with a clearly marked rule or a common coin so that sizes may be estimated. Serious dealers and collectors frequently use precision measuring devices to obtain caliber.

    Undamaged musket balls are said by U.S. Civil War collectors to be dropped, that is lost or unused, as opposed to those fired. With many designs and characteristics present in conical balls, undamaged specimens are desirable. Earlier conflicts up to the 1850's were fought with round ball. Some collectors may be rather more interested in bullets which have been fired. Fired bullets are dispersed over the battle area. Drops tend to be found where troops were massed or entrenched.

     These comments are intended to be of help to both buyers and sellers. Additional related materials may be found in my other guides.