What is this x of lead??

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

Thanks for that Paul  and Borderfox,   i was beginging to think i was dreaming  lol,
  couldn't find them on the net,  iv'e even   written to a couple of people that may know more than me, but i haven't had any replies on it,
 Cheers now
  Alan

[mole]

Not being an expert on military tactics   and various types of munitions   I would hazard a guess that John pughes explaination is definately the most plausible   for a start theres to much wastage for a musket ball moulding I,m sure the method would of been perfected to produce as little wastage as possible making it very efficent are we looking at a type of grape shot  for larger bore /calibre  weapons ???to cause maximum damage to cavalery etc Just got to add Phil  that museums don,nt know it all they like to give us the impression that they do though

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

  I have thinner ones too for the smaller balls,  iv'e got about 4 different sizes,  they are always found where musket balls are found,
 i think the  moulds may have been made in 2 clay  peices, then fixed together and moulten lead poured into the top,  then break it open to get them out when it cools,

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

here's a couple of mine for now,  i have got a few more somewhere

[hedgehog]

Nice post, would be interesting to know if they are just from coastal areas, never seen one before, are they found inland?

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

Just a question, why have the balls on the end of them if they are cannon shot they would not need the ball shape on the end to do severe damage.

Unless of course some enterprising engineer adapted the moulds to include musket shots at the end. to kill two birds in one stone, once cast the ball shapes on the ends could then be cut off and used .....two jobs in one cast.

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

Ian, Just an Idea here. But I found a Naval Button on the same farm if you remember. Training exercises maybe?

[Stig(The)]

Interesting Topic Cadzy & Eee ! Can`t wait now for a positive I`D.  

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

  I can let you know where you can find loads of the larger balls ( for the  Brown Bess, Circa, 1771 ish, Neopolenic.period) and spurs, in the spring maybe Ian if you want,

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

O.k   see you at the meeting Ian,  i don't want to make it too public as i want to go back myself sometime,  i found some pre-dec silver there too,

[Neil]

Heres a few of mine - majority of which were found well away from the coast.

The one site I had three off did have a real smattering of musket balls there as well.

One of them the slightly fatter one came from land around Raglan castle and we all know how much action was seen there.

I am going with the musket ball theory and that the cross was fired somehow after.

Neil

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

Thats what I was leaning towards eventually Neil , though my only problem with that is , every one of those crosses posted up has no damage to them. Surely we'd be seeing some major flattening of at least one of the spikes.......but there again , look how many unflattened musket balls we find 

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

Some nice ones there too Neil,  the larger ones from 1771 ish and the slightly smaller ones from  the English Ciil war period,     1648 ish mate,

 yeah its not often that you'll find them damaged,

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

Nice to be able to put dates to them Al , I personally think this whole Lead cross debate is fascinating, nice to see the different ideas out there. 

[borderfox.1495]

hi, when i said cromwells ships attacked a fort, i meant cromwells army where on board in numbers they sailed on to the river shannon to attack limerick i am not linking these musket ball holders to the navy or the sea, believe it or not, arm,y s did travel in boats remember dd  the area they passed just past tralee, was renowned for wreckers,  on the beach at ballybunnion , their was a wreck full of 200year old wine bottles, they took a jcb down by night and dug up many hundreds, he also dived to one wreck, and found loads of pewter plates a great man and friend who we lost this time last year regards john