Collecting Civil War Bullets: A Hobby That Honors the Past

 Collecting Civil War Bullets: A Hobby That Honors the Past

Did you know that during the Civil War over 1000 different types of bullets were used? This is one of the reasons that collecting Civil War bullets has become a popular pastime. Another reason is that the Civil War era saw changes in the development of firearms and ammunition. The old round balls of the Revolution were replaced by balls of the shape we are used to. While musket balls are found on Civil War battlefields, the most commonly used type of ball was the .58 caliber ball with three rings around the base. Many balls found are spattered and deformed. If you've always been fascinated by the Civil War and guns, collecting Civil War bullets is a hobby you'll enjoy.

With the advent of buying and selling over the Internet, Civil War bullets have become more collectible and prices have risen rapidly. Not only that, sometimes sellers are uninformed and ask for more than the bullet is worth. For these reasons, if you are new to collecting Civil War bullets, you will want to purchase a good price guide. You can even find a price guide online if that's more convenient for you.

Many Civil War bullet collectors also collect bullet molds and other Civil War-era relics. A true enthusiast might even explore the possibility of becoming a Civil War re-enactor, playing out battles with others in the towns and fields of the southeast.

Civil War bullets can be collected by buying from other collectors, or you can start by heading straight to the battlefields to dig and search. A metal detector will make it easier to collect Civil War bullets. You can also find uniform buttons, bullet molds, belt buckles, and other metal items from the battle. Some of the balls can be buried quite deep. You will need to wear a helmet and pay close attention to the tone changes of your metal detector. Hunting for Civil War relics is prohibited on protected battlefields, but there are still former residential sites where battles took place. Be sure to get permission from the landlord and fill in any holes you dig.

Some people have the idea that hunting bullets with a metal detector indicates a lack of respect for the soldiers who died there. They have this idea because sometimes ball hunters find bones with the ball. The fact is, however, that many bullet hunters who found bullets this way chronicled and charted their findings, resulting in many of the facts we now know about the Civil War.

The Civil War fascinates Americans because of everything it represents. While everyone agrees that slavery is a terrible stain in the history of the United States, some people still argue about the issue of states' rights versus a strong central government. Collecting Civil War bullets is an interesting hobby, if somewhat sobering at times given the large number of casualties. The memory of brother battling brother in cornfields and pastures will never fade. Collecting Civil War bullets is one way to commemorate this monumental historical event.