Bullet and Shell Civil War Projectiles Forum

Author Topic: Am I seeing right?  (Read 2186 times)

CarlS

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Am I seeing right?
« on: July 10, 2020, 11:25:38 PM »
I know I haven't posted anything new in a while and it is odd that my return would be in the bullet section but Mike keeps stoking the lead fire under me and I've been paying more attention to them lately.  So here goes...

I recently bought a pile of bullets most of which were typical MiniĆ© balls but there happened to be some Selma bullets there.  I noticed a couple were small calibers and I was fortunate to find a few of the .54 caliber (Thomas 132C) Selma bullets in the group.   Then I noticed it seemed that a few of the remaining bullets that I figured to all be .58 caliber three ring Selma (Thomas 175B) looked a little smaller.  So I calipered them all and they seem to be in two distinct groups:  one that matched or was very close to the Thomas measure of 0.575 and another group that consistantly measured smaller as you can see below.  So I started thinking maybe they were for the .577 caliber rifles. So while I think I know what the answer to my question is going to be I'll ask it anyway:  Am I seeing two sizes due to a mold difference or were they for two different calibers?  I don't see this bullet in the Thomas book for anything but .54 and .58 calibers.  Thoughts?
Best,
Carl

rommack

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Re: Am I seeing right?
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2020, 12:04:12 PM »
Carl, I am simple minded so I vote that its just different molds , I see this slight size difference in most of my CS bullets and even in some Yankee. It also has  something to do with slight out of round on some bullets so if you measure a different side it changes.

emike123

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Re: Am I seeing right?
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2020, 12:50:49 PM »
I agree with Ronnie on the molds, but the ones measuring .57 or less are in McKee and Mason as #580.  The ones that are closer to .58 are in there as #350.

Jim T

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Re: Am I seeing right?
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2020, 04:31:41 PM »
I see the problem.
You screwed up your calipers by adjusting them for "iron" use.
 ;D

rommack

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Re: Am I seeing right?
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2020, 04:54:28 PM »
Jim I think you nailed it !!!

CarlS

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Re: Am I seeing right?
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2020, 12:18:30 AM »
I didn't know there was an iron or lead setting that I had to choose.  That's why I like this forum so much:  I'm always learning!

It was my guess it would be a mold variance since I wasn't able to find it in the T&T book.  Turns out it seems to be a quality control issue at Selma.   But I like these bullets no matter the size.  Thanks for the input.
Best,
Carl

Jim T

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Re: Am I seeing right?
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2020, 04:15:38 PM »
I was talking about the extra long "arms" you attached to your calipers.

CarlS

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Re: Am I seeing right?
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2020, 10:04:03 PM »
Jim:  You are correct.  had a welder at work show is very good make them far more useful for measuring artillery.  I can now accurately measure anything up to 6" I think it is.  Keeps Pete happy!
Best,
Carl

Selma Hunter

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Re: Am I seeing right?
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2020, 01:13:42 PM »
Carl,

As to "quality control at Selma" I would dig out the paperwork but my current state of health doesn't permit.  Suffice it t say, monthly samples of all products of the laboratory and a healthy exchange of letters insured that any issues with quality control (to the 1,000th) were dealt with ASAP.  The records indicate that Selma's output (quality) was second to none.  Just for the record.

CarlS

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Re: Am I seeing right?
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2020, 10:37:15 PM »
Given the quality control, what would the smaller bullets be for?  Or were these bullets we call "Selma" really made somewhere else where the QC wasn't as strict?
Best,
Carl