Big Boys Hobbies

Bullets possibly linked to General Custer

usarmychris

usarmychris

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Messages
317
Location
Lawton/Fort Sill, OK
Ok, so it might sound a little crazy but on Fort Sill there is a Historical Marker that reads CUSTER'S BIVOUAC then goes into detail saying "The 7th Cavalry Regiment, General Custer commanding, camped here in open dug-outs January-February 1869 during Sheridan's winter campaign and the founding of Fort Sill. Now I have also read that this same area (now a golf course) was used by Custer during the Indian Wars in Oklahoma but can't confirm 100%. I hunted this field a few months before deploying that is about 300 yards NW of the marker and dug nothing but 3-ring bullets (about 60) before having to leave. They look similar to Civil War style but seem a lot larger and I know nothing of bullet types. I attached some images of the bullet, the marker, and my horribly drawn map using Windows Paint to give an idea of the surround area today. Please refrain from making fun of my drawing as I had to improvise being I don't know how to use a map from google and save it to my computer plus I'm in Kuwait so give me a break. Any ID on these bullets would be very helpful and by the way I'm pretty sure there made of lead and were found anywhere from 1-4 inches.

mysterybullets-1_zps819a5b13.jpg


IMG_20101205_150308_zpse54d4db4.jpg


WTFmap_zpsa26ed2fb.jpg
 
also that distance is from the marker to the field from my understanding the whole golf course area was the land used by custer. i could be wrong though, all I know is there is probably hundreds of bullets still in that field. I only searched probably a 10x20 area and have over 60
 
They appear to be period, but non-fired. I don't see any rifling marks on them, perhaps if cleaned. Ammunition of that period would easily reach 300 yards, and greater. The effectiveness dropped greatly after a hundred yards or so.
 
Surely Custer's 7th Cav was shooting Springfield 45/70s or Spencer carbines (or even repeating rifles)....wouldn't it be a bit odd to find a ton of unfired bullets that weren't in brass casings?

He wasn't shooting muzzle loaders and loading powder/patch/ball then I don't think.
 
Those are for sure 45/70 rounds. You have two different grains. the larger is a 500 grain and the smaller is a 405 grain. And I do believe they are fired. I see rifleing marks in one and they are probably in all just faint. Mine are all water finds and were all fired.



I find them where the soldiers at Ft. Gratiot in Port Huron used to target practice. I also found two cannon balls at this spot along with a few buttons


 
Cool finds. Custer's 7th cavalry were using Springfield Trapdoor Carbines in .45-70 caliber. The guns were newly issued and it's a safe and logical assumption that while they were camped they took the opportunity to get in some target practice with their new guns. Great finds!
John
 
Agreed with Scuba, definitely 45-70. These have been fired, and a 45-70 definitely could easily make it 300 yards! The army didn't have 45-70s until 1873, and most troops wouldn't have had them until 1874 or 75. I am willing to bet that there were men there later. Not to burst the Custer bubble.

Charlie
 
The picture is the only one I found find of the bullets. When I get back stateside ill dig them out and take more pics. 90% of the bullets are fired and smashed I had this picture of the best ones I could find when I was trying to figure out the bullet type last year.
 
even if there not linked to Custer I am still satisfied with the date range of these bullets and the info that was provided and Thank you everyone for helping me out. It's too bad I can't defect the golf course area and see what other artifacts could be laying under the dirt. I mainly find WWI era buttons on other parts of base but there is only certain places I can take my detector and the good spot are all off limits
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
18th century shot ?
Replies
3
Views
39
hoser
hoser
longbow62
U S flat button
Replies
2
Views
107
Fredneck
Fredneck
P
West Wall German Ring
Replies
2
Views
88
Kansashunter
Kansashunter
TerryEastTexas
Civil War bullet?
Replies
7
Views
282
TerryEastTexas
TerryEastTexas
Sully375
Couple minie balls
Replies
4
Views
138
Kansashunter
Kansashunter
Back
Top Bottom