Big Boys Hobbies

What do you think/Shoulder Belt Plate

M

MetalDetectOH

New Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2015
Messages
23
Location
Central Ohio
I found this buckle several months ago and posted it in this forum and thought it was an ordinary belt buckle. The reason I posted it then was because I was trying to figure out why there was a hole in it. But my buddy recently found one that looks almost exactly like it, and he confirmed that his was a shoulder belt plate from War of 1812. They were found in same general area. Do you think this is from War of 1812 as well? They are on eBay for several hundred dollars (in worse condition than mine). Any help would be appreciated. You can find the ones listed on eBay by searching for War of 1812 shoulder belt plate. (Will figure out how to put in a link to it later)
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    79.3 KB · Views: 549
This one looks like the hole was drilled through it rather then one from a bullet impact.

Hard to put a date on it.
 
You have a certain wideness to your plate that most don't have. The matching examples I find in O'Donnell and Campbell's book usually had designs on the face. Those etchings were vary light so look real good at yours and make sure it doesn't have design on it. I would suspect most of those plates were made plain and the design was added later. All of them are shown as the early 1800s. As to authenticity, I certainly don't consider myself qualified to judge. Same for the hole. But if it does turn out to be a bullet hole, it could bring some nice money.
 
That could very well be a bullet hole. I've shot .30 slugs through 3/16" soft steel plate and the holes looked VERY similar. I always said they looked like they were drilled through.
 
Jeff in Georgia said:
This one looks like the hole was drilled through it rather then one from a bullet impact.

Hard to put a date on it.
Click to expand...

I don't know much about buckles, but I do know bullet holes. That absolutely could be a bullet hole. The way the metal is raised up around the hole shows it was not drilled. It looks exactly like what I would expect from a high-speed bullet impact on a thin piece of metal.
 
Took another look, most definitely had some heat going on ,both side have metal heat deformitys on the sides of the hole.And might be a little larger than a .22.
 
Dirtfishin said:
Took another look, most definitely had some heat going on ,both side have metal heat deformitys on the sides of the hole.And might be a little larger than a .22.
Click to expand...

Heat actually doesn't really play a factor. It's just metal being pushed aside from the impact. I agree it looks larger than a .22

Also, I don't think a .22 rimfire would make such a nice clean hole. I would expect something both higher power and larger caliber.
 
worm12ga said:
Heat actually doesn't really play a factor. It's just metal being pushed aside from the impact. I agree it looks larger than a .22

Also, I don't think a .22 rimfire would make such a nice clean hole. I would expect something both higher power and larger caliber.
Click to expand...

Just curious, is there a site to state that occurrance. With high speed impact of any thing contacting each other. It would seem there has to be some sort of heat generated with a violent impact. Can you let me know where that is written. Thank you
 
Dirtfishin said:
Just curious, is there a site to state that occurrance. With high speed impact of any thing contacting each other. It would seem there has to be some sort of heat generated with a violent impact. Can you let me know where that is written. Thank you
Click to expand...

I will look for a site, but what I was saying is the deformation had nothing to do with heat. Of course some heat (but a lot less than you think) was generated. The heat had nothing to do with the damage to the item.
 
worm12ga said:
I will look for a site, but what I was saying is the deformation had nothing to do with heat. Of course some heat (but a lot less than you think) was generated. The heat had nothing to do with the damage to the item.
Click to expand...

Not that it really has anything to do with THIS case, but there IS heat involved in ballistic flight. Sometimes a LOT of it. I remember 20-30 years ago, reading that some high velocity, small caliber, unjacketed centerfire wildcat rounds would literally vaporize before hitting the target. They started using jacketed bullets to protect the lead which had a lower melting point.
 
Geez said:
Not that it really has anything to do with THIS case, but there IS heat involved in ballistic flight. Sometimes a LOT of it. I remember 20-30 years ago, reading that some high velocity, small caliber, unjacketed centerfire wildcat rounds would literally vaporize before hitting the target. They started using jacketed bullets to protect the lead which had a lower melting point.
Click to expand...

We're getting pretty far off topic here, so I apologize to the OP.

I believe the high velocity, small caliber wildcats you refer to would disintegrate due to the speed and centrifugal force. I don't think heat had much if anything to do with the problem, and they did not vaporize.

Wildcatters are almost by definition pushing the limits of physics.
 
Geez said:
Not that it really has anything to do with THIS case, but there IS heat involved in ballistic flight. Sometimes a LOT of it. I remember 20-30 years ago, reading that some high velocity, small caliber, unjacketed centerfire wildcat rounds would literally vaporize before hitting the target. They started using jacketed bullets to protect the lead which had a lower melting point.
Click to expand...

Total off topic again.but I think it has some to do with the hole. We're trying to figure it out. Geez, that's really interesting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
1789 GW button?
Replies
8
Views
104
sunnycyanideup
S
F
Pocket watch
Replies
5
Views
129
Fool
F
M
What the heck is it ?
Replies
6
Views
162
Coin Operated
C
I
Old Button? No idea what.
Replies
2
Views
97
flamsteed
F
T
Help with copper piece
Replies
2
Views
105
FreeBirdTim
FreeBirdTim
Back
Top Bottom