1" bronze grapeshot? Almost got away

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

In W PA I'm almost never swinging over flat ground. Dug a target near a small stream on a hillside this afternoon, really strong small sweet deep signal. Dug the plug and swung over the dirt and no signal, not even iron. Then I noticed a wet dirty ball about 5' downhill on the dry leaves, swung over it and bingo. It had tried to escape, but to no avail.

Initially thought it was lead, as it is very heavy, but after cleaning believe it is bronze, some greenish patina coming through non magnetic and not soft like lead. It is a perfect ball shape slightly larger than 1".

This was near an old cellar hole northeast of Pittsburgh. Some history of the French and Indian War and the Revolution in this area. Is this a huge musket ball, cannon grapeshot, or modern item?

 

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[trapperart]

Nice find congrats

 

[Relicific]

Cool relic find

 

[Stretch Da Truth]

Nice find. Was your MD going crazy over it? That's a keeper for sure!
Congrats!

 

[vpnavy]

Nice find pa-dirt_nc-sand! Those that never heard of a "GrapeShot" - when shot from a cannon - balls would spread out and hit soldiers (anti-personnel rounds) over a wide area. GrapeShot is a mass of metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvass bag or metal vessel, etc.

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[against the wind]

Very cool,
Wouldn't want to get hit by that.
Congrats

 

[l.cutler]

Could be a powder mill ball. especially if found near a stream. Brass balls were used in gun powder mills to grind the powder, brass so no sparks around the powder!

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Nice find pa-dirt_nc-sand! Those that never heard of a "GrapeShot" - when shot from a cannon - balls would spread out and hit soldiers (anti-personnel rounds) over a wide area. GrapeShot is a mass of metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvass bag or metal vessel, etc.

View attachment 1430145View attachment 1430146View attachment 1430147​

OUCH !!!! Man's inhumanity against man. ..that'll leave a mark!...Ddf

 

[vpnavy]

OUCH !!!! Man's inhumanity against man. ..that'll leave a mark!...Ddf

That was why there were so many amputations!

 

[gunsil]

Nice find pa-dirt_nc-sand! Those that never heard of a "GrapeShot" - when shot from a cannon - balls would spread out and hit soldiers (anti-personnel rounds) over a wide area. GrapeShot is a mass of metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvass bag or metal vessel, etc.

View attachment 1430145View attachment 1430146View attachment 1430147​

First one is cannister, second two are grape. Cannister balls are smaller than grape, and grape was almost never used in land combat, usually used in sea conflict. There are no brass or bronze cannister or grape shot, way too expensive to use.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

1.15" dia and 4 oz.

Found in the woods in Sewickley Heights. Crazy affluent estate style area near Pittsburgh with lots of history. It was near a stream, but more of a trickle, enough for water needs at a homestead, not enough flow to turn a mill. Did any of the early muskets fire a round this big? The people in this area (early industrialists) would have gone on fox hunts with their latest toys in these woods. Or maybe it is a grinding ball from a powder mill and given to a child as a toy who lost it playing at the stream, lots of pottery and old glass there.

 

[l.cutler]

No muskets that large, and they would fire a lead ball.

 

[IndianaBonesMD]

Very nice relic, bound to be more in the area.
Very cool.