Cannon ball?

[FunWithTreasure]

Found this big iron ball today. It's 7 inches wide sand weighs 55.8 lbs. it had a crust of rust on it so I scaled it. What do you think could it be a cannon ball?

 

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[cti4sw]

I think it's too big to have been a cannonball. Not sure there ever was a 50 or 60-lb cannon that shot balls.

 

[goldenIrishman]

What kind of area was it found in? What's the history of that area? Research is important because it can not only tell you what it is, but also what it isn't!

My better half and I were walking and I found something very much like the ball you found only a little smaller. I knew it couldn't have been a cannon ball but it was located next to a bridge that had been rebuilt a few years ago. Turned out it was a ball bearing from a D-12 Cat that had broke down during construction and was repaired on the spot. Still, it makes a great weight to hold my bilge pumps down in their cage for my re-circ sluice system.

 

[FunWithTreasure]

What kind of area was it found in? What's the history of that area? Research is important because it can not only tell you what it is, but also what it isn't! My better half and I were walking and I found something very much like the ball you found only a little smaller. I knew it couldn't have been a cannon ball but it was located next to a bridge that had been rebuilt a few years ago. Turned out it was a ball bearing from a D-12 Cat that had broke down during construction and was repaired on the spot. Still, it makes a great weight to hold my bilge pumps down in their cage for my re-circ sluice system.

It was found in a stream in my friends property.

 

[smokeythecat]

What state?

 

[HomeGuardDan]

I think it's too big to have been a cannonball. Not sure there ever was a 50 or 60-lb cannon that shot balls.

There are plenty of balls that weight more than that size...though are civil war period shells (42lb ball, 10" ball, 15" ball, etc.) However for that size the weight seems way off. Do you think that you weight could be off as I am not sure how a ball of that size could weight 50 lbs. It looks like a 12lb solid shot to me.

 

[FunWithTreasure]

There are plenty of balls that weight more than that size...though are civil war period shells (42lb ball, 10" ball, 15" ball, etc.) However for that size the weight seems way off. Do you think that you weight could be off as I am not sure how a ball of that size could weight 50 lbs. It looks like a 12lb solid shot to me.

I put it on my scale. It's 55.8 could Be a bit bigger than 7 inches though

 

[DocBeav]

stand by...i'm sure cannonballguy will arrive soon! Has to change in the phone booth and put on his jumpsuit with a big "C" on the front! To the rescue! LOL

Kidding CBG!....he is the knowledge base here on this type of ID so he will be able to help you out.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Post this in the "What Is It" section and let CannonBallGuy who has wrote two books on Civil War projectiles one of which is well known. He will provide good details.

 

[ModernMiner]

Awesome! Can't wait to see it ID'd.
-MM-

 

[AQUA]

I got a cannonball-- its 4 inch diameter and weighs exactly 7 lbs


so ya--ur weight is way of somehow if its a cannonball....is it lead ?

 

[AQUA]

I got a cannonball-- its 4 inch diameter and weighs exactly 7 lbs


so ya--ur weight is way of somehow if its a cannonball....is it lead ?

9 LBS ..SRY

 

[FunWithTreasure]

9 LBS ..SRY

Not sure what it is. It's real heavy.

 

[jamesbibb]

the weight is far too off to be a cannonball. or a shell for that matter
a 7" solid shot =42lbs
a 8" solid shot= 65lbs

 

[cti4sw]

I put it on my scale. It's 55.8 could Be a bit bigger than 7 inches though

Bathroom scales are notoriously inaccurate for stuff like this. CBG is going to want a precise weight, and a precise diameter to 2 decimal places (0.00). He will tell you to go to Home Depot and spend the $15 to get a decent set of calipers for such a measurement.

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Well I thought that 55 lbs might be heavy for cast iron and this could have been a steel ball used to crush quarts in a gold mining operation but then I read this artical and it shows an 8 in (7.8 in dia.) CB in a museum weighing in at 65 lbs. so yours could be the real deal. Read this artical, it has some good tips to help authenticate it.
SolidShotEssentialsMod
ZDD

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

the weight is far too off to be a cannonball. or a shell for that matter
a 7" solid shot =42lbs
a 8" solid shot= 65lbs

A 42 pounder is 6.84 inches in diameter. If the CB is actually 7 inchs it could very well be 55 lbs. but that would meen the cannon bore would be around 7.25 inchs. Were there cannons made with a 7.25 " bore? Which country used them?
ZDD

 

[HomeGuardDan]

I know that I am not cannonball guy - but I have been around and dug many of shells over the years. A ball that size should not weigh 55lbs. At that diameter it would be at least twice the weight of a common 12 or 24lb ball.

I personally think that it is a ball, but just believe the weight to be off on what ever scale you are using.

Let us know what you find out about it.