Cannon Ball?

[Grindel]

I am new here. I have found what might appear to be a cannon ball. It is between 5.1" and 5.2" in diameter depending where it is measured. It was rusted and pitted from being in the ground. I cleaned it up a little. It weighs 19.2 lbs. It has a large #2 cast in the ball. I live in civil war country. Sherman's army passed through here on his march to the sea.

 

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[teleprospector]

Welcome !
Jon from s/e Michigan

 

[Whynotnow?]

I'm not 100 percent sure, but I think that you may have something that I personally think is much cooler than a cannonball. I believe that you found the ball portion of a literal "ball and chain" that would have been attached to a prisoner's ankle while on work duty outside the prison. You can see the two marks where there would have been a loop for the chain to attach. Some better photos of that would make it more clear. Here is a link to an ebay listing of what I beleive you may have found. Again, I'm no expert so I'm not certain.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3862304297...DX6eTh7p3wWctKlwnd7p8aHWjhIPfVCYaAvd0EALw_wcB

 

[Whynotnow?]

If that's what it is, its a really cool find!

 

[ARC]

Shot Put.

 

[Whynotnow?]

Shot Put.

Those only go to 16 lbs.

 

[ARC]

Those only go to 16 lbs.

Incorrect.

 

[Sandog]

Welcome to the forum. Good find to start off with. How did you find this piece, detector, eyeball it, purchase?

 

[Whynotnow?]

Incorrect.

I guess maybe there are bigger ones? Not for competition though, 16lbs is regulation. They’re usually smooth, no seam or pucker marks where a loop was attached. They also wouldn’t cast a giant 2 into it as that would have an effect on the way the athlete would grip the shot.

 

[ARC]

I guess maybe there are bigger ones? Not for competition though, 16lbs is regulation. They’re usually smooth, no seam or pucker marks where a loop was attached. They also wouldn’t cast a giant 2 into it as that would have an effect on the way the athlete would grip the shot.

Lets start over with.... its not a cannonball.
And if by some chance it is... i have never seen one like that.
Which that may or may not say much to you... but...

 

[Whynotnow?]

Lets start over with.... its not a cannonball.
And if by some chance it is... i have never seen one like that.
Which that may or may not say much to you... but...

Yeah definitely not a cannonball. Did you see the eBay link I posted? It looks like just about an exact match to that.

 

[vpnavy]

I am new here. I have found what might appear to be a cannon ball...

1st - Welcome Aboard! You didn't list your state (or country) in your profile. So, you might consider jumping over to Sub-Forum: Select Your Area.... and selecting location information (i.e., clubs, hunts, finds, legends, maps, etc.) directly related to your state (or country)...

2nd - I moved ya from NEW MEMBER INTRODUCTIONS over to WHAT IS IT? for more exposure.

NOTE: Forum NEW MEMBER INSTRODUCTIONS Description: New to TreasureNet? Introduce yourself to our community here! Welcome aboard and Happy Hunting!

3rd - Until a member pipes in - take a look at: CannonBallGuy .. Can you tell me anything about this? (Sep 30, 2012)

 

[ARC]

I'm not 100 percent sure, but I think that you may have something that I personally think is much cooler than a cannonball. I believe that you found the ball portion of a literal "ball and chain" that would have been attached to a prisoner's ankle while on work duty outside the prison. You can see the two marks where there would have been a loop for the chain to attach. Some better photos of that would make it more clear. Here is a link to an ebay listing of what I beleive you may have found. Again, I'm no expert so I'm not certain.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3862304297...DX6eTh7p3wWctKlwnd7p8aHWjhIPfVCYaAvd0EALw_wcB

I did now... and it looks like a match if there are weld spots on it or any remnants of a ring / hoop then i would say this is solved... and well done if so.

Did you use Google Lens to find it ?
OR... are you versed in "ball and chains"...

 

[Gene Mean]

Cool find! Hbot37 nailed it. Would love to know the story behind how it got where you found it.

 

[Whynotnow?]

I did now... and it looks like a match if there are weld spots on it or any remnants of a ring / hoop then i would say this is solved... and well done if so.

Did you use Google Lens to find it ?
OR... are you versed in "ball and chains"...

Lol I think I just picked the right keyword combo of iron ball number 2.

 

[scruggs]

Nice find you made!

 

[Grindel]

I'm not 100 percent sure, but I think that you may have something that I personally think is much cooler than a cannonball. I believe that you found the ball portion of a literal "ball and chain" that would have been attached to a prisoner's ankle while on work duty outside the prison. You can see the two marks where there would have been a loop for the chain to attach. Some better photos of that would make it more clear. Here is a link to an ebay listing of what I beleive you may have found. Again, I'm no expert so I'm not certain.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3862304297...DX6eTh7p3wWctKlwnd7p8aHWjhIPfVCYaAvd0EALw_wcB

The picture matches up. I am sure you are correct. I hadn't even considered that possibility.

 

[l.cutler]

The picture matches up. I am sure you are correct. I hadn't even considered that possibility.

I'd keep doing some research just to be sure. While it certainly matches the ebay item, how do we know that is correctly identified? It would be a great find if that is what it is, but I'd keep looking for verification just to be certain.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

In all my decades of studying Historical artillery projectiles, I've never seen a cannonball marked with its weight, nor have I found any historical record of marking cannonballs with their weight. Why not? A gunner has no need to know the cannonball's weight. The only thing he ever needs to know is the cannonball's diameter, for certainty that it will properly fit his cannon. That is why artillery ammunition crates/boxes are always marked with the projectile's caliber/diameter, but never its weight. If you see a ball marked with a number, it is definitely not an artillery ball (cannon ball, grapeshot ball, canister-ammo ball, etc.).

 

[ARC]

I'd keep doing some research just to be sure. While it certainly matches the ebay item, how do we know that is correctly identified? It would be a great find if that is what it is, but I'd keep looking for verification just to be certain.

Well...... heh..... my question to you is ...
Are 2 cannon people not enough to simply put this to rest ? ? ?

I will second what CBG stated and go to the absolute final fact...and re-state ...
NOT a cannonball.

Just don't want anyone's hopes to get up... and i should not have beat around the bush to begin with.
I don't do too many solves anymore... and have stepped aside on this.
But.... this one you can mark as DOUBLE solved. heh