A couple years ago I bought a "cannonball" off ebay and posted it on a Civil War relics site. It caused one heck of a commotion. Half said it was a real "cannonball" and half said it was an ore crushing ball. After I nearly brought down that entire forum we all finally decided to drop the issue. Later I found out it was indeed an ore ball and not a real Civil War cannonball.
Many many big balls made of both iron and lead have been made for many different purposes including "cannonballs."
I think it was Dixie Arms company that got into an awful mess back years ago for selling counterweights as "cannonballs." These balls even fooled the experts.
I'm certainly no expert on "cannonballs" but here are a few comments for whatever.
Most real "cannonballs" are iron, not lead. According to the 1861 US Ordnance Department specifications (view them online at
http://www.civilwarartillery.com/shottables.htm ) the closest actual cannonball to yours weighs 32.4 pounds and is exactly 6.25-inches in diameter.
Actual cannonballs are as round as a ball-bearing. Some of them may show a small LINEAR mold-seam, but other than that, they have no bumps, no lumps, no flat spots, flat bands, no ridges. They're perfectly round, not sort of round.
The whole "ball game" is based upon the weight, size, and shape of your ball.
If your ball is 6.041 inches in diameter and about 30 pounds it could be a French 26-pounder. The French used a different system of weights and so 26-pounds of that era (1780) would be about 29.31 American pounds.
Interesting find!
Badger
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