Civil War Grenade?

[SaintPierre]

Howdy!
This came from an old time digger in the Mississippi Delta along the Yazoo Pass Expedition. It is 3.5 inches in length and 2.75 diameter. It is fused on one end.


Thanks!

Saint Pierre

 

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[GB1]

it might be put in a safe place for now

 

[Yak1366]

Images on Google look eerily similar to the Ketchum!!

Can you provide a pic opposite the slotted end?

 

[SaintPierre]

It is not slotted at other end...otherwise I would have guessed Ketchum too. There is nothing on the other end....it ends at a smooth taper. Really strange looking item.

 

[Yak1366]

Obviously the profiles are different with the Ketchum appearing symmetrical, and yours having one end more tapered. I see no reason why yours could have been fitted with the detonator piece only and not the tail.

I have no doubt someone will identify it.

 

[smokeythecat]

I found a similar piece. If it is solid, think of a floor clock weight.

 

[Davers]

View attachment 1532260View attachment 1532261
Howdy!
This came from an old time digger in the Mississippi Delta along the Yazoo Pass Expedition. It is 3.5 inches in length and 2.75 diameter. It is fused on one end.


Thanks!

Saint Pierre

Man no ID but that's Cool as Heck!
GLWID

 

[A2coins]

Clock weight is my guess also be careful just in case

 

[A2coins]

Welcome to tnet also

 

[SaintPierre]

Here is better pics of ends.

 

[Yak1366]

Yes, Welcome SaintPierre!!

I keep hearing people shooting large percussion fireworks off today in lieu of New Years...another eerie coincidence?

 

[50bmg]

Images on Google look eerily similar to the Ketchum!!

Can you provide a pic opposite the slotted end?

i get noting even close when i google this
do you have a link or a description of what one is
thanks

 

[Tony in SC]

Most clock weights are oval or elongated so they won't hang on each other. Is it hollow? Kinda looks a fused hand bomb/grenade.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Despite its resemblance to a hand-grenade, your find has been proven beyond any doubt to be a World War Two era aircraft radio "trailing wire antenna" weight. The weight was on the end of a very long wire which functioned as an antenna that was fed out of the airplane's rear while in flight, trailing behind it, and the weight kept the wire more-or-less straight and prevented it from flapping around wildly. See the photos below.

More than just a couple have been dug in past decades, sometimes on civil war battlefields. The battlefield-finds mystified us for years, because the RTAW weight so closely resembles a grenade or artillery projectile. Precise weighing proved it was solid (not hollow), so it couldn't be a grenade... and there was no way to attach a sabot to it, so it wasn't an artillery projectile. Then one was found whose brass plug was marked "WT-7-A" which excluded it from being a civil war relic. (See the close-up photo below.)


SaintPierre, the -7-A marking is visible on the brass plug in your find. Welcome to TreasureNet's What-Is-It? forum, the best place on the internet to get mystery-objects CORRECTLY identified.

But why had several been found on civil war battlefields? Finally, an oldtimer recognized one, and the Internet showed that some are still being sold as what they are... an antique aircraft radio antenna component. (Seen for sale several years ago at fairradio dot com, where I got the photo below showing a fully-complete one with its wire attachment loop.) When one falls off an airplane, it doesn't care that it has landed on a civil war battle trench. That's good to keep in mind about a great many mystery-objects we dig.

 

[GB1]

he nailed it again

 

[smokeythecat]

Now who would have thought....

 

[jewelerguy]

When one falls off an airplane

man that thing would sure put a knot on your head

 

[HuntinDog]

And we are worried about guns being shot into the air....

 

[A2coins]

Boom Baby there it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!