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civil war shell

Might want to call your local police or fire dept to check it out. That's what I did when a friend of mine gave me one his cannonballs to me that he found in a abandon building in DC. I called the police and they came over and checked it out. It was not live. They asked me where I got it, but couldn't tell them.
 

bad, bad, bad, advice. Don't call your local police or fire department. You can tell a live shell because it will be fuzed, if it is a solid ball then it is a solid shot. Calling the police or the fire department will get the cannonball or shell immediately confiscated, they will in fact probably call out the bomb squad and take it away in some kind of protective trailer. You will be asked a million questions also, they could also notify the ATF and you could be in for a lot of trouble for even possessing it. If in question place the ball in a pail of water and fully submerge it and keep it in the water. You can find people who will disarm the shell for a nominal fee and you will get it back in one piece. Getting it to them could be a problem. If it is a live shell and you mail it you are basically mailing a bomb and can go to prison for that. You will need to find someone who has the experience in both inerting the shell and telling you how to ship it to them. I look for shells all the time and have found a few. I have inerted two and have one outside that is still armed, but it is thoroughly soaked and the fuze removed and the hole in the brass cover plate is opened up so I know the powder is wet.
 

People have been killed, even experts fooling with these things. Be careful, I've heard gunpowder becomes unstable with age. My dad did demolitions in WWII and said it essentially breaks down to nitro glycerin in time. I wouldn't touch it with a 20 foot pole.
 

Well can't find no one to do the shell but I can pour water in it turn it upside down and shake and water and powder comes out
 

Harry ridgeway in Winchester va will unload it for you his website is civil war relic man.com
 

Boilermaker27 said:
bad, bad, bad, advice. Don't call your local police or fire department. You can tell a live shell because it will be fuzed, if it is a solid ball then it is a solid shot. Calling the police or the fire department will get the cannonball or shell immediately confiscated, they will in fact probably call out the bomb squad and take it away in some kind of protective trailer. You will be asked a million questions also, they could also notify the ATF and you could be in for a lot of trouble for even possessing it. If in question place the ball in a pail of water and fully submerge it and keep it in the water. You can find people who will disarm the shell for a nominal fee and you will get it back in one piece. Getting it to them could be a problem. If it is a live shell and you mail it you are basically mailing a bomb and can go to prison for that. You will need to find someone who has the experience in both inerting the shell and telling you how to ship it to them. I look for shells all the time and have found a few. I have inerted two and have one outside that is still armed, but it is thoroughly soaked and the fuze removed and the hole in the brass cover plate is opened up so I know the powder is wet.
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I agree I am a LEO dont call I am one of the few now that understand my job is to serve and protect society NOT belittle and rule. Most would do exactly what Boilermaker said start a #&^@ over spilled milk.

If you are pouring water in it the fuse is out.

smokeythecat said:
People have been killed, even experts fooling with these things. Be careful, I've heard gunpowder becomes unstable with age. My dad did demolitions in WWII and said it essentially breaks down to nitro glycerin in time. I wouldn't touch it with a 20 foot pole.
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:icon_scratch: No smokless or black powder will not breakdown into nitro glycerin. Smokeless is very stable untill the ignition source is added, AND set off. Black powder wet is as dangerous as wet charcoal and same unless you add some sort of fire. Never take either for granted. I have several lbs of each in my safe for reloading and shooting. By severl of the theories I have seen posted people I think Civil War soldiers should just have randomly exploded ALL the time, and my entire county hell most of my state should just be a crater with all the hunters, shooters, and reloaders everywhere. These rounds were loaded into wagons pulled by horses through battle(as fast as the could get them to the frontline), over dirt roads, corn fields, tossed around in ships, rammed down cannon barrels, just about anything you can imagine. The infantry carried about 60 cartridges into battle in a shooting bag on their side.
 

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ghost said:
Might want to call your local police or fire dept to check it out. That's what I did when a friend of mine gave me one his cannonballs to me that he found in a abandon building in DC. I called the police and they came over and checked it out. It was not live. They asked me where I got it, but couldn't tell them.
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DO NOT DO THIS, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR SHELL!!!

I have seen the police detonate solid shots before because they claimed they were 'live', these people are clueless.

take it to a civil war dealer, but the chances are if it's not got a naval fuse it's fine. If it doesn't have a fuse at all it's fine, and if it's a solid shot it's fine.
 

Shell was fired hit something and drove the fuse down inside it see the little brass thing with rings in the pic down inside of the shell

ForumRunner_20130505_132247.webp
 

Pic of shell it was fired see the brass thing with rings down inside shell

ForumRunner_20130505_133418.webp



ForumRunner_20130505_133418.webp
 

catfisherman said:
Pic of shell it was fired see the brass thing with rings down inside shell

View attachment 790668





View attachment 790668
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Oh that thing is fine, it doesn't need to be defused. Poor some water down the fusehole, shake it around and see if any loose powder comes out with the water. I doubt it.

I really like that shell btw, I'd like to have it in my collection with the fuse pushed in like that.
 

ghost said:
Might want to call your local police or fire dept to check it out. That's what I did when a friend of mine gave me one his cannonballs to me that he found in a abandon building in DC. I called the police and they came over and checked it out. It was not live. They asked me where I got it, but couldn't tell them.
Click to expand...

They didn't make you tell them by like saying you could be in trouble. Doesn't seem like they would take a "sorry I can tell you".
 

Word of caution, Not sure what you did with the wet powder you poured out, but one it dries it will be explosive again. Had a bad experience with wet powdered after it dried up myself. just saying :)
 

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