Got some seriously huge balls

[cheffer]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Returned to the colonial hunting grounds last night where I found the reale on Sunday with ACOJoe, didn't find much on our short hunt but Joe and I each found massive round shots, the largest I've ever dug. Almost like mini cannonballs:



Anyone know what the of musket these would have been fired from? I can't imagine the kick that would've resulted from these things.

Steve

 

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[PetesPockets55]

Not familiar with musket shot but could this be some type of canister shot?

 

[3cylbill]

are they lead ? I have brass ones from an antique 500# scale about the same size..

 

[creskol]

I don't think they are musket balls. Here is a clip from another board by Pete George (aka The CannonBallGuy) I saved in my references:

Going by the IRON ball sizes I've seen in various types of Canister and Case-Shot ammunition, here is my opinion of the MOST-LIKELY identification of your "5/8-inch" and "3/4-inch" iron balls:
(1) If fired by yankees, your "5/8-inch" balls are most likely to be either Type One Hotchkiss or Type One Dyer case-shot balls. Your "3/4-inch" balls are most likely to be 2.9" Parrott Canister or 3" Hotchkiss Canister balls.
(2) If fired by Confederates, they're most likely to be either 12-pounder sideloader case-shot balls or 2.9"/3" rifled-gun canister balls. I can't be sure which is correct, due to the Confederates' tendency to occasionally mix ball-sizes in a projectile.

 

[cheffer]

I thought they were lead, but they could be iron, although not rusty at all. They each have evidence of a seam, Joe's has a hole in it.

 

[creskol]

I thought they were lead, but they could be iron, although not rusty at all. They each have evidence of a seam, Joe's has a hole in it.

If they are lead, they probably weights of some sort and not any type of projectile.

 

[smokeythecat]

They look like they are rusted, therefore they would be iron. Probably Revolutionary War grape or canister shot. Get them cleaned up some, they should have a rough sprue on them. Sometimes mill balls for finishing metals are a possibility.

 

[DiggityDiggity]

"We've got the biggest...balls of them all!!!"

 

[TreeFarm]

Whoa!!!!!

 

[bowwinkles]

Poor old Iron mike is probably singing soprano.

 

[CASPER-2]

possible brown bess

 

[trdking]

me too... but thats as far as it goes

 

[secondstar]

OMG...

 

[PowerDubs]

Canister shot.

I’ve found a few, one just this last weekend-

Projectile or Reject pile?
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=606810

 

[creskol]

Got some seriously huge balls! Sorry, couldn't resist.

Speaking of which, here is an interesting observation:

1. The sport of choice for the urban poor is BASKETBALL.
2. The sport of choice for maintenance level employees is BOWLING.
3. The sport of choice for front-line workers is FOOTBALL.
4. The sport of choice for supervisors is BASEBALL.
5. The sport of choice for middle management is TENNIS.
And...
6. The sport of choice for corporate executives and officers is GOLF.

THE amazing fact is, the higher you go in the corporate structure, the smaller your balls become!

​

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[Joe-Dirt]

possible brown bess

Way too big for a Brown Bess, I’d say mill balls or possible canister shot

 

[creskol]

Way too big for a Brown Bess, I’d say mill balls or possible canister shot

Hmmm.. I don't know about that, Joe!

 

[cheffer]

Damn. Can't imagine being in the line of fire from one of these things.