Help with Possible Cannon Ball

[Keith123]

Found this object on a property know to have revolutionary and civil war activity. Looks like a cannon ball to me but I've never found one before so I don't know anything about them. I guess my first question is how can I tell for sure if it is an actual cannon ball? Secondly (if it is a ball), what information kind is needed from me to tell which war it's from, what type it is, or which side fired it (or dropped it)? Also, any resources on disarming would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

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[villagenut]

Get some numbers for us to compare. Numbers needed are weight and diameter. If there is not a fuse then it may be a solid shot which you can clean easily with an electrolysis bath and wire brush. If it is a fused ball then you gotta be cautious. Others will chime in on what to do next, but first get those numbers. BTW I like the photo of you holding it fresh out of the ground with the old house...NICE.

 

[ARC]

Looks like one to me.

 

[Keith123]

Get some numbers for us to compare. Numbers needed are weight and diameter. If there is not a fuse then it may be a solid shot which you can clean easily with an electrolysis bath and wire brush. If it is a fused ball then you gotta be cautious. Others will chime in on what to do next, but first get those numbers. BTW I like the photo of you holding it fresh out of the ground with the old house...NICE.

Ok, weight and diameter. Will post that tonight. The only problem with finding a fuse is all the crust. How can I safely get enough of the rust off to find a fuse? Vinegar bath?

 

[BosnMate]

Here's a chart that should help you. Cannon bore, shot, and shell diameters for smoothbore guns
Your ball has to be very close to one of those size and weights for it to be a cannon ball. It seems like the most common artillery piece in the civil war was the 12 pound Napoleon Cannon. That means the solid shot ball weighed 12 lbs. Check the chart, a 12 pound solid shot weighs 12.25 pounds, and the hollow explosive shell weighs 8.34 pounds. Clean it up as best you can, then weigh it to find out which it might be. Has to be a better scale than the bathroom, like the post office or the butcher shop. So here's the deal, if the iron ball is 4.52 inches diameter, and weighs less than 12 lbs, it's an explosive "shell." In an explosive shell, the powder charge is black powder. Black powder does not degrade over time. If it gets wet, when it dries out it will still explode. It takes heat to set off black powder, it does not detonate, so a sharp blow will not explode black powder, therefore a civil war shell can be dropped etc. and is not dangerous. But heat, like trying to drill a hole in the shell, or setting it by the fireplace can be a dangerous thing. So if you think you have a shell, get expert help in disarming it. If you take it to the police, they will blow it up. There are people who disarm old ordnance, and know how to do it safely. I have a disarmed 12 pounder with a Boreman fuse, but I didn't drill the hole in it myself.

 

[ARC]

Needs electrolysis... and you should do so... tis nothing without this... and needed to truly authenticate.
At this point ... it being found in the location you stated and the "general look" ... It is a safe bet that it is real.
BUT...
Like I said ... it is worthless in all ways... until electrolysis.
If you are not knowledgeable in how to build and conduct an electrolysis therapy on this... there are TONS of people here and online who can help build a quick backyard setup.
Please read up on it.
PS>
Killer find BTW.

 

[Keith123]

I was able to brush off some of the crust and the weight is 13.15lbs and diameter is 4.777". So far, I haven't been able to find a fuse but it still heavily crusted in some spots. I think I've knocked off as much crust as I can without an electrolysis bath. I have done about 20 or so electrolysis baths and hot wax baths so I'll be able to get started on that tomorrow night when I get back home. There is a good bare spot on the ball so a good conductive connection can be made. Is it safe to begin electrolysis with out knowing if it has a fused shell or if it's solid shot?

 

[BosnMate]

The weight makes it look like it's solid iron. At this point, your find is a quarter inch too large to fit in a 12 pounder's bore. I'm not familiar with electrolysis, but it would only have to remove .13 of an inch of crud from the ball for it to be a cannon solid shot, which sounds reasonable to me. The ball is round, so removing .13 of an inch of rust from every surface amounts to .26 over all reduction in size. Please keep us posted.

 

[N.O. noir et d'or]

I was able to brush off some of the crust and the weight is 13.15lbs and diameter is 4.777". So far, I haven't been able to find a fuse but it still heavily crusted in some spots. I think I've knocked off as much crust as I can without an electrolysis bath. I have done about 20 or so electrolysis baths and hot wax baths so I'll be able to get started on that tomorrow night when I get back home. There is a good bare spot on the ball so a good conductive connection can be made. Is it safe to begin electrolysis with out knowing if it has a fused shell or if it's solid shot?

K, The ones I've recovered were soaked in a bucket of vinegar for approximately two weeks. Afterward, the encrustation was easy to remove with just a very little elbow grease. This is a very safe way to deal with possible Civil War ordnance even if still technically "live."

 

[Mr.T]

Beau Ouimmetes videos on you tube show you Everything you need to know! Aquachigger is his user name- even explains about the fused ones! great find

 

[Rivers rat]

Down here we used a hammer and smash it hard on the river we use big stone to remove the crust(better than the wife sink) if there is no hole on the surface(solid iron one) like ALL the one i found here,oven or blown torch or fire .ONLY IF THERE IS NO HOLE



RR

 

[Rivers rat]

Found this object on a property know to have revolutionary and civil war activity. Looks like a cannon ball to me but I've never found one before so I don't know anything about them. I guess my first question is how can I tell for sure if it is an actual cannon ball? Secondly (if it is a ball), what information kind is needed from me to tell which war it's from, what type it is, or which side fired it (or dropped it)? Also, any resources on disarming would be appreciated. Thanks!View attachment 1134217View attachment 1134218

There is a book cheap called:round shot and rammers




RR

 

[Keith123]

Update - after electrolysis the new diameter appears to be 4.52" see photos for measurement process. I'll weigh the ball this afternoon and post the results.

 

[Keith123]

The new weight is 12lb 2oz.

Before Cleaning
After Cleaning

 

[BosnMate]

Looks like you have the real deal, 12 lb. solid shot cannon ball. Congratulations.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

By request, I'm speaking up with confirmation. Yes, that cast-iron ball meets the civil war era US Army Ordnance Department's diameter-&-weight specifications for a 12-Pounder caliber cannonball.
Cannon bore, shot, and shell diameters for smoothbore guns
Its diameter is dead-on the size specification. Although its precisely-measured weight is two ounces less than the official specification, Solid-Shot (not hollow, explosive) cannonballs often weighed slightly less than the specified weight, due to the presence of airbubbles which got trapped inside the molten iron when the ball was bring cast.

 

[trdking]

WOW that cleaned up nicely Looks like Cannon shot to me

 

[villagenut]

Nice job on the recovery and restoration. Glad to see it cleaned up well