Is this a cannonball? Is this dangerous? Help!

[MrMarsHill]

I'll start by saying this item is not in my possession. I am considering purchasing this as a cannonball , but I need help. I am just not experienced enough to tell. On top of that, I'm not sure if this baby could be ready to blow! I know it wouldn't be the first time any way. This ball was found in Massachusetts, that's all the story I know. The ball is 4" in diameter and weighs 7.4lbs. I know someone here can say with some certainty whether or not this is a cannonball and hopefully whether or not it appears dangerous. The seller is unsure and just stated the item is thought to be a cannonball. The price is great, but not too good to be true... but this ball is currently unidentified. Is it a cannonball? Shotput? Decoration? It does appear to me to be cast iron and the 7.4 lbs and 4" diameter seem correct? I appreciate any info, I'd love to add this to my collection if its authentic and safe. If the item is "LIVE" how or who do I get a hold of to make this baby safe? That's a question probably better left for after the ID, but if it is a cannonball and is dangerous, that's my next question anyway lol. I appreciate it guys!



Jim Brown
Bonez Customs and Collectables
@bonezcustoms on IG

 

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[Retired Sarge]

Our very own TheCannonBallGuy has a very informative page, hopefully he'll bless us with his vast knowledge, by answering your post. In the meantime peruse his page for information. Also the page will be able to answer most of your questions. Diameter and correct weight are important.

SolidShotEssentialsMod

 

[MrMarsHill]

Our very own TheCannonBallGuy has a very informative page, hopefully he'll bless us with his vast knowledge, by answering your post. In the meantime peruse his page for information. Also the page will be able to answer most of your questions. Diameter and correct weight are important.

I appreciate the info, I read about 20 posts before posting my own and the cannonballguy seemed to be THE authority on the subject. I believe this could be some type of fused ball personally, I'm guessing civil war era? Hopefully we will see! I wont stop researching, even once the question is answered, lol! It's just my nature. This type of thing is where it's best to get an expert opinion for sure I think. I dont need anything dangerous in my house!

 

[Retired Sarge]

Just a quick apology, I would have given you better help and or answers, but I'm laying in a hospital bed, having just had SI Joint Fusion, which was completed 4 hours ago, and my meds are kicking in making me a bit loopy.

Therefore I would be hating life, more than I am now, IF I said something that could have been potentially dangerous and or caused harm to anyone. That said. I hope you get the answers and information you seek, soon.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

here's a pretty noticeable casting seam on it. I'm going to say it's a shotput ball

 

[ARC]

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Just a quick apology, I would have giving you better help and or answers, but I'm laying in a hospital bed, having just had SI Joint Fusion, which was completed 4 hours ago, and my meds are kicking in making me a bit loopy.

Therefore I would be hating life, more than I am now, IF I said something that could have been potentially dangerous and or caused harm to anyone. That said. I hope you get the answers and information you seek, soon.

Now this is dedication!

You're "laying in a hospital bed, having just had SI Joint Fusion, which was completed 4 hours ago" and all you want to do is make a post on Tnet.

Hope you're on the mend and back to detecting soon Mike!
Dave

 

[Retired Sarge]

Now this is dedication!

You're "laying in a hospital bed, having just had SI Joint Fusion, which was completed 4 hours ago" and all you want to do is make a post on Tnet.

Hope you're on the mend and back to detecting soon Mike!
Dave

What else does one do when they are stuck in the hospital? Already driven the staff nuts, by taking a walk every hour or so. Got to keep that hip working, got to keep the brain working. Hopefully I'll be sprung in a few hours and can relax in my own bed.

 

[Joe-Dirt]

Just a quick apology, I would have giving you better help and or answers, but I'm laying in a hospital bed, having just had SI Joint Fusion, which was completed 4 hours ago, and my meds are kicking in making me a bit loopy.

Therefore I would be hating life, more than I am now, IF I said something that could have been potentially dangerous and or caused harm to anyone. That said. I hope you get the answers and information you seek, soon.

Hospital beds are for the weak!! Crawl on to the floor like Forrest Gump

 

[Joe-Dirt]

I have no idea about the cannon ball, someone will pipe up soon to help you out

 

[smokeythecat]

Methinks it's a Revolutionary War British solid shot. That sprue mark is typical of the solid shot of the era. The weights for Civil War shot do not apply. Also, back then they had a wood drive in fuse. I see not residue of a drive in fuse here. Congrats on the nice cannonball. And yes, F & I and Rev War shot had seams remaining due to the casting technology of the day.

 

[Rookster]

Me believes it's a relic.

 

[Tony in SC]

I don't like the seam?

 

[smokeythecat]

Seams are almost mandatory on French and Indian Wars shot. Some also appear on Rev War items. The technology didn't exist for a perfect casting and there was plenty of "windage" on the cannons of the time so no blow ups.

 

[bradyboy]

any idea where it was found in mass. ?
there was a trail from the west to Boston, including general Washington
look at knox trail for example
Brady

 

[MrMarsHill]

Ffuries, your a trooper sir! I hope you get home to your own bed and back on your feet soon! I appreciate all the replies! I was concerned about the seam as well, but it wasnt enough to turn me away. As is mentioned about the casting sprues/vents/seams can be explained also. I cast jewelry, on a much smaller scale, but I see seam/sprue/vent holes on every piece I come across or make... just depends on how much finishing was done after casting. I know cannonballs were finished in this way as well. I had been thinking of this as a civil war era cannonball, but the seller has said it could be Revolutionary war era as well. I can find out where it was found down to the city I reckon, but I doubt he's giving up the goods lol. Smokeythecat, I must say I had a dog named Smokey The Dog, and he was my favorite living being I've met yet... just kinda funny I thought. To break it down further, YES, this could be a Revolutionary war era cannonball as well, or shotput, or decoration etc. I just need to know, is it a cannonball? If it is, I want it and the real fun will begin(trying to figure out everything I can on it). Thanks again for all the replies... I basically am still lost and agree with ALL of you on certain points lol. Let's see if we can get a DEFINITIVE answer. I'm not in the market for a old shotput, lol!

 

[docweiser]

Until you have absolute verification I would keep it away from friends and family - center circle could be a fuse!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

MrMarsHill, the WELL-FOCUSED CLOSEUP photos (thank you for the very good quality) you provided are enough all by themselves to prove beyond any doubt that your mystery-ball is definitely not a cannonball. Reason: No actual historical artillery cannonballs had two SAME-SIZE holes. (Both of them in your ball have been plugged/filled.)

Furthermore, the weight and diameter measurements you provided definitely exclude the ball from being a cannonball.... as shown in the historical data here:
www.civilwarartillery.com/shottables.htm

Important note:
In addition to civil war era cannonballs, the diameter-&-weight charts in the US 1861 Ordnance Manual's "Shot Tables" (at the link above) DO INCLUDE Colonial-Era cannonballs... such as 1-, 3-, 4-, 9-, and 18-Pounder caliber cannonballs. That being said... the Colonial Era ones were VERY SLIGHTLY smaller (1/10th-inch or less) and therefore very slightly lighter than the civil war ones.

The only "nearby" match for your ball in the historical cannonball data is a 9-Pounder caliber cannonball, which is 4.10 inches in diameter. As the caliber name implies, a 9-Pounder Solid-Shot weighed 9.14 pounds, and the hollow explosive shell version weighed approximately 6.2 pounds. You've reported that your two-hole 4.0"-diameter ball weighs 7.4 pounds... so, it's not a Solid ball and it weighs 1.2 pounds too much to be the hollow explosive version.

None of the statements above are mere Opinion... they are Facts. Now, here's my opinion about your ball's identity. Your photos show one of the two holes appears to have been filled with a sawed-off iron plug... which MIGHT be the sawed-off shaft of a "mounting rod" which held the ball in place on top of an "ornamental" iron fencepost. The other hole appears to be filled with a grey-ish material, which might be either lead or concrete. The two holes being located 90-degrees apart from each other suggest that the ball was mounted atop a vertical fencepost, with a horizontal bar connected into the ball's side. That's the arrangement often seen atop an ornamental iron gate.

TheCannonballGuy
Co-author of the 552-page "photographic encyclopedia" titled Field Artillery Projectiles of the American Civil War.
Multi-decade Consultant to the US National Park Service for accurate identification, and disarming, of historical (pre-20th-Century) artillery projectiles.​

 

[MrMarsHill]

Thank you TheCannonballGuy! That's the answer I was looking for. I had thought maybe it was a lead plug, but I could see steel as well. I'll obviously be passing on this item... whatever it is. I'll pass the info on to the seller of the balls well... hopefully he wo t keep pushing it. I appreciate all the answers and replies. If anybody has anything further to add, feel free! I'm updating my own cannonball search post as well... obviously it wasnt recovered or it would be posted, but we are going for another shot Sunday. I might hold off the update until then...

 

[Mekong Mike]

Yeah it looks like a fuse. Nice find but be careful.