Need help ID a possible projectile

[coinhound1983]

My brother found this about 3ft down in the silt line along a lake in south east Louisiana . I'm not sure if it's a cannonball or just a ball bearing.. There are no distinguishing marks and no holes. Solid iron it looks like. I can weigh it as well if need be.. Think I may need cannonball guy on this 1.

 

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[TomPA]

Coinhound, You will definitely need to provide better measurements and an exact weight for a proper id.

 

[coinhound1983]

Help me out, what type measurements and or diff pics

 

[GatorBoy]

Weigh it.. Does it weigh 3lbs.?

 

[GatorBoy]

Looks alot like a steel milling ball though.
Louisiana is very humid.. I'd expect a lot more encrustation on iron of civil war age.

 

[coinhound1983]

Gator boy my digi scale maxes out. Here's some other measurements . There's no way I can weigh it tonite.. I thought the digi would work but maxes out and said full

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Coinhound1983 wrote:
> Help me out, what type measurements and or diff pics.

Everything you need to know, including detailed how-to instructions and helpful photos, is in an article I co-wrote with David Poche, here:
SolidShotEssentialsMod

When you've accomplished the super-precise weighing and measuring, we'll look for a match-up here:
Cannon bore, shot, and shell diameters for smoothbore guns
If there's no exact match-up, it is not an Artillery ball.

I should mention, a metal ball's "original" weight can be reduced somewhat by corrosion. Also, air bubbles trapped inside the ball during the metalcasting process can also cause it to weigh somewhat less than its diameter would indicate. But a cast-iron Artillery ball will never be heavier than its diameter should indicate.

Since you've provided a photo showing a wide steel Carpenter's measuring-tape wrapped around the ball, while we wait for precise diameter measurement, let's go with what the metal tape (which is inexact) shows:
circumference is 7 & 7/8th inches (7.875 inches)
diameter equals circumference divided by Pi (3.1416)
7.875 inches divided by 3.1416 equals 2.507 inches.
There is no 2.50-inch Artillery ball.

So, because I actually always hope that a digger has found an Artillery ball, I'm hoping precise weighing and measuring will produce a happier result for you and me than measuring the ball with a wide steel tape.

Sidenote:
When a digital caliper is either unavailable or isn't large enough to fit around a big ball, we use what is called a Diameter-Tape. Although it is a steel tape, it is narrow enough that we can position it easily across the exact center of the ball. See the photo below, which is in the instructional article I gave you the link for. If the tape is positioned off-center (in other words, not EXACTLY on the ball's "equator"), the measurement will be inaccurate.

 

[coinhound1983]

You sir are the man! This info to a history guy and a former 13f in the army just made my day with those 2 links in particular the cannon types. It's amazing. I'm hesitant to bring the ball to the post office but I'm sure I can get it weighed and calipered likely this weekend. Thank you for those links and your time.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

You're welcome.

Important information:
Rust/dirt encrustation on the iron's surface increase the ball's diameter. Therefore, the rust-crust must be removed in order to check the ball's actual METAL diameter. You said you will be using a Caliper for measuring it. So, to accurately check the ball's metal diameter, you'll need to use a hammer to gently chip off the rust-crust from a couple of spots which are on directly opposite sides of the ball.

That is important because even as little as 1/10th-inch can make the difference between a ball being an Artillery ball or not.
Your ball's rust-encrusted diameter is 2.507 inches.
An 18-pounder Grapeshot ball is 2.36 to 2.40 inches.
So, if your ball has .11-inch of rust-crust on its surface, it MIGHT be an 18-pounder Grapeshot ball.
But don't get excited yet... we will also need super-precise weighing, to determine whether you ball is made of cast-iron or made of steel. There were no steel Grapeshot balls.

For anybody here who doesn't already know:
A digital Postal Shipping scale (which is accurate to 1/10th-ounce, can be bought on Ebay for about $15.
A high-quality Caliper for super-precise measuring can be bought online at Harbor Freight Tools for less than $20. I recommend a stainless-steel one, because "composite" (plastic) ones eventually wear out.
Search results for: 'caliper'

 

[tennessee digger]

I often say it but we are all grateful to TheCannonballGuy for his expert post. He knows so much about military artifacts and we are thankful that he is willing to share with all of us. Once again, thanks Pete....we appreciate it so much!!! Your old friend, Donnie Vaughn aka Tennessee digger.

 

[coinhound1983]

I'm going to make an attempt this evening to get the measurements .. Since you shared all this info. I'll share as well.. It was dug out of lake ponchatrain.

 

[liftloop]

what kind of detector saw it at three foot

liftloop

 

[coinhound1983]

No one mentioned anything about metal detectors.. We also like to recover sinker cypress down here.