Scrap or something special? Cannonball?

[bbheigle0605]

I have so much iron I have found on a old plantation site that I'm getting overwhelmed. Time to sort and scrap. Here are a few Im scratching my head about. Do y'all have any idea what these are? Some are obvious (old rifle) but have zero information on it. Sorry for the LARGE amount if photos. Wanted to be clear bc I will be away for most of the afternoon just in case someone needed extra photos. Oh, the close up of the piece with the hole is the same piece in the top right corner in photo 1 and 2. The other 2 close ups of the oblong 3 inch piece is from photo 1 and 2 as well. The big piece in photos 9 and 10 seems to be lead bc its super heavy! the piece in photo 12 is lead too. Sorry the photos are out of order. These are from a old plantation along the MS River. Thanks a million!!!!!!!!!!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Minelab PRO-FIND 35 Waterproof Pinpointer Metal Detector for Experts with Tone ID & Adjustable Sensitivity - Grab it through Amazon!

[BruceB]

I wish I could help but anyways those are some very interesting finds

 

[Bryanhashemi]

is there a fuse hole in the "cannonball"?

 

[bbheigle0605]

is there a fuse hole in the "cannonball"?

I'm not seeing one but one side is somewhat corroded bc it was butted up against some iron. My first thought was a Navy grapeshot? My last cannon ball I put up turned out to be a shot put. Sad. I'm hoping this one will be different! Fingers crossed!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

About the "maybe-cannonball":
Thank you VERY much for the closeup photo showing a cloth measuring-tape wrapped precisely around the ball's exact equator. You got the tape perfectly in position to accurately measure the ball's circumference -- which is crucially necessary for determining whether it is a cannonball, or not. Well done. (I'm being so effusively complimentary because many people seem incapable of doing the measuring correctly/accurately.)

For people who can't measure the size accurately:
Put the ball on a Postal Shipping scale, which measures in pounds AND ounces. Bathroom scales don't tell the ounces -- and, they are notoriously inaccurate.

Now, about your iron or steel ball:
because there are literally multi-millions of iron/steel balls in existence which were NOT manufactured to be artillery balls (such as, millions of rock-crusher balls used in the Mining-&-Stonemilling industry), we collectors and scholars of historical artillery use the the very-precise size & weight specifications given in the US (and CSA) artillery Ordnance Manual. It covers every type (and caliber) of artillery balls used in the US from the Colonial era through the civil war. If there is no match-up for a ball's exact diameter-&-weight in the Ordnance Manual, it is not an artillery ball (or at least, not one used in North America.

Doing the math for translating Circumference of 9.3-inches into Diameter, using the Pi formula, your ball's diameter is 2.96-inches. Unfortunately, that diameter does not match up with any artillery ball (cannonball, grapeshot ball, or canister ball) in the artillery Ordnance Manual. If you want confirmation, weigh your ball on a Postal Shipping scale, and check for a match-up in the Ordnance Manual's diameter-&-weight charts, here: www.civilwarartillery.com/shottables.htm

 

[bbheigle0605]

About the "maybe-cannonball":
Thank you VERY much for the closeup photo showing a cloth measuring-tape wrapped precisely around the ball's exact equator. You got the tape perfectly in position to accurately measure the ball's circumference -- which is crucially necessary for determining whether it is a cannonball, or not. Well done. (I'm being so effusively complimentary because many people seem incapable of doing the measuring correctly/accurately.)

For people who can't measure the size accurately:
Put the ball on a Postal Shipping scale, which measures in pounds AND ounces. Bathroom scales don't tell the ounces -- and, they are notoriously inaccurate.

Now, about your iron or steel ball:
because there are literally multi-millions of iron/steel balls in existence which were NOT manufactured to be artillery balls (such as, millions of rock-crusher balls used in the Mining-&-Stonemilling industry), we collectors and scholars of historical artillery use the the very-precise size & weight specifications given in the US (and CSA) artillery Ordnance Manual. It covers every type (and caliber) of artillery balls used in the US from the Colonial era through the civil war. If there is no match-up for a ball's exact diameter-&-weight in the Ordnance Manual, it is not an artillery ball (or at least, not one used in North America.

Doing the math for translating Circumference of 9.3-inches into Diameter, using the Pi formula, your ball's diameter is 2.96-inches. Unfortunately, that diameter does not match up with any artillery ball (cannonball, grapeshot ball, or canister ball) in the artillery Ordnance Manual. If you want confirmation, weigh your ball on a Postal Shipping scale, and check for a match-up in the Ordnance Manual's diameter-&-weight charts, here: www.civilwarartillery.com/shottables.htm

You are the best!!!! Thank you so much for this valuable information!!! Well, darn!!! This will head to the scrap yard then. Again, thank you so much!

 

[villival]

Regarding your fifth photo, the piece that looks like a small iron bracelet, I found one that is almost identical, also on a plantation and have been soaking it in cider vingar for a while. I do not yet know what it is.

 

[bbheigle0605]

Regarding your fifth photo, the piece that looks like a small iron bracelet, I found one that is almost identical, also on a plantation and have been soaking it in cider vingar for a while. I do not yet know what it is.

Really! I'm soaking it too bc my first thought was shackles. Just making sure. Let me how yours turns out.

 

[Subchaser]

I just found one of them "bracelets" yesterday too at the stone remains of an old farmstead.....along with a horse/harness bit (hand forged), a bunch of forged square nails, a hinge, a horse shoe and an old Oneida, Victor No 1 Jump Animal Trap.....still trying to figure a date out on that one. I'm going to rig up a electrolysis tonight and see what that bracelet looks like cleaned up.....I'll post the results.
Awhile back I found two of the beaker looking object you have there in your 3rd and 4th pic, thought they were some kind of mold but never really figured them out.

 

[Bryanhashemi]

Keep searching BB. You'll get that cannonball soon!! Gl

 

[bbheigle0605]

I just found one of them "bracelets" yesterday too at the stone remains of an old farmstead.....along with a horse/harness bit (hand forged), a bunch of forged square nails, a hinge, a horse shoe and an old Oneida, Victor No 1 Jump Animal Trap.....still trying to figure a date out on that one. I'm going to rig up a electrolysis tonight and see what that bracelet looks like cleaned up.....I'll post the results.
Awhile back I found two of the beaker looking object you have there in your 3rd and 4th pic, thought they were some kind of mold but never really figured them out.

Awesome finds! I love detecting at old plantations! I actually found the other half to the piece in the 3rd and 4th photos today. They are identical so they must be a mold of some sort.

 

[bbheigle0605]

Keep searching BB. You'll get that cannonball soon!! Gl

Haha! Thank you! I sure hope so. I live in Confederate country between two civil war battle grounds beside the MS River and I have yet to find a darn cannonball!!!! I'm not giving up tho.

 

[Subchaser]

Well your guess on this is as good as mine. It was painted, there's still a little bit of red and white showing. Used a soft bristled Dremel wire wheel on the inside and didn't find any stamps, there's some kind of lump there on the inside too. Thought at first it was a set screw or something but after buffing it with the Dremel it doesn't look like a screw. So I'm stumped....no idea what it is. The other pics is some of the other stuff I've found in the same area, located 7 stone cellar/farm home remains......it's a target rich environment!!

 

[Subchaser]

Oh btw...that old carburetor came from a different area.

 

[recondigger]

In photo 16 in the back ground I see a copper shoe repair piece.

 

[bbheigle0605]

In photo 16 in the back ground I see a copper shoe repair piece.

I found that piece today and i had no idea what it was. Funny, Didn't realize it was in the pic. Thank you!!! You saved me from probably hours of researching!

 

[bbheigle0605]

Well your guess on this is as good as mine. It was painted, there's still a little bit of red and white showing. Used a soft bristled Dremel wire wheel on the inside and didn't find any stamps, there's some kind of lump there on the inside too. Thought at first it was a set screw or something but after buffing it with the Dremel it doesn't look like a screw. So I'm stumped....no idea what it is. The other pics is some of the other stuff I've found in the same area, located 7 stone cellar/farm home remains......it's a target rich environment!!
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=775818"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=775819"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=775820"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=775821"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=775823"/>

Photos aren't showing up bc of bad weather. Grrr.... Sounds like a area behind my house which is in a AG field. Very little trees so i cant hide. Im obsessing over this area and I'm out there every time I get a chance. My neighbors probably think Im a goober or crazy haha!

 

[Subchaser]

No problem, they'll be here when the weather clears.....good luck with that area behind your place!!

 

[bbheigle0605]

No problem, they'll be here when the weather clears.....good luck with that area behind your place!!

Those are some awesome finds! Wish I could find a pistol!