✅ SOLVED Small Artillery Shot?

[steelheadwill]

Solid cast brass sphere, 37mm, obvious seam, Any Thoughts? Thanks all.

 

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[baspinall]

Top of an andiron?

 

[G.A.P.metal]

Herbie
i think its a ..Check ball valve ...from a wind powered water well .
Gary

 

[steelheadwill]

Top of an andiron?

Thanks baspinal, your thinking processes usually lead to ideas that I never thought of this one is no exception possibly from an unfinished but that casting seem wouldn't be from a finished item Imo excellent suggestion

 

[steelheadwill]

Herbie
i think its a ..Check ball valve ...from a wind powered water well .
Gary

Thank you Gary you are another font of knowledge though im familiar with check valves I hadn't imagined one of this size as you know 37 millimeters would equal 1.5 inches can you give me an idea of the date on this type of well pump your inputs always much appreciated one of the main reasons I was thinking artillery is cuz I've recovered two 37 millimeter rounds from 1870 s to early 20th century I had once found a page on the web with tables of standard Round Shot diameters along with recommended powder charges Etc can no longer locate anyone familiar with this page? thanks all and Happy Hunting

 

[allison86]

Sure dose look like one pm the cannonball guy he is a master on this type of stuff

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Here's the webpage you are looking for:
www.civilwarartillery.com/shottables.htm
It shows the US (and CSA) 1861 Ordnance Manual's "Shot Tables"... which tell the super-precise size and weight specifications for artillery balls (cannon balls, grapesot balls, and canister-ammo balls).

Your brass ball cannot be a check-valve ball because the seam on it prevents it from forming an effective seal.

No brass artillery balls were made or used in North America. That being said.... the Mexicans did use a few copper artillery balls in the 1847 US-vs.-Mexico war.

It may have been a "crusher/pulverizer" ball, made of brass because iron was unsuitable for crushing/pulverizing the particular material the ball was intended to crush/pulverize. For example, you don't want to use iron pulverizer balls when you are manufacturing gunpowder. Brass can't cause a spark, and it doesn't rust.

 

[steelheadwill]

Thanks Allison and CBG, Brass Ball Crusher it is

 

[Bruce R]

Brass ball crusher ? I thought you guys with brass balls were invincible ?

 

[DownNDirty]

You can always count on TheCannonballGuy!