What is it a Musket Round Ball??

[shane41]

Found this in a old park in Wisconsin the other day.. Was wondering if it could be a Civil War era Musket Round Ball.. Have no idea, Hope someone can help me.. Shane

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[taz42o]

From the color it looks like a hematite nodule?

 

[duggap]

Yeah, if it had been lead from that era, it would be a chalky white in color.

 

[Gunrunner61]

I'd call it hematite....................HH

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Looks to me like a small rust-encrusted iron ball.
If that's what it is, you can put it on concrete and tap it with a hammer to break off the rust-crust.
But doing that to a hematite nodule will crack the whole thing.
A non-destructive test would be to use a strong magnet. A pure iron ball will react more to a magnet than hematite will.

 

[Monty]

If it is steel it, may be what is called grape shot. This was fired from a cannon inside a canister containing many. If lead, could be a rifle or musket ball no way to tell the difference. MOnty