Before I trash this, confirm not a shell frag/

[BladeRunner2019]

Hi all.

I'm pretty sure this is not a shell frag, but before I throw it in the trash, I figured I better check with the experts. The wall thickness varies from 3/8" to about 1/2" Just estimating, but it looks like if it was complete, the diameter would be around 5 inches.

Found at a CW skirmish site but there is also a TON of railroad related iron in the ground. I didn't think there was any artillery used at the site, but I recently found what I think are friction primers, so maybe there was.

Thanks!

 

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[CaptEsteban]

Could be !

 

[Gare]

Sure looks like a shell frag

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

In your photo, the fragment "looks like" it still has more than just a little bit of rust-crust on it. So, before I can give you a more-certain diagnosis, you'll need to bash EVERY bit of rust-crust off of part of it (both sides), one at each end of the fragment (for comparison), and give me a super-accurate measurement of its thickness.

Also, you can get a better idea of its original diameter by doing the following test. Go to your canned-goods shelves. Select several cans, at various widths... preferably, 3:, 3.5", 4", 4.5", 5". Use a ruler to measure across the flat bottom of the can, then mark it on the can (so you won't forget). After you've used a hammer to bash every bit of rust-encrustation off the "inside" of the frag, sit each size of can on the frag's inside, and see which one it "matches" most snugly. That will give you an approximate idea of the cylindrical fragment's original diameter.

But at the moment, all I can tell you is that it "looks" like it COULD be an artillery shell fragment. The (incompletely cleaned) thickness you mentioned, 3/8" to 1/2", matches with the shellwall thickness of SOME civil war 3" to 4.2"-caliber artillery shells.

 

[BladeRunner2019]

Thanks TCG! You're correct, I didn't knock any of the rust off. I'll post back when I have the information you requested.

Thanks for your time!

 

[BladeRunner2019]

Just to follow up on this. Not a frag. When I cleaned it off I found some raised lettering. TCG confirmed there were no artillery shells that had raised letters.

Thanks to TheCannonballGuy for the help.

I'll get one eventually!!

 

[Grizz12]

if not frag, what is it?

 

[BladeRunner2019]

if not frag, what is it?

Probably some sort of pipe.