Here are two objects I would like to know more about. The whole one came from my Father-in-Law when he passed away. I don't know where he got it. The half one I found last week. They are both iron and measure almost 2.25" in diameter.
I think the whole one is a cannon ball but have no idea on the half one.
Neat finds. I think they are a little small for cannonballs. They could be naval grapeshot, but probably not if found away from the coast or along rivers where naval gunboats traveled. One looks out of round to me in the pictures, and if so, could be an iron crusher ball. They are used to crush rocks in mineral and mining applications and are very common. As to the other, I've never seen one split so cleanly from an impact. So it has either been sawed or is very unique.
They look like rock crushing balls to me, especially with that mold mark all the way around. They split in half like that if they aren't cast properly.
There are no mold marks on the whole one. It does have a quarter size flat spot on one side with 3 much smaller flat spots next to it. It weighs right at 3 pounds. The whole ball is a little smaller than a tennis ball.
The half ball weighs about 1 1/2 pounds. There are no flats on it.
How are rock crushing balls used? And, where are they used?
My wife told me the scales I was using to weigh these things are broke. So I had them weighed at a local store. The whole one weighs about 1lb 12oz. and the half one comes in at about 12oz.
Iron rock crushing balls were usually loaded into a large rotating tumbler. Big rocks were added and the iron balls would smash into them as the tumbler turned. Once the big rocks turned into small rocks (like crushed stone for making concrete or gravel roads) they would fall out into a pile. If your balls have flat spots on them or are out of round, they are almost certainly not cannon balls. Still a neat find though.
Iron rock crushing balls were usually loaded into a large rotating tumbler. Big rocks were added and the iron balls would smash into them as the tumbler turned. Once the big rocks turned into small rocks (like crushed stone for making concrete or gravel roads) they would fall out into a pile. If your balls have flat spots on them or are out of round, they are almost certainly not cannon balls. Still a neat find though.
Thanks for the info. I don't think there was much use for rock crushers here. I can dig all day and not find a rock. Our soil is very sandy. Most of the "rocks" are limestone.
Here are two pics of the flat spots. The first shows the bigger flat and the second shows the smaller ones next to it.
Could this be cannister shot?
well you got 2 wars to pick from --american rev war or civil war --if you think its a type of larger bore cannon type of canister shot --- now its time to "do your history" checking and see if there was any "action" in the area you found it during those wars time frames --or if there was any milita units that might have trained in the area during the wars.
Limestone is EXACTLY the kind of rock that is mined and crushed with these types of balls. There are many limestone quarries near my home that used these balls. The crushed stone is then used to make concrete or base layers for roads or gravel for driveways etc. I don't believe it is a projectile, but I have been wrong before. It is still a great find and I hope you research it some more.
As much as I wold like to green check these items as cannonballs I will wait until I can have them verified by someone who can physically inspect them.
I don't think they are rock crushers because they don't have a seam like the ones pictured. At the same time I can't account for any military action in this area. But, I continue to find Civil war relics so "Who Knows?"
There were hundreds of different sizes of ball for cannons and deck guns IE. swivel guns and parrot guns, and some were cast in halves and chains welded between the halves to cut rigging or take out horses from calvary charges keep researching. look for any battles that may have taken place where you found them
I thought I would add more fuel to the fire. I was talking to my brother who lives in Kentucky about these pieces. He asked me why I didn't compare the round ball with the one I already had? I was quiet for a minute before he said"You don't remember finding one in Maryland back in the 80s?
Then it hit me, somewhere in the house I have a box with shrapnel in it that I found during my visits home in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Now, where did I put it? After searching almost all day I finally found the box in my storeroom.
So here is a 2 pound ball that came from a Maryland battle field. It's on the left in both pictures
It's good to keep in mind that relic hunting has been going on a long time, and kids who play with relics sometimes loose them... which may explain Roman coins in the USA, and maybe your cannon balls?
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Originally Posted by fyrffytr1
