Cannon Ball?

[poorman15]

Weight 16 lbs. Close to 18" circumference.



This has been in my basement even since I bought the house covering a floor drain. I only really recently started wondering if maybe it was a cannon ball. Any info would be appreciated.

 

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[BosnMate]

CannonBallGuy will be along and have the straight skinny for you. I looks good to me, but CBG knows the facts on cannonballs.

 

[poorman15]

CannonBallGuy will be along and have the straight skinny for you. I looks good to me, but CBG knows the facts on cannonballs.

Thanks. Wet Beeps in his Sleep already had me PM CBG and asked him to come and take a look. Thanks for the thought.

 

[relicmeister]

What is it made of to be only 16 lbs and a foot anda half in diameter? must be hollow. I have an iron cannonball that is 6lbs
and only about 4 inches in diameter.

 

[vhs07]

What is it made of to be only 16 lbs and a foot anda half in diameter? must be hollow. I have an iron cannonball that is 6lbs
and only about 4 inches in diameter.

Judging by the photo, I think the OP meant circumference, that would make the diameter a little less than 6 inches.

 

[poorman15]

Judging by the photo, I think the OP meant circumference, that would make the diameter a little over 5 inches.

Yes, Yes I did. It's late, gimme a break please.

 

[Beeps in my sleep]

I was thinking Naval ball at first but those were mostly solid shot right? That looks like a hole for a fuse

 

[pepperj]

This might help you out figuring it out.

Cannon bore, shot, and shell diameters for smoothbore guns

SolidShotEssentialsMod

 

[gimper]

College shot-put with a hole through it?

 

[Beeps in my sleep]

College shot-put with a hole through it?

I have never seen a Put Shot that large. You would have to be hercules to launch that sucker. Where is our CannonBallGuy signal to shine into the sky?

 

[poorman15]

College shot-put with a hole through it?

What are you trying to do to me here Gimper? My bubble isn't that big as it is!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Pepperj has already posted the two Links that I would have posted in replying to your question.

The second Link's educational article, which I co-wrote with Dave Poche, says super-precise measuring of a ball's diameter and weight is CRUCIALLY necessary for determining whether or not a metal ball is a cannonball.

To make the precise measurements, you'll need either a large-size Caliper or a Diameter-Tape, and a Postal Shipping Scale (because typical household bathroom weighing-scales are notoriously inaccurate).

Meanwhile:
The "approximate" diameter and weight you've reported (a little less than 6 inches, and 16 pounds) are very close to the size and weight of a 24-Pounder caliber explosive cannonball... which is 5.68-inches in diameter and 16-to-17 pounds. Also, your photo shows that the hole in the ball leads to a large hollow cavity inside it. "So far, so good." At the moment, your ball SEEMS to be a real cannonball. But I must emphasize, we cannot be certain about that until you provide the necessary "precise" diameter and weight measurements.

For anybody here who doesn't already know:
There are literally multi-millions of metal balls in existence which are not Artillery balls. For example...
Mining-&-Stonemilling Industry rock-crusher balls
machinery ball-bearings
"Ornamental Ironwork" balls (such as a gatepost-top ball)
Sports Shot-Put balls
machinery counterweight balls
pump check-valve balls
cement-delivery truck tank-cleaner balls.
So, super-precise measurement is needed for us to tell with CERTAINTY whether a metal ball is an Artillery ball or one of those many other kinds of metal balls. Fortunately for us cannonball collectors,, the super-precise diameter and weight of actual Artillery balls used in the United States is listed in the US (and CSA) Ordnance Manual Of 1861. If a metal ball does not match up PRECISELY with the exact size AND weight of any of the artillery balls in the Ordnance Manual, it is definitely not an Artillery ball.

 

[poorman15]

Pepperj has already posted the two Links that I would have posted in replying to your question.

The second Link's educational article, which I co-wrote with Dave Poche, says super-precise measuring of a ball's diameter and weight is CRUCIALLY necessary for determining whether or not a metal ball is a cannonball.

To make the precise measurements, you'll need either a large-size Caliper or a Diameter-Tape, and a Postal Shipping Scale (because typical household bathroom weighing-scales are notoriously inaccurate).

Meanwhile:
The "approximate" diameter and weight you've reported (a little less than 6 inches, and 16 pounds) are very close to the size and weight of a 24-Pounder caliber explosive cannonball... which is 5.68-inches in diameter and 16-to-17 pounds. Also, your photo shows that the hole in the ball leads to a large hollow cavity inside it. "So far, so good." At the moment, your ball SEEMS to be a real cannonball. But I must emphasize, we cannot be certain about that until you provide the necessary "precise" diameter and weight measurements.

IT was weighed with a LEM meat scale which probably not as accurate as a digital postal scale, a lot more accurate than a bathroom scale. It was just about 18" with a tape measure but will measure with a caliper if I can get my hands on one large enough. I think my weight and size is fairly close. Thanks for the input.

 

[gimper]

Sorry Poorman I was just trying to be flippant,wouldn't intentionally try to bust a fellow TH.er's bubble! hope it is a cannon-ball that would be kool my friend. I used throw the shot in college and 16#'s is the correct weight, never saw one with a hole through it!LOL hope it is! but that would be one hell of a weird place to find one, wonder if your house got shot back in the day? bahahaha. my best toss in college was 57 feet.By the way I enjoyed the banter,gotta have fun makes all the rest of the **** that happens in life almost tolerable!!!

 

[poorman15]

Sorry Poorman I was just trying to be flippant,wouldn't intentionally try to bust a fellow TH.er's bubble! hope it is a cannon-ball that would be kool my friend. I used throw the shot in college and 16#'s is the correct weight, never saw one with a hole through it!LOL hope it is! but that would be one hell of a weird place to find one, wonder if your house got shot back in the day? bahahaha. my best toss in college was 57 feet.By the way I enjoyed the banter,gotta have fun makes all the rest of the **** that happens in life almost tolerable!!!

Got that right. I was joshing around as well. I have recenly met Beeps in my sleep on here and plan to do some detecting with him. I have been busting on him quite a bit lately so Karma is taking its course. There was the Last confederate bivouac near my home here in PA. The owner won't let it be detected but I think maybe I still have a treasure from there that someone acquired for me long ago. I hope it's real. Though they are not really valuable, still kind of neat having a piece of history like that. My wife is mad at me because of all the detecting I've been doing lately and I try to do a little work around the house and notice a treasure in the house that has been there all along. I am destined for greatness I tells ya! Thanks for the replies all.

 

[Beeps in my sleep]

Got that right. I was joshing around as well. I have recenly met Beeps in my sleep on here and plan to do some detecting with him. I have been busting on him quite a bit lately so Karma is taking its course. There was the Last confederate bivouac near my home here in PA. The owner won't let it be detected but I think maybe I still have a treasure from there that someone acquired for me long ago. I hope it's real. Though they are not really valuable, still kind of neat having a piece of history like that. My wife is mad at me because of all the detecting I've been doing lately and I try to do a little work around the house and notice a treasure in the house that has been there all along. I am destined for greatness I tells ya! Thanks for the replies all.

Busting on me lol... Thats kiddie stuff HAHAHA! I do hope that is a real cannon ball though. Everyone asks " What is it worth?" when I show them a find. My answer .. " To me its priceless on the market who cares as it isn't for sale" If you got a real cannon ball I am jealous as I always wanted one. However I am not about to be scammed like my friend buying one. I want to find my own stuff so I know it is real. That is why I record the date and place of everything I find so that if someone says where did you get that, I can tell them the date and area. I never give out info on the exact spot because its one of the promises I make to land owners that grant me permission. I respect their privacy. I will name one place I detect that I have permission to be on from both the Borough and Owner of the adjacent property here in Shippensburg where 20k Confederates camped during the invasion in June 1863. That is Dykeman Pond. And Poorman....we will get into that area of yours! I am persistent and No isn't in my vocab.

 

[poorman15]

Busting on me lol... Thats kiddie stuff HAHAHA! I do hope that is a real cannon ball though. Everyone asks " What is it worth?" when I show them a find. My answer .. " To me its priceless on the market who cares as it isn't for sale" If you got a real cannon ball I am jealous as I always wanted one. However I am not about to be scammed like my friend buying one. I want to find my own stuff so I know it is real. That is why I record the date and place of everything I find so that if someone says where did you get that, I can tell them the date and area. I never give out info on the exact spot because its one of the promises I make to land owners that grant me permission. I respect their privacy. I will name one place I detect that I have permission to be on from both the Borough and Owner of the adjacent property here in Shippensburg where 20k Confederates camped during the invasion in June 1863. That is Dykeman Pond. And Poorman....we will get into that area of yours! I am persistent and No isn't in my vocab.

I am a kid at heart. I think recording finds is a great idea but I am like a hound dog on a blood trail when detecting. One to the next to the next. I should take the time and a notepad along to record certain things. Then again, my finds are not all the note worthy. Maybe when my new buddy Beeps gets me into a hot zone with some great history, I might do the note taking thing.
As far as your persistence, we'll leave that place alone for a while. Not worth get shot over because we bothered him. I asked, he said no... We'll let it at that until he no longer owns it. He and I get along great but he still said no. He is not one to get on the bad side of, trust me. We'll get there eventually, in the meanwhile, there are lots of places to hear the sweet, sweet sounds of beeping noises.