I have an ignorant question concerning cannonballs....

MalteseFalcon · Aug 23, 2005

I saw a post by someone today (I am slowly reading the "Today's Finds" forum at a rate of about one page per day) where the gentleman posted a picture of a full-sized cannonball he had found.

This question is fueled in part by Hollywood, and their ongoing desire to have big fiery explosions in their movies wherever possible, and certainly in films about war.

So, can cannonballs be classified as UXO? My thought has always been that you shoot a cannonball at something, it will blast through it like any normal projectile that size, but without any big explosion (like today's artillery shells, hand grenades, etc.). But then, I could be totally wrong.

If one were to find a full sized cannonball, would one be in any danger of Metal Detecting around the Pearly Gates sooner than expected?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

trk5capt · Dec 4, 2006

NUFF SAID, Be Careful! trk5capt...

stefen · Dec 4, 2006

All I can say is that if I was a Bomb Tech and some a-hole came up behind me with a sack full of air, its would be his last joke.

TreasureTales · Dec 4, 2006

stefen said:
All I can say is that if I was a Bomb Tech and some a-hole came up behind me with a sack full of air, its would be his last joke.

Ain't that the truth!!! What a bozo.

jeff from east pa · Dec 27, 2006

alot of cannon balls during the civil war had time fuses meaning when fired at a target they would go off according to the time set the same as our artillery shells today. civil war shells that are not solid shot are very unstable. I live 15 miles from gettysburg and years ago a fellow found a shell not knowing about them he tried to weld it to a flag pole and it exploded and he lost his arm. I have been digging for civil war relics for 10 years and never dug a live one yet but if I do here's how I would handle it. 1st don't shake it around and do not drop it! get a bucket with a wet cloth in it to wrap shell in and make sure it does not move around in it. And by all means'' Do not'' Repeat ''Do not'' drill into it!!! take it to a civil war relic dealer and have it dearmed or defused.