Musketball?

[Salura]

Found this in my yard with my White's Classic SL1. I don't have calipers yet, but can anyone determine anything from the rough diameter? Yes, it is magnetic.

 

[ATpro5]

Most Musketballs Were Made Of Lead. But I Also Know That Some Iron Were Made. I Doubt Its A Musket Ball But Ill Leave That Up To The Experts. Could Be Grapeshot... It Will Mostly Depend On The History Of The Area Your hunting

 

[RobRieman]

Ball Bearing?

 

[smokeythecat]

It's probably one of two items. A grapeshot, made of iron and used in cannons to disperse troops or a ball bearing, but not stainless. Any military action in your area or encampments?

 

[Salura]

Yes, much. From DeSoto on.

 

[YankeeDownSouthAdv.]

nice find

 

[Salura]

After more inspection it seems not to be lead, most likely some sort of ball bearing, not a musket ball.

I'm still happy to have pulled it from the yard. An item that small down about 4" and I still found it with my old detector.

 

[gunsil]

NO musket balls were iron, and it is too small for grapeshot. Most likely a ball bearing as the finder now believes. We used them playing marbles long ago and called them "steelies". Could also have been used as slingshot ammo.

 

[travelerga]

Confederates used iron in their case shot and cannister, were there any battles near you.

 

[Salura]

Battle of Gainesville was closest CW battle, but that is many miles north.

My area has activity from 1500s to 1925.

Likeliest activity was 2nd Seminole War.

 

[ATpro5]

Battle of Gainesville was closest CW battle, but that is many miles north.

My area has activity from 1500s to 1925.

Likeliest activity was 2nd Seminole War.

1500S? :O

 

[Thommy]

It might be a grapeshot or canister from the 2nd Seminole War. But you should have found more in the same area if it was fired from a cannon.

 

[Salura]

I'll look for more and scan the tree I found it by to see if what I thought were woodpecker holes aren't.

I didn't have a lot of scanning and digging time, so there could be more. I was getting a lot of "iron hits" that could be fence, nails, etc, that I skipped.

I hope to return and check Saturday.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Good find, never know what it may lead you to! I found a rusted ball bearing on the beach from heavy equipment...sigh...location,location,location!

 

[Salura]

Sometimes you get more questions than answers. Back at it on the weekend.

 

[gunsil]

It is too small for any cannister or grape shot. Don't know why so many folks seem to want something to be something else. Every one of these I have found go straight to the trash can. Now, I do have whole and partial cannister rounds and they are rare and cool, but a small round iron ball is just plain junk. Even if it were a lead ball from an old firearm there would be no real way to date it or tell what it was used for. If I find a lead ball on a battlefield I might keep it, but those found in fields and yards where there was no battle go in the melt pot for fishing sinkers, they have no real historical value.

 

[Salura]

There was a battle and a trail on the property. Even if my finds are crap, I'm learning lots and having fun.

 

[relicmeister]

One mans "crap" finds are another mans treasure- or something like that. I tend to hold onto items I find for a long time or forever, even when they are unidentified junk.