🔎 UNIDENTIFIED New to Forum, Really Need your Help.

[Tolmanbridge]

I picked up a box of items at an auction and it contained a plastic bag labeled "cannister shot, possibly Civil War." I can't find anything that looks like it so I am turning to the experts on this forum. While the metal balls look like cannister shot, they are attached to a wire. I thought maybe when they initially loaded the balls into the casing they wires were somehow used to make the job easier. Can someone identify these, please? Appreciate any help. Forgot to mention originally that it feels like it is made of lead, solid, not hollow.

 

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[Limitool]

Welcome to T-Net..... It won't take long and I'm sure somebody will know for sure. But not I.

 

[Mine Shaft]

Could be a old float for a gas tank lol just a guess.

 

[Tolmanbridge]

Could be a old float for a gas tank lol just a guess.

Sorry, I should have added that the ball feels like it is made of lead. Thanks for the input, though.

 

[unclemac]

like this?

 

[ArfieBoy]

Welcome to the forum from Oregon! I have no idea what your item is. Good luck on an ID!

 

[Tolmanbridge]

like this?

View attachment 2176530

 

[Tolmanbridge]

Thanks for the input. The wire on mine is a single strand which appears a little thicker. The lead balls in your photo also have a definite seam to them while the one in my photo has no seam.

 

[Sandog]

Welcome.

 

[Terry Soloman]

I have seen Revolutionary War Grapeshot wrapped with wire, but I can't find an example of the wire soldered into the ball.

 

[l.cutler]

The ball looks like iron, does a magnet stick to it?

 

[vhs07]

Looks like a crude bell clapper

 

[Tolmanbridge]

The ball looks like iron, does a magnet stick to it?

Magnet sticks to it. Were cannister shot lead or iron?

 

[Tolmanbridge]

I have seen Revolutionary War Grapeshot wrapped with wire, but I can't find an example of the wire soldered into the ball.

Thanks for the information. I answered another person's question about whether or not it was magnetic. It is so I guess it is iron and not lead. Don't know what cannister shot was made from though so time for more research.

 

[TORRERO]

Thanks for the information. I answered another person's question about whether or not it was magnetic. It is so I guess it is iron and not lead. Don't know what cannister shot was made from though so time for more research.

I would say depending on what they had on hand, canister shot could be made of either, I've dug lead grapeshot which is basically canister shot, but considering that iron is more abundant than lead and cannon balls were made of iron, I'm sure some of them were...
Looking at the picture I would not put much faith in that being Civil War or canister shot, just me..

 

[l.cutler]

Canister was usually iron, around golf ball size.