One inch lead ball

[Missouri Mule]

Today I broke out my old Bounty Hunter tracker 505. I haven't detected in many years, so I thought I would try it in my backyard and just see what items I find and learn the signals the detector gave for them. I found the proverbial pop top, several old nails, a brass cog from a toy (I am guessing), and a 1" lead ball. It's the lead ball that has got my interest. It is round and measures right at one inch. Unfortunately I nicked it a few times with my shovel. It was buried in about 6 inches of soil under several tree roots. I have my doubts that it is grape or musket shot, though I do live in an area that Quantrill and Bloody Bill frequently fought in. My house was built in 1896, though the area has been inhabited since about 1820. Any guesses what it was used for? Thanks

 

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[BosnMate]

There were ships and river boats that had swivel guns with a one inch bore. In the early 1800's swivel guns were on the flat boats that the trappers took up the Missouri River. Not saying, but a thought anyhow.

 

[Missouri Mule]

I appreciate the reply. As I am quite interested in knowing what this lead ball could have been used for, military or commercial, perhaps I listed it in the wrong category, seeing how there has been only one response. Is there a better category to get it before hunters that have more knowledge on these types of items? Thanks

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

You posted it in the best Treasurenet category for identification (the What-Is-It? forum).

As my posting-name indicates, cannonballs (and other artillery projectiles) are my specialty-area of study on historical relics. You say your lead ball measaures "right at" 1 inch. That does not matcch up with the diameter of any Military cannonballs, Grapeshot balls, or Canister balls. It would not fit properly into a 1"-caliber Swivel gun, because the cannonball for Muzzleloader cannons has to be a bit smaller than the cannon's bore.

Also, being made of lead, it is not appropriate for a Swivel Gun, which is a type of cannon used on ships. That cannon's goal is to put a hole in an opposing ship's hull, right at the waterline. For that purpose, iron works better than lead, whose softness tends to cause it to "splatter" on impact instead of all its energy going into punching a hole through the hull. That is why no naval cannonballs were made of lead.

I do not know the purpose of your 1"-diameter lead ball, but I do not think it was a projectile, for the following reasons. It shows no sign at all of impact-damage from having been fired and striking the ground or some other object (such as a tree). So, if it is a projectile, it is an unfired one. Artillery Canister balls and a variety of Quilted Grapeshot balls were made of lead... but when those kinds of lead balls are found UNFIRED, there's almost always a bunch of them in one spot, because the Quilted Grape or Canister ammo contained more than a dozen balls.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Thanks for the thorough reply. I suspected, as well, that it was not military. I have done a little research to see if there any commercial uses for such a size. I found none, but that would be for today. Perhaps, I will discover someday what they were made for, it would be interesting.

 

[Ruchman]

If the diameter was .690" could be a round ball shot gun slug, any signs of a brass eye

 

[Missouri Mule]

I did a closer examination; there are no holes or mold marks. It has a dark brown patina and was obviously banged around at one time in its past. I do not know how long it takes for lead to develop a patina like this. I found some cannon shot (back in the 90's in the foothills west of Ft Collins, CO -- practice fire from the CSU campus around WW1) and it was still a dark grey with little patina. I suppose it depends on soil and moisture conditions. My curiosity grows.

 

[CRUSADER]

CBG - out of interest, what do I have?

A small iron cannon ball at 22.19mm & 2 large lead balls (biggest 21.77mm)?