Rev War Artillery....I Need a History Lesson

[Ahab8]

I started hunting this shoreline with Rev history last year. It’s a tough spot to get to and it’s damn hard hunting. I use the GPX there as it’s nothing but big rocks and you need a pi machine with crazy depth. I recovered 4 more big lead balls yesterday which I’ve been calling “grape shot”. Most have a radius of between an inch and 1 1/8”. Keep in mind they’ve been getting smashed in the rocks for years. That’s after being fired out of a cannon and striking something. My digital calipers suck and I don’t believe they’re very accurate after some hard treatment. VMI sent me a great article on early artillery which was very informative. At 200 yards these would go clean through you a human body and at 500 yards still had a decent chance at doing so. I have only found one iron ball and now have 12 of the lead. Any more info about these is very much appreciated guys. Felt great to get out.


This is next to a .65 caliber musket ball found at the same location

 

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[The Patriot]

Are you funding pieces of mortar frags?

 

[Ahab8]

Are you funding pieces of mortar frags?

Here’s the issue with that. The GPX nulls out on the iron and there’s lots or iron in the area. So in order to not spend the entire day digging up rusty spikes and random crap I’ve been skipping them. But I’m guessing there’s a few cannon balls in there and mortar frag. I am getting an equinox when it comes out and I’ll likely start digging some deep iron signals then.

 

[Scrappy]

Those mortar shots are killer buddy. I couldn’t imagine being on the shoreline being peppered by that shot. At the right range those probably cleared all the brush!

You have a weight on that shot?

 

[toddbbq]

Those are some incredible finds!!

 

[treblehunter]

I found one grapeshot, every time I put it in my hand I think about how bad it would be to get hit by that big piece of metal.
Glad you got to get out, wish you could make it down my way.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Incredible finds, congratulations!

 

[Patriot Relics]

Looks great all together Abe, certainly more to come

 

[The Patriot]

Hey man..trying to PM you..clean out some old messagea

 

[Ahab8]

Hey man..trying to PM you..clean out some old messagea

Haha you should see my work email. Good to go now

 

[CASPER-2]

they had some pretty big bore rifles back then - so they may not be grape shot but just large musket balls