Afriend of mine found this in a hole his dog had dug in the yard. My book that was written by PCGeorge has been confiscated by a friend that says he bought it, but thats another story. This ball has a hole drilled all the way through it. It is 11 7/8's around or 3.779 diameter if I measure it or 11 5/8's around and 3.669 if my wife measures it. It weighs six pounds even. Here is a picture I hope, has anybody got a clue or can ya'll tell me what the measurements of a 6 pounder are supposed to be? The holes in the ball measure 1/2 inch on one side and 3/8s of an inch on the other...d2
Find's Treasure Forums
Welcome to Find's Treasure Forums, Guests!
You are viewing this forums as a guest which limits you to read only status.
Only registered members may post stories, questions, classifieds, reply to other posts, contact other members using built in messaging and use many other features found on these forums.
Why not register and join us today? It's free! (We don't share your email addresses with anyone.) We keep email addresses of our users to protect them and others from bad people posting things they shouldn't.
Click here to register!
Need Support Help?
Cannot log in?, click here to have new password emailed to you
Changed email? Forgot to update your account with new email address? Need assistance with something else?, click here to go to Find's Support Form and fill out the form.
Is this a cannon ball?????
- Thread starter d-2
- Start date
d2,
Now you know well, I ain't the smartest fella in the world..... but with a hole drilled all the way through this ball..... wouldn't it be hard to keep the powder inside it????
Using the M&M book, I found that the bore size of the 6 pounder guns was 3.67" and thus the projectile size had to be a bit smaller...
the 6lb solid shot, case and shell were all said to be 3.58" in diameter.
I don't have the weights, but they would vary depending on solid shot, case, or shell... with the powder. I'm sure Pete will give you a definitive answer.
Take care,
Kim
Now you know well, I ain't the smartest fella in the world..... but with a hole drilled all the way through this ball..... wouldn't it be hard to keep the powder inside it????
Using the M&M book, I found that the bore size of the 6 pounder guns was 3.67" and thus the projectile size had to be a bit smaller...
the 6lb solid shot, case and shell were all said to be 3.58" in diameter.
I don't have the weights, but they would vary depending on solid shot, case, or shell... with the powder. I'm sure Pete will give you a definitive answer.
Take care,
Kim
A
Anonymous
Guest
I suspect it was an ornamental piece. Solid shot are just that; solid. For it to be a 6 pounder shot or shell, diameter would be 3.67 inches. Weight could be anything from 3 to 6 pounds (shell or solid shot). I would tend to believe it came off something else, especially with the holes all the way through and they having different diameters. Maybe PG will add some insight? GH, David@Dixie
ThatCannonballGuy
New member
As Kim and David indicated, I'm here to help folks out on questions like yours. 
The bore-diameter of a 6-pounder cannon is 3.67-inches. Because it is a muzzle-loading cannon (loaded from the front end), its projectiles NEEDED to be significantly smaller in diameter than its bore. (Because, if too small a cannonball was used, it would "fall short" when fired ...and if it was too large, it might jam in the barrel upon firing.) So, 6-pounder (caliber) cannonballs were VERY carefully manufactured (and inspected) to always be exactly 3.58-inches in diameter, to "properly" fit the 6-pounder cannon's 3.67-inch bore.
Just a suggestion, for you and other relic-diggers:
PRECISION-measuring is hugely important for identifying/confirming all sorts of relics ...from buckles to bullets to artillery projectiles. So, I recommend buying a set of Precision Calipers, for determining a relic's very-exact size. Harbor Freight Tools sells an excellent set of such Calipers (with an electronic Digital readout) for just $15.95 It's very much worth that small investment of money. Besides helping with relic-identification, owning a good set of precision Calipers can protect you from buying an expensive fake buckle, bullet, or a "not-cannonball."
I'm sorry to have to be "the bearer of bad news" ...but ...the fact that your round iron ball has a hole going all the way through it disqualifies it from being any kind of cannonball. (By the way, a Bar-Shot ball would have a threaded hole in one side, but not go all the way through the ball to the other side.)
I do want to mention, though, that you definitely did the right thing by posting the item for identification/confirmation. Nobody should feel embarrassed about doing that, even if the item turns out to be not-a-relic. It's one of the best ways to learn the Actual Facts about the items we relic-hunters dig up.
Regards,
TheCannonballGuy [PCGeorge ...co-author of "Field Artillery Projectiles of the American Civil War"]
The bore-diameter of a 6-pounder cannon is 3.67-inches. Because it is a muzzle-loading cannon (loaded from the front end), its projectiles NEEDED to be significantly smaller in diameter than its bore. (Because, if too small a cannonball was used, it would "fall short" when fired ...and if it was too large, it might jam in the barrel upon firing.) So, 6-pounder (caliber) cannonballs were VERY carefully manufactured (and inspected) to always be exactly 3.58-inches in diameter, to "properly" fit the 6-pounder cannon's 3.67-inch bore.
Just a suggestion, for you and other relic-diggers:
PRECISION-measuring is hugely important for identifying/confirming all sorts of relics ...from buckles to bullets to artillery projectiles. So, I recommend buying a set of Precision Calipers, for determining a relic's very-exact size. Harbor Freight Tools sells an excellent set of such Calipers (with an electronic Digital readout) for just $15.95 It's very much worth that small investment of money. Besides helping with relic-identification, owning a good set of precision Calipers can protect you from buying an expensive fake buckle, bullet, or a "not-cannonball."
I'm sorry to have to be "the bearer of bad news" ...but ...the fact that your round iron ball has a hole going all the way through it disqualifies it from being any kind of cannonball. (By the way, a Bar-Shot ball would have a threaded hole in one side, but not go all the way through the ball to the other side.)
I do want to mention, though, that you definitely did the right thing by posting the item for identification/confirmation. Nobody should feel embarrassed about doing that, even if the item turns out to be not-a-relic. It's one of the best ways to learn the Actual Facts about the items we relic-hunters dig up.
Regards,
TheCannonballGuy [PCGeorge ...co-author of "Field Artillery Projectiles of the American Civil War"]
Hugh Pharted
New member
I think it's a one finger bowling ball 
you figure out which finger...lol
you figure out which finger...lol
A
Anonymous
Guest
I found this about 10 years ago, and just KNEW I had a solid shot cannonball. Turned out to be a "shot-putt", like they throw in the Olympics. That's how I threw it, too(when I found out). Perhaps that's how this sport got started, by people who got mad when they realized they didn't actually have a cannonball.......You just never know!