Cannon Ball?

[cagedfalcon]

Received this with a WW1 grouping. Seller said it came out of the garden, he is trying to contact original owner as you read.

 

To heavy for for my 5# scale but got it to weigh on a bathroom scale once at 7#. It is just shy of 3 inches. Seems to have a lead spot, lightly rubbed with fingernail & left a mark. Are these a casting marks? Looks like one of them is a "1".

 

Options welcome , Paul

 

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[suwanneetrader]

I'm not an expert but used to dig O'lustee alot in 70's and many were there I was always told if a led spot it is a fused ball AND BE CAREFUL !!  Black powder will explode 150 years later.  Richard

[917601]

Diameter is most important for ID... plenty of websites that list the diameter of a 6 pounder, 12 pounder, etc and canister shot, from memory a six pounder is 3.57  “...Weight has nothing to do with ID . I see in your picture a raised Iron area , making it out of round unsuitable for shooting. Over the years I have seen more fence post tops mistaken for cannon balls. Ironwork fences were everywhere. Also, as with the raised iron portion , I noticed heavily ground marks on the Seams, also a sign of a fence Ball. Cannon balls ( shot and shell) had to be perfectly round or it would blow the barrel.... 2.91” , check the canister shot size for a 12 pounder or 24 pounder. 

[917601]

Go here:

http://www.civilwarartillery.com/shottables.htm
 

... looks like fence post or grinding ball, but check all charts for a start.

[cagedfalcon]

Diameter is most important for ID... plenty of websites that list the diameter of a 6 pounder, 12 pounder, etc and canister shot, from memory a six pounder is 3.57  “...Weight has nothing to do with ID . I see in your picture a raised Iron area , making it out of round unsuitable for shooting. Over the years I have seen more fence post tops mistaken for cannon balls. Ironwork fences were everywhere. Also, as with the raised iron portion , I noticed heavily ground marks on the Seams, also a sign of a fence Ball. Cannon balls ( shot and shell) had to be perfectly round or it would blow the barrel.... 2.91” , check the canister shot size for a 12 pounder or 24 pounder. 

I did some more measuring and the "high" casting mark measures at 2.8870in, so it is lower but raised if that makes sense.

I did find the chart before posting here but weight wasn't accurate on my end.

These are pics of high point silhouette and lead area.

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[illinigander]

Awfully rough casting to use as a projectile.

illinigander.

[suwanneetrader]

I just noticed a typo in my Nov. post   -----  quote  = I was always told if a led spot it is a fused ball AND BE CAREFUL ++

I meant "lead spot"     You know a circular spot filled in with lead.  Sorry  Richard