Believe to be Civil War Cannon Ball & Buckle

Winnlex

January 03, 2015 16:26

Hello, I am trying to get information on a cannon ball and buckle. I believe they are from the civil war but would like to get some input. Please find the photo links below. Any help will be appreciated! Thank you.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/912/y59P8P.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/538/FDXITA.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/537/hJ34ct.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/661/jI93oU.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/904/AykGU0.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/538/l5d2xo.jpg

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  Bill DeShivs

  January 03, 2015 18:23

  I'm no expert on cannon balls, but that one appears to have a plug. There were cannon balls that were filled with an explosive charge. I would very gently take it outside-as far away from anyone as you can, and call your local bomb squad. Several "experts" have been killed trying to disarm these.

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  Ditch-Runner

  January 03, 2015 19:17

  have to agree have it deactivated you may loose the ball but better it than the family
  
  quote:Originally posted by Bill DeShivs
  I'm no expert on cannon balls, but that one appears to have a plug. There were cannon balls that were filled with an explosive charge. I would very gently take it outside-as far away from anyone as you can, and call your local bomb squad. Several "experts" have been killed trying to disarm these.

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  Radar

  January 04, 2015 03:15

  I seem to have missed the plug in the ball,what is the dia. of the ball ? They have ground that seam off of the ball very nicely if thats what it is.

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  Spider7115

  January 04, 2015 03:45

  Excellent advice to get it checked out. A few years ago, there was a Civil War expert in Richmond, Va. who had deactivated a number of those explosive balls. He made a mistake one time, possibly making a spark while opening the ball, and it went off. The explosion killed him instantly and blew his garage and part of his house into oblivion.

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  11b6r

  January 04, 2015 04:38

  WHAT THEY SAID UP THERE ^^^.
  
  There were shot (solid iron) and there was shell- a hollow sphere filled with black powder, and a timing fuse that ignited on firing. I cannot tell from photos what you have, and if its teeth have been pulled.
  
  It was not uncommon for us to find 100+ yr old ordnance that was still live- and deadly.

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  Winnlex

  January 04, 2015 07:39

  OH WOW!!! Will Get Checked Out!! Thank you all for the heads up!

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  notnow

  January 04, 2015 08:33

  Maybe set that in a tub of water in the meantime.

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  ChrisStreett

  January 05, 2015 08:23

  Do not fool with that thing. I have a "know it all" younger brother who wanted to show/tell me all about several plugged cannon balls. Having my suspicions, but reminding myself that a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, I suggested that he, the idiot who brought them into his own house, gently remove them far from any occupied areas. I then had one of our EOD guys come up to take a look. Mr. Wonderful was sure surprised when, after being moved to a safe demo area, two of the three went boom.
  
  As old Sean Connery said, "Therein lieth the lesson."

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  babun

  January 05, 2015 16:47

  Your buckle appears to be Civil war correct.
  Should be worth about $200 and up.

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