Cannonball concern...

zebra · Apr 22, 2013

I'm fairly new to this hobby so, I'd rather ask a stupid question and be sure than to assume anything and be dead.

I'm hunting in an old mansion estate where the presence of cannonballs is quite possible. This is an area very rich in colonial, revolutionary, and civil war history. My underwater archeology experience has taught me that the typical cannonball on a ship was solid and used to bring down masts and punch holes, etc..

But it is my understanding that cannonballs on land can be explosive type with fuses and such. Should I be concerned if I unearth one? What precautionary procedures should I be employing? How should it be handled....during excavation and after excavation? My understanding is that they are not dangerous to unearth. The problem comes if one decides to drill a hole or saw into them. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Thank you for your information.

ScubaDetective · Apr 22, 2013

You are right, unearthing it is pretty safe. HOWEVER, cannon balls are filled with black powder. Black powder is VERY VERY touchy. Static electricity can set it off. Drilling a hole in it can set it off. They can be dropped and hit with a hammer and not go off. (just don't hit it hard enough to break it!!

However, show it to the wrong person and the police will be all over you. if you do find one, I am sure you can find somebody to render it harmless.

zebra · Apr 22, 2013

ScubaDetector said:
You are right, unearthing it is pretty safe. HOWEVER, cannon balls are filled with black powder. Black powder is VERY VERY touchy. Static electricity can set it off. Drilling a hole in it can set it off. They can be dropped and hit with a hammer and not go off. (just don't hit it hard enough to break it!!

However, show it to the wrong person and the police will be all over you. if you do find one, I am sure you can find somebody to render it harmless.

Perfect. Thank you. That's what I thought. Just wanted to make sure.

itsaring! · Apr 22, 2013

ScubaDetector said:
You are right, unearthing it is pretty safe. HOWEVER, cannon balls are filled with black powder. Black powder is VERY VERY touchy. Static electricity can set it off. Drilling a hole in it can set it off. They can be dropped and hit with a hammer and not go off. (just don't hit it hard enough to break it!!

However, show it to the wrong person and the police will be all over you. if you do find one, I am sure you can find somebody to render it harmless.

Agree! There was a guy on youtube who used to deactivate them in a building way out on his property in a bunker. He had a remote drill that drilled into them underwater. Been lots of people killed trying it themselves. I try lots of things. But you won't ever see me deactivate a cannonball or fuse.

The Wolf · Apr 22, 2013

You are correct. You need to know the right person to take care of them after you excavate them. Just think about it this way. Its a big rusty iron ball filled with explosive powder, that's been corroding in the ground for well over 150 years. However they are not active or armed so the terms "deactivate" and "disarm" are used loosely. They are just duds that didn't explode or dropped shells that were never set, but they do have the potential to explode if handled incorrectly.

Rev war era cannonballs were mostly solid shot, so those need no additional care other than cleaning. However, Civil War period artillery have charges and fuses. Some fuses and shells are more sensitive and more likely to explode. You have to know what you're looking at and how to handle them, don't just throw it in the back of a pick-up and go home and beat on it with a hammer.

We take ours to a local guy that is fearless and will drill them on his front steps for $30 or so. But he is the foremost local authority on Civil War artillery and knows the inner workings of each shell; where to drill and where not to touch.

Be extremely careful, but with that said.....I hope you find one! :lol:

Seven · Apr 22, 2013

My hunting partner found two civil war mortar rounds a few years back. Hauled them around on the trick of his car for about a month then contacted an expert on these relics who told him they were LIVE. He donated them to a local collector.

zebra · Apr 22, 2013

Wolf,
Thank you for your info. Question: How do you ID the cannonball whether it's a solid one or a fused one? Is it as simple as looking for a fuse or fuse hole vs one that is solid all around?

The Wolf · Apr 22, 2013

zebra said:
Wolf,
Thank you for your info. Question: How do you ID the cannonball whether it's a solid one or a fused one? Is it as simple as looking for a fuse or fuse hole vs one that is solid all around?

Yeah it's that simple. Here's some images of both. And what the inside of a fused one looks like. Just look for the fuse or seam line. The most common type of fused ball is called a Boremann. There were also lots of different sizes of cannonballs; 6lb, 12lb, etc.

zebra · Apr 22, 2013

Those are some very helpful pics. Thank you.

The Wolf · Apr 22, 2013

zebra said:
Those are some very helpful pics. Thank you.

Sure thing. Once again Good Luck! Hey check out this video I made a few months ago. My buddy dug a Boremann, and at about 8:40 into the video you can see it up close. Later -Wolf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNmNjsnotyQ

zebra · Apr 22, 2013

Cool video.

Cannonball concern...

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