cannon ball ID

[thinreadline]

Can any members help me with any info about this item which I hope is some kind of cannon ball . It weighs 1.1 kg and is about 65 mm in diameter .

[fernando]

Sure thing; more precisely a grenade. Cannon balls are solid, grenades are hollow, to be filled with explosives or shrapnel. The loading hole also fits a fuse. Early ones were simply matchcord and later ones were 'inteligent' devices, like detonators and timers.
This one was possibly for a 2 1/2" howitzer.
18th or early 19th century, i would say.

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by fernando

Sure thing; more precisely a grenade. Cannon balls are solid, grenades are hollow, to be filled with explosives or shrapnel. The loading hole also fits a fuse. Early ones were simply matchcord and later ones were 'inteligent' devices, like detonators and timers.
This one was possibly for a 2 1/2" howitzer.
18th or early 19th century, i would say.

Crikey Fernando , you are fast as lightning .... thank you so much for your rapid reply .... it will go well in my Napoleonic display then . One more question , if this is a grenade for use in a howitzer, how would it differ from a hand thrown grenade ?

[fernando]

Originally Posted by thinreadline

.... Crikey Fernando , you are fast as lightning...

That's what you will turn into, when you retire

Originally Posted by thinreadline

.... it will go well in my Napoleonic display then ...

Yes, quite an indicated match.

Originally Posted by thinreadline

.... ...if this is a grenade for use in a howitzer, how would it differ from a hand thrown grenade ?

Completely a different universe; in generation, shape, technology.
But don't be lazy; browse the Net

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by fernando

That's what you will turn into, when you retire


Yes, quite an indicated match.


Completely a different universe; in generation, shape, technology.
But don't be lazy; browse the Net

Ah but I 'm not retired , any how, I will consider myself told off and go and browse the net. However I have to say that I prefer the wisdom of someone like yourself who I perceive to be an authority , rather than the unsubstantiated stuff one often encounters on the internet !

[fernando]

Man, i know nothing; don't be surprised if someone comes after me and says i am wrong
I am comparing yours to mine; although mine is larger (51/2"), the approach is the same.

.

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by thinreadline

Crikey Fernando , you are fast as lightning .... thank you so much for your rapid reply .... it will go well in my Napoleonic display then . One more question , if this is a grenade for use in a howitzer, how would it differ from a hand thrown grenade ?

Hi there,

Unfortunately, it was only this morning that I noticed your query.

The piece in question is a cast iron grenade indeed, most probably 18th century, and was fired from a piece of ordnance.

Please also see my thread on incendiary objects and grenades:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7085


Best,
Michael