cannon ball ID

thinreadline · 28th October 2013, 06:21 PM

Quote:

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 · 28th October 2013, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinreadline

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

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinreadline

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

Yes, quite an indicated match.

Quote:

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 · 28th October 2013, 06:39 PM

Quote:

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 · 28th October 2013, 06:52 PM

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.

.

fernando · 28th October 2013, 07:13 PM

During your browsing you may find these 'grenade launchers' or 'portable mortars'. They date from the 18th century, but i don't think they are the issue here.

.

thinreadline · 28th October 2013, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernando

During your browsing you may find these 'grenade launchers' or 'portable mortars'. They date from the 18th century, but i don't think they are the issue here.

.

No all your info is much appreciated , its an area I am very ignorant of , I am on safer ground with guns & swords etc !

M ELEY · 31st October 2013, 11:28 AM

Grenades vs mortar shells...this has always troubled me as well. Per Gilkerson, grenades were rarely smooth and often not even perfectly circular, because they didn't need to fit perfectly in the barrel. Mortar shells were more like solid shot in that they were supposed to be well formed and smooth, at least theoretically. Put one in the ground for a few centuries and it might not be so easy. I have what I think is a grenade in my collection, somewhat between the size bigger than a golf ball, but smaller than a tennis ball. It has a very small 1/4" hole and congealed powder inside. It isn't perfectly round, so I assumed grenade. Problem is, most resources claim grenades are larger than mine and with a bigger fuse hole. Hope to someday find a resource that shows other sizes besides what 'Boarders Away' lists.

Another controversy is with the brass grenade launchers. Some sources say that these rifle types were too short and too thin to be effective as launchers and that these guns were more likely for shooting off flares or fireworks.

Matchlock · 24th May 2014, 04:16 PM

Quote:

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

28th October 2013, 06:52 PM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	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. . Attached Images

28th October 2013, 07:13 PM	#5
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	During your browsing you may find these 'grenade launchers' or 'portable mortars'. They date from the 18th century, but i don't think they are the issue here. . Attached Images

31st October 2013, 11:28 AM	#7
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,184	Grenades vs mortar shells...this has always troubled me as well. Per Gilkerson, grenades were rarely smooth and often not even perfectly circular, because they didn't need to fit perfectly in the barrel. Mortar shells were more like solid shot in that they were supposed to be well formed and smooth, at least theoretically. Put one in the ground for a few centuries and it might not be so easy. I have what I think is a grenade in my collection, somewhat between the size bigger than a golf ball, but smaller than a tennis ball. It has a very small 1/4" hole and congealed powder inside. It isn't perfectly round, so I assumed grenade. Problem is, most resources claim grenades are larger than mine and with a bigger fuse hole. Hope to someday find a resource that shows other sizes besides what 'Boarders Away' lists. Another controversy is with the brass grenade launchers. Some sources say that these rifle types were too short and too thin to be effective as launchers and that these guns were more likely for shooting off flares or fireworks.