Cannonball-Steel

[Bentonville27527]

Hello All,

I have a cannonball that is 9lbs and steel.
The Markings on the cannonball are the letters "SSS".
Looking up the company that show made it came from Shreveport Steel Shell company in LA.
They provided the Confederacy with these cannonballs.
Just trying to make sure thus is authentic.
Any help plz.
Thank you.

 

[scooter748driver]

From a quick search, I think you have a shot put and not a cannonball. The experts will be along soon but I think the SSS "on solid cast iron balls typically indicate they are sports shot put, used for athletic events. These markings often represent the weight classification."

Here's a link I ran across that might help:

SolidShotEssentialsMod

 

[Ben Ford 987]

Hello All,

I have a cannonball that is 9lbs and steel.
The Markings on the cannonball are the letters "SSS".
Looking up the company that show made it came from Shreveport Steel Shell company in LA.
They provided the Confederacy with these cannonballs.
Just trying to make sure thus is authentic.
Any help plz.
Thank you.

View attachment 552846

My opinion is that it is not a Civil War cannonball.
They were not made of Steel.
They were not marked with the logo of the company that made them.
Shreveport Steel Shell is or was a very post Civil War company.
Maybe it is a shot put for Track and Field events, but it is not a Civil War cannonball.

Sorry if I brought you bad news but its best to know the truth.

 

[Cornpone and Molasses]

I think it is a stainless steel shot put.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Projectiles during the Civil War were not made of steel. Nor were there 9 pound smoothbore cannon
Deployed in significant numbers. The 9 pounder was a relic of the War of 1812. The CSA cast a few bronze 9 pounders. Apparently, a shortage of ammunition limited their deployment.

During the Napoleonic Wars era, 9 pound naval cannon was were common. By the 1840's they were largely superseded by 12 pounders such as the Napoleon.

 

[Bentonville27527]

From a quick search, I think you have a shot put and not a cannonball. The experts will be along soon but I think the SSS "on solid cast iron balls typically indicate they are sports shot put, used for athletic events. These markings often represent the weight classification."

Here's a link I ran across that might help:

SolidShotEssentialsMod

 

[Ben Ford 987]

Projectiles during the Civil War were not made of steel. Nor were there 9 pound smoothbore cannon.

There most definitely were 9 pounder smoothbore cannon used during the Civil War.
Not many but they definitely were used. Also used were 18 pounder smoothbore cannon, the latter were mostly trophy guns from the Mexican war, but some were US made. Whistlin' Dick was an US made iron 18 pdr later rifled by the Confederates.

You need to put these facts in your files.

If you need verification see Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War by Warren Ripley. Several other artillery books can also validate.

 

[Ben Ford 987]

View attachment 552856

View attachment 552857

I guess this shows that AI is genius and totally trustworthy (heavy sarcasm)

 

[Rhea Cole]

Projectiles during the Civil War were not made of steel. Nor were there 9 pound smoothbore cannon.

There most definitely were 9 pounder smoothbore cannon used during the Civil War.
Not many but they definitely were used. Also used were 18 pounder smoothbore cannon, the latter were mostly trophy guns from the Mexican war, but some were US made. Whistlin' Dick was an US made iron 18 pdr later rifled by the Confederates.

You need to put these facts in your files.

If you need verification see Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War by Warren Ripley. Several other artillery books can also validate.

Yes, there were also 3 pound & 2.5 pound & 20 pound cannon… which like the nine pounders & some 68 pounders that were also in insignificant numbers. I am sure that we have left a few out…

Just out of curiosity, where were the 9 pounders employed?

The nine pounders were a relic of the War of 1812. A very small number lingered in state armories. A trifling few were manufactured by the CSA.

Link to a CWT thread about 9 pounders:

9-pounder cannon? | Cannons / Artillery & Crew Served Weapons

One of the Confederate plots in the Great Lakes area was to seize a steamer and arm it, then use it to release prisoners from Johnson Island. The released prisoners, especially CSA naval personal then could seize and arm other Great Lake steamers and use them to conduct raids upon the Great...

civilwartalk.com

 

[Pollaco]

Besides it possibly being a shotput there are also some large steel balls out there that were used in the mining and smelting industry. These ore crushers were loaded into a tumbler along with the various types of ore which busted up the ore up into smaller pieces. Many of these ore crushers have been mistaken as cannonballs.

 

[rebelatsea]

View attachment 552856

View attachment 552857

In the immortal words of my Boss after a meeting full of "c***p" - "Total Testicles". Please do not put AI fizzle on this site.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Side bar: Answer to a PM:

1841 model 6 pound cannon.

Kinetic Force = 1/2 Mass X Velocity Squared.

Three 6 or 9 pounders bronze cannon were recycled into two 12 pound 1857 howitzer / cannon.

At the expense of a small increase in the weight of the barrel, the 12 pound Napoleon was exponentially more powerful.

12 pounder 1841 model howitzer.

By combining the utility of both a howitzer's direct & cannon's direct fire, it greatly simplified the logistic of supplying a battery.

Ames Model one 14 pound rifle.

As part of the transition, 1/2 of the 1841 model 6 pounders were rebored & rifled. That converted a six pound popgun into a hard hitting & highly accurate 14 pounder. New 14 pound bronze rifles were outwardly identical to six pounders.

The sleek Model two Ames was modeled after the 3" Rodman / ordinance rifle.

Hope this clears up any confusion.

 

[Bentonville27527]

My opinion is that it is not a Civil War cannonball.
They were not made of Steel.
They were not marked with the logo of the company that made them.
Shreveport Steel Shell is or was a very post Civil War company.
Maybe it is a shot put for Track and Field events, but it is not a Civil War cannonball.

Sorry if I brought you bad news but its best to know the truth.

I looked up shot puts and Olympics uses 16lb steel bals.
Only girls in high school may use a 8 lb steel ball but looks nothing like mine.
The weigh of mine may be 8 lbs since my scale nay be off a but.

 

[Bentonville27527]

There most definitely were 9 pounder smoothbore cannon used during the Civil War.
Not many but they definitely were used. Also used were 18 pounder smoothbore cannon, the latter were mostly trophy guns from the Mexican war, but some were US made. Whistlin' Dick was an US made iron 18 pdr later rifled by the Confederates.

You need to put these facts in your files.

If you need verification see Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War by Warren Ripley. Several other artillery books can also validate.

Thank you.. What I have read these type cannonballs ma be rare.

 

[Ben Ford 987]

Thank you.. What I have read these type cannonballs ma be rare.

If you mean 9 pdr smoothbore rounds, I would put them between very uncommon, and not quite rare.

 

[redbob]

If you mean 9 pdr smoothbore rounds, I would put them between very uncommon, and not quite rare.

Here are some members of the roundball field artillery family. 6#,9#,12#,18# and 24# with the 18# solid shot (and canister) being found at Vicksburg and the 9#er being found supposedly at Stones River.

 

[bankerpapaw]

From a quick search, I think you have a shot put and not a cannonball. The experts will be along soon but I think the SSS "on solid cast iron balls typically indicate they are sports shot put, used for athletic events. These markings often represent the weight classification."

Here's a link I ran across that might help:

SolidShotEssentialsMod

I had what I thought was a cannonball. Turned out it was an ore crushing ball. Oh, well.

 

[redbob]

I had what I thought was a cannonball. Turned out it was an ore crushing ball. Oh, well.

Been there, done that.

 

[Bentonville27527]

Projectiles during the Civil War were not made of steel. Nor were there 9 pound smoothbore cannon.


Yes, there were also 3 pound & 2.5 pound & 20 pound cannon… which like the nine pounders & some 68 pounders that were also in insignificant numbers. I am sure that we have left a few out…

Just out of curiosity, where were the 9 pounders employed?

The nine pounders were a relic of the War of 1812. A very small number lingered in state armories. A trifling few were manufactured by the CSA.

Link to a CWT thread about 9 pounders:

9-pounder cannon? | Cannons / Artillery & Crew Served Weapons

One of the Confederate plots in the Great Lakes area was to seize a steamer and arm it, then use it to release prisoners from Johnson Island. The released prisoners, especially CSA naval personal then could seize and arm other Great Lake steamers and use them to conduct raids upon the Great...

civilwartalk.com

I believe the gentleman that fave ut to me us from the Bentoville NC area.

Here are some members of the roundball field artillery family. 6#,9#,12#,18# and 24# with the 18# solid shot (and canister) being found at Vicksburg and the 9#er being found supposedly at Stones River.View attachment 552929

thank you!! I it makes me feel better that I feel sure this cannonball is real.

 

[Ben Ford 987]

Projectiles during the Civil War were not made of steel. Nor were there 9 pound smoothbore cannon.


Yes, there were also 3 pound & 2.5 pound & 20 pound cannon… which like the nine pounders & some 68 pounders that were also in insignificant numbers. I am sure that we have left a few out…

Just out of curiosity, where were the 9 pounders employed?

The nine pounders were a relic of the War of 1812. A very small number lingered in state armories. A trifling few were manufactured by the CSA.

Link to a CWT thread about 9 pounders:

9-pounder cannon? | Cannons / Artillery & Crew Served Weapons

One of the Confederate plots in the Great Lakes area was to seize a steamer and arm it, then use it to release prisoners from Johnson Island. The released prisoners, especially CSA naval personal then could seize and arm other Great Lake steamers and use them to conduct raids upon the Great...

civilwartalk.com

DaveBrt on January 11, 2025 posted the following on a CWT thread titled

Confederate Phoenix Iron Works?

Confederate Cannon Foundries, Daniel & Gunter, 1977, agrees with the sign and adds "The N. O. Picayune of Sept 4, 1861 noted that several 18-pounder cannon had been turned out at the firm."