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42 pounder smoothbore guns were in use prior to the Civil War. When the war began, some were still in service but were being phased out. Many were converted to rifled barrels that had longer range. Here is a description of the 2 42 pounders that were at Fort Sumter at the start of the war:
"The fort contained eleven 100-pound Parrott guns, two 42 pounders (Model 1845 – one which was rifled), two fifteen inch Rodmans, one eight inch Columbiad, a ten pound seacoast mortar, an eight inch Parrott, a 12 pound mountain howitzer, and a ten inch Columbiad (rifled).
The 42 pounders were huge cannons, weighing 8,500 pounds with a 110 inch bore with a seven inch diameter. The gun had been popular, but the 8 and ten inch Columbiads and the eight inch Rodman eventually replaced it. The range of the 42 pounders was 2,805 yards, or about 1.6 miles. The gun could fire grape shot, canister, and exploding shells. The rifled 42 pounder weighed 9,500 pounds. The rifled version was accurate at ranges even greater than two miles."
Measurements for cannon projectiles were very exact. Weights or diameters that do not fit known dimensions usually eliminate balls/shells as true artillery projectiles. The measurements you provided are very close to the correct ones for a 42 pounder ball. Regards.
I acquired this large iron ball. ( a cannonball?) from my barber who has had it for 40 years. I have been trying to confirm that it is actually a cannonball and was wanting some more opinions. It is stamped with Y W it is approximately 43lbs (I only have bathroom scales which are not very reliable) and has a diameter of 6.787 , which I believe is not correct due to the arms on my caliper are not long enough to get a true measurement, I believe the diameter to be a little bit bigger. From what I have read it was very rare for cannon balls to be stamped with a letter and even rarer for them to have more than one letter. The ball is solid I don't see any evidence of a plugged fuse hole. I have read that ball mill balls are passed off as cannonballs, but the ball has no signs of being used ( i.e. flat spots, deformities) it is perfectly round. Please give me any opinions , thanks in advance.
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