Relic Discussion > Wanted: Artillery

1.67" Canister Balls

(1/2) > >>

redbob:
I am in need of ten 1.67" canister balls to complete an 18# canister, anyone out there got any that they would care to part with? Thanks

relicrunner:
just wondering, how many canister balls in an 18lb canister?

emike123:
I think 27 -- 3 layers of 7 and a fourth of 6 because the central balls stack end to end and don't allow for a 7th on the final layer.

That is a very difficult size to find.  I understand there were only 4 or possibly 5 18pdrs used in the Civil War.  I have a few of the shot, but they are from Vicksburg which probably means they were fired out of one of the most famous guns of the war, "Whistling Dick."

http://trrcobb.blogspot.com/2012/01/whistling-dick.html

redbob:
What I've got was dug near Vicksburg by Steve Mullinax, now I wish perhaps that  it was a 24#er as originally believed as I could probably get the balls for it; but hope springs eternal in the rustic iron world. 

emike123:
Wow.  Do you have both the plates also?  Post a picture if you do and can.  You and I may need to figure something out as I have 8 of the balls from Vicksburg.

This reminds me of a strange and curiously disturbing story:  2 or 3 years ago a fellow at the Franklin Show dropped a reconstructed canister round which shattered all over.  A couple of the balls bounced wildly and one went over the side and landed on a table on the lower level.  The dealer who had bought the reconstructed round was (several emotions but the politest to say is  "really confused" by this) until he noticed a couple of the interior balls were in fact golf balls painted black.  This explained the bouncing canister balls -- I guess someone should've yelled "fore" when the round smashed.  I just looked it up and golf balls are exactly 1.68" dia so I think you have an option here for the missing ones ;-)

I know who rebuilt that round of his, by the way, and just to set the record straight of course it was not our very own CanisterD nor any other forum member.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page