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Q: HOW HEVY ARE CANNONBALLS?
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What are cannonballs?

Cannonballs are a type of ammunition which is made of metal, most notably Iron, made into the shape of, hence its name, a ball. Most ships before the 1910-1920s used this ammunition, as well as cannons. Early guns made before this period as well used a similar, but very tiny variant made of wood or other softer metals.


What is the history behind canonballs?

Cannonballs were invented around the same time as the cannon which was around the 1600's. They were used as weapons that could be fired from a safe distance to keep away enemies.


Were there gold cannonballs?

No. Never heard of such. Gold and Lead have a lot of the same metal properties so it could work. They both have about same density. It would be very expensive ammunition. I don't think there were Brass cannon balls either. The guns were made of brass but not the balls.


What weapons did the men use in the Battle of Shiloh?

Fought in April 1862, the soldier's basic weapon was a large caliber muzzle loading rifle, in .69 caliber, such as the Springfield or Enfield rifle, equipped with a spike type bayonet. Cavalrymen would have been armed with sabers and handguns, typically ball and cap .44 revolvers of different makes. Both sides had muzzle loading cannon that could fire solid shot (cannon balls) shell (hollow exploding cannonballs) or canister (a LOT of marble sized lead balls, used for close range).


What are Civil War cannonballs made of?

That all depends on the gun that was being fired, and what was loaded in it. The most basic form was shot- a solid ball. These were typically made of iron, some smaller ones made of brass. However, a solid shot used against infantry or cavalry has limited effect- it will kill or wound the few people directly in its path, but not the soldiers to the left and right. In that case, SHELL might be used rather than SHOT. The shell was a hollow iron casting, filled with a charge of gunpowder, and a fuse. It was designed to explode at the target, causing much more damage. For close range, CANISTER or GRAPESHOT would be used. In slightly different ways, they both fired dozens of smaller lead or iron balls- rather like a giant shotgun.