An iron hand grenade ca 1700

adrian · 7th September 2025, 10:57 PM

It is also the size, weight and has smallish hole diameter of many shot-put. These had molten lead poured in to bring them to the correct weight and the hole was then plugged with wood or lead - modern shotput having a screw-plug. Shotput today, unfortunately, generally outnumber surviving shells/grenades making positive identification, without reasonable provenance, such as the subject object has, quite challenging.

Below is a stack I have on display alongside my gunnade. These were acquired from a scrap merchant who had bought them from a local school that closed. These have a similar 'battered' look about them from decades of use. The holes on these particular examples are smaller than the holes I have seen on a number of other shotput.

M ELEY · 8th September 2025, 12:32 AM

Hello Adrian and thanks for the information. Usually, I get all depressed and automatically assume I've made a mistake (as I have many times before), but on this one, I'm going to stick to my guns. The outer surface on this one is old, ragged and the patina is spot-on. the hole is actually rather large, about the size of an American penny. There is no signs of molten lead inside when I shine a light down the hole, it still has a lingering odor of gunpowder and it is mis-shapen and not round at all. The seller had much larger examples of mortar shot, many stamped with military arms, artillary markings, or had the molded 'handles' for lifting into the mortar. I knwo, though, that there are many look-alikes for all ordenance (shot-puts, mill balls, counter-weights, fence knobs, etc). Very nice carronade, BTW!!!

M ELEY · 8th September 2025, 12:33 AM

https://www.qaronline.org/blog/2018-...-month-grenade

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenad..._(cropped).jpg

https://www.wessexarch.co.uk/news/na...c-hand-grenade

https://armsandarmour.co.uk/shop.php?code=24873

M ELEY · 9th September 2025, 04:19 PM

Here is the larger 5 1/2" example from the Invincible. This is a great example that confirms the larger sizes of these implements. Note the smaller powder hole on these examples, suggesting the variety of examples.

https://www.charlesmillerltd.com/auc...lot=3252&sd=1#

M ELEY · 9th September 2025, 04:25 PM

And some great material from our own site and a few others-

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...grenade&page=4

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12530

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=grenade

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=grenade

7th September 2025, 10:57 PM	#1
adrian Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 135	It is also the size, weight and has smallish hole diameter of many shot-put. These had molten lead poured in to bring them to the correct weight and the hole was then plugged with wood or lead - modern shotput having a screw-plug. Shotput today, unfortunately, generally outnumber surviving shells/grenades making positive identification, without reasonable provenance, such as the subject object has, quite challenging. Below is a stack I have on display alongside my gunnade. These were acquired from a scrap merchant who had bought them from a local school that closed. These have a similar 'battered' look about them from decades of use. The holes on these particular examples are smaller than the holes I have seen on a number of other shotput. Attached Images

8th September 2025, 12:33 AM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,196	A few references- https://www.qaronline.org/blog/2018-...-month-grenade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenad..._(cropped).jpg https://www.wessexarch.co.uk/news/na...c-hand-grenade https://armsandarmour.co.uk/shop.php?code=24873

9th September 2025, 04:19 PM	#4
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,196	Said grenade from the Invincible Here is the larger 5 1/2" example from the Invincible. This is a great example that confirms the larger sizes of these implements. Note the smaller powder hole on these examples, suggesting the variety of examples. https://www.charlesmillerltd.com/auc...lot=3252&sd=1#

9th September 2025, 04:25 PM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,196	And some great material from our own site and a few others- http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...grenade&page=4 http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12530 http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=grenade http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=grenade Attached Images Last edited by M ELEY; 9th September 2025 at 04:47 PM.

8th September 2025, 12:32 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,196	Hello Adrian and thanks for the information. Usually, I get all depressed and automatically assume I've made a mistake (as I have many times before), but on this one, I'm going to stick to my guns. The outer surface on this one is old, ragged and the patina is spot-on. the hole is actually rather large, about the size of an American penny. There is no signs of molten lead inside when I shine a light down the hole, it still has a lingering odor of gunpowder and it is mis-shapen and not round at all. The seller had much larger examples of mortar shot, many stamped with military arms, artillary markings, or had the molded 'handles' for lifting into the mortar. I knwo, though, that there are many look-alikes for all ordenance (shot-puts, mill balls, counter-weights, fence knobs, etc). Very nice carronade, BTW!!!