Round shot

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Different types of cannon balls recovered from the Vasa, sunk in 1628

Round shot is a type of projectile fired from guns or cannons.

Along with pellet shot and grapeshot, round shot was one of the early projectiles used in firearms. As the name implies, round shot is spherical with a diameter slightly less than the bore of the firearm it is to be used in.

Round shot was popular during most of the age of sail, being replaced after the invention of the extruded bullet by Benjamin Robins at the end of the 1700s.

Round shot has the disadvantages of not being tightly fitted into the bore (to do so would cause jamming) - this causes the shot to 'rattle' down the gun barrel and leave the barrel at an angle. Round shot does not work with rifling and so is made more inaccurate by aerodynamic imbalance during flight.

Round shot has been totally replaced by modern bullets in small arms and by shells in artillery. Round shot is used in historical recreations and historical replica weapons.

Pellet shot (now simply called 'shot') is still used in shotguns. Grape shot is still occasionally used in artillery - usually with an explosive spreader - for antipersonnel operations.

Round shot

See also