Round shot

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Different types of cannon balls recovered from the Vasa, which foundered in 1628.

Round shot is an obsolete solid projectile without explosive charge fired from guns or cannons. As the name implies, round shot is spherical; its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the gun it is used in.

Round shot was made in early times from dressed stone, but by the 17th century, from iron. It was used as the most accurate projectile that could be fired by a smooth-bore cannon, used to batter the wooden hulls of opposing ships, forts, or fixed emplacements, and as a long-range anti-personnel weapon.

Along with pellet shot and grapeshot, round shot was one of the early projectiles used in firearms.

Round shot was popular during most of the age of sail, being replaced after the invention by Benjamin Robins of the extruded bullet around the mid-19th century.

Mons Meg with its 22" (56 cm) caliber cannon balls

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 without the use of a wadding or discarding sabot.

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.