A stone projectile or cannonball fired from a cannon; a stone shot from artillery.
From gun + stone, a compound of Old English origin. Before iron cannonballs became standardized, armies used stone projectiles, which gave rise to this specific term used primarily in medieval and early modern warfare.
Gunstones reveal an interesting weaponry transition—armies gradually moved from stone to iron projectiles because iron could be reused (it didn't shatter) and allowed for more consistent ballistics and greater density.
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