Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
	Civil War Artillery
	by Harry Ridgeway

Research Center: Artillery3413-Britten

Rifled artillery projectile, Britten design, English manufacture, bursting shell, pattern with short tapered nose segmented interior, lead cup sabot, threaded for unknown fuze, 10 pounder rifle, 2.9 in. or Ordnance rifle, 3in. Projectile was manufactured by the English and exported to the American conflict, either side could purchase them, but primary use was southern. The design follows Britten's English patent, employing a lead cup sabot with a counter bulge or large concave teat that extends beyond the bottom. There is a ring around the nose which probably was left from it being clamped to the lathe, American producers tended to use knobs. Interior is segmented to provide points of weakness for maximum fragmentation. It appears that the segmented interior, which is hardened steel, may have initially been manufactured as rolled sheet, then bent into a cylinder forming the core, then an iron skin cast onto the cylinder, the casting is very thin on the bottom covered only by the lead cup sabot. Fuze hole is left hand threaded British fuze, however all that have been recovered either were missing the fuze or the fuze was plugged with a wood shipping plug. There is some evidence that these shells were captured by the Federals from the Confederates and were simply fired as bolts due to the problem of them being separated from their fuzes. Projectile measures smaller than 2.9 in. suggesting that it may have originally been intended for the 10 pounder, however, the short length with a soft lead sabot would not have been suited at all for a 3 groove 10 pounder 2.9in. rifle, those missing the sabot may have been fired from this rifle, the torque from firing 3 groove would tend to rip the sabot away. All examples recovered with fired sabot remaining show 7 grooves suggesting most were actually fired from a 3 inch rifle, it would have fit loose in a 3 inch bore and this would account for the weak rifling. It is speculated that this pattern was originally manufactured for the smaller 2.9in. rifle, but most were used in the 3in. rifle as a practical solution. Projectile measures: diameter 2.86in., length 5.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 6.2lb. Research Center: Artillery3413-Britten, Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 110. Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery3413-Britten.html.

A0030...Rifled artillery projectile, Britten design, English manufacture, bursting shell, pattern with short tapered nose segmented interior, lead cup sabot, threaded for unknown fuze, 10 pounder rifle, 2.9 in. or Ordnance rifle, 3in. Projectile was manufactured by the English and exported to the American conflict, either side could purchase them, but primary use was southern. The design follows Britten's English patent, employing a lead cup sabot with a counter bulge or large concave teat that extends beyond the bottom. There is a ring around the nose which probably was left from it being clamped to the lathe, American producers tended to use knobs. Interior is segmented to provide points of weakness for maximum fragmentation. It appears that the segmented interior, which is hardened steel, may have initially been manufactured as rolled sheet, then bent into a cylinder forming the core, then an iron skin cast onto the cylinder, the casting is very thin on the bottom covered only by the lead cup sabot. Fuze hole is left hand threaded British fuze, however all that have been recovered either were missing the fuze or the fuze was plugged with a wood shipping plug. There is some evidence that these shells were captured by the Federals from the Confederates and were simply fired as bolts due to the problem of them being separated from their fuzes. Projectile measures smaller than 2.9 in. suggesting that it may have originally been intended for the 10 pounder, however, the short length with a soft lead sabot would not have been suited at all for a 3 groove 10 pounder 2.9in. rifle, those missing the sabot may have been fired from this rifle, the torque from firing 3 groove would tend to rip the sabot away. All examples recovered with fired sabot remaining show 7 grooves suggesting most were actually fired from a 3 inch rifle, it would have fit loose in a 3 inch bore and this would account for the weak rifling. It is speculated that this pattern was originally manufactured for the smaller 2.9in. rifle, but most were used in the 3in. rifle as a practical solution. Projectile measures: diameter 2.86in., length 5.0in. (excluding fuze), weight not determined. Fired sabot shows 7 lands and grooves, fired from 2.9in. rifle, sabot intact. Threaded fuze was never installed. Metal solid. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole exposes empty interior. Recovered: Helena, Arkansas. Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 110.

A1027...Rifled artillery projectile, Britten design, English manufacture, bursting shell, pattern with short tapered nose segmented interior, lead cup sabot, threaded for unknown fuze, 10 pounder rifle, 2.9 in. or Ordnance rifle, 3in. Projectile was manufactured by the English and exported to the American conflict, either side could purchase them, but primary use was southern. The design follows Britten's English patent, employing a lead cup sabot with a counter bulge or large concave teat that extends beyond the bottom. There is a ring around the nose which probably was left from it being clamped to the lathe, American producers tended to use knobs. Interior is segmented to provide points of weakness for maximum fragmentation. It appears that the segmented interior, which is hardened steel, may have initially been manufactured as rolled sheet, then bent into a cylinder forming the core, then an iron skin cast onto the cylinder, the casting is very thin on the bottom covered only by the lead cup sabot. Fuze hole is left hand threaded British fuze, however all that have been recovered either were missing the fuze or the fuze was plugged with a wood shipping plug. There is some evidence that these shells were captured by the Federals from the Confederates and were simply fired as bolts due to the problem of them being separated from their fuzes. Projectile measures smaller than 2.9 in. suggesting that it may have originally been intended for the 10 pounder, however, the short length with a soft lead sabot would not have been suited at all for a 3 groove 10 pounder 2.9in. rifle, those missing the sabot may have been fired from this rifle, the torque from firing 3 groove would tend to rip the sabot away. All examples recovered with fired sabot remaining show 7 grooves suggesting most were actually fired from a 3 inch rifle, it would have fit loose in a 3 inch bore and this would account for the weak rifling. It is speculated that this pattern was originally manufactured for the smaller 2.9in. rifle, but most were used in the 3in. rifle as a practical solution. Projectile measures: diameter 2.86in., length 5.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 6.2lb. Fired sabot shows 7 lands and grooves, fired from 2.9in. rifle, sabot intact. Threaded fuze was never installed, remnants of wood may be a shipping plug, shell may have been used as a bolt. Metal solid. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole exposes empty interior. Recovered: Helena, Arkansas. Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 110.

A1523...Rifled artillery projectile, Britten design, English manufacture, bursting shell, pattern with short tapered nose segmented interior, lead cup sabot, threaded for unknown fuze, 10 pounder rifle, 2.9 in. or Ordnance rifle, 3in. Projectile was manufactured by the English and exported to the American conflict, either side could purchase them, but primary use was southern. The design follows Britten's English patent, employing a lead cup sabot with a counter bulge or large concave teat that extends beyond the bottom. There is a ring around the nose which probably was left from it being clamped to the lathe, American producers tended to use knobs. Interior is segmented to provide points of weakness for maximum fragmentation. It appears that the segmented interior, which is hardened steel, may have initially been manufactured as rolled sheet, then bent into a cylinder forming the core, then an iron skin cast onto the cylinder, the casting is very thin on the bottom covered only by the lead cup sabot. Fuze hole is left hand threaded British fuze, however all that have been recovered either were missing the fuze or the fuze was plugged with a wood shipping plug. There is some evidence that these shells were captured by the Federals from the Confederates and were simply fired as bolts due to the problem of them being separated from their fuzes. Projectile measures smaller than 2.9 in. suggesting that it may have originally been intended for the 10 pounder, however, the short length with a soft lead sabot would not have been suited at all for a 3 groove 10 pounder 2.9in. rifle, those missing the sabot may have been fired from this rifle, the torque from firing 3 groove would tend to rip the sabot away. All examples recovered with fired sabot remaining show 7 grooves suggesting most were actually fired from a 3 inch rifle, it would have fit loose in a 3 inch bore and this would account for the weak rifling. It is speculated that this pattern was originally manufactured for the smaller 2.9in. rifle, but most were used in the 3in. rifle as a practical solution. Projectile measures: diameter 2.86in., length 5.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 6.2lb. Fired sabot shows 7 lands and grooves, fired from 2.9in. rifle, sabot intact. Threaded fuze was never installed, remnants of wood may be a shipping plug, shell may have been used as a bolt. Metal solid, minor areas of pitting. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole exposes empty interior. Recovered: Helena, Arkansas. Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 110.

A1856...Rifled artillery projectile, Britten design, English manufacture, bursting shell, pattern with short tapered nose segmented interior, lead cup sabot, threaded for unknown fuze, 10 pounder rifle, 2.9 in. or Ordnance rifle, 3in. Projectile was manufactured by the English and exported to the American conflict, either side could purchase them, but primary use was southern. The design follows Britten's English patent, employing a lead cup sabot with a counter bulge or large concave teat that extends beyond the bottom. There is a ring around the nose which probably was left from it being clamped to the lathe, American producers tended to use knobs. Interior is segmented to provide points of weakness for maximum fragmentation. It appears that the segmented interior, which is hardened steel, may have initially been manufactured as rolled sheet, then bent into a cylinder forming the core, then an iron skin cast onto the cylinder, the casting is very thin on the bottom covered only by the lead cup sabot. Fuze hole is left hand threaded British fuze, however all that have been recovered either were missing the fuze or the fuze was plugged with a wood shipping plug. There is some evidence that these shells were captured by the Federals from the Confederates and were simply fired as bolts due to the problem of them being separated from their fuzes. Projectile measures smaller than 2.9 in. suggesting that it may have originally been intended for the 10 pounder, however, the short length with a soft lead sabot would not have been suited at all for a 3 groove 10 pounder 2.9in. rifle, those missing the sabot may have been fired from this rifle, the torque from firing 3 groove would tend to rip the sabot away. All examples recovered with fired sabot remaining show 7 grooves suggesting most were actually fired from a 3 inch rifle, it would have fit loose in a 3 inch bore and this would account for the weak rifling. It is speculated that this pattern was originally manufactured for the smaller 2.9in. rifle, but most were used in the 3in. rifle as a practical solution. Projectile measures: diameter 2.86in., length 5.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 6.2lb. Artillery 3413 Britten bolt shell threaded fuze 2.9in to 3in., Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 110. Projectile measures: diameter 2.86in., length 5.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 6.2lb. Fired sabot shows 7 lands and grooves, fired from 2.9in. rifle, sabot intact. Threaded fuze was never installed, remnants of wood may be a shipping plug, shell may have been used as a bolt. Metal solid. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole exposes empty interior. Recovered: Helena, Arkansas.

A2382...Rifled artillery projectile, Britten design, English manufacture, bursting shell, pattern with short tapered nose segmented interior, lead cup sabot, threaded for unknown fuze, 10 pounder rifle, 2.9 in. or Ordnance rifle, 3in. Projectile was manufactured by the English and exported to the American conflict, either side could purchase them, but primary use was southern. The design follows Britten's English patent, employing a lead cup sabot with a counter bulge or large concave teat that extends beyond the bottom. There is a ring around the nose which probably was left from it being clamped to the lathe, American producers tended to use knobs. Interior is segmented to provide points of weakness for maximum fragmentation. It appears that the segmented interior, which is hardened steel, may have initially been manufactured as rolled sheet, then bent into a cylinder forming the core, then an iron skin cast onto the cylinder, the casting is very thin on the bottom covered only by the lead cup sabot. Fuze hole is left hand threaded British fuze, however all that have been recovered either were missing the fuze or the fuze was plugged with a wood shipping plug. There is some evidence that these shells were captured by the Federals from the Confederates and were simply fired as bolts due to the problem of them being separated from their fuzes. Projectile measures smaller than 2.9 in. suggesting that it may have originally been intended for the 10 pounder, however, the short length with a soft lead sabot would not have been suited at all for a 3 groove 10 pounder 2.9in. rifle, those missing the sabot may have been fired from this rifle, the torque from firing 3 groove would tend to rip the sabot away. All examples recovered with fired sabot remaining show 7 grooves suggesting most were actually fired from a 3 inch rifle, it would have fit loose in a 3 inch bore and this would account for the weak rifling. It is speculated that this pattern was originally manufactured for the smaller 2.9in. rifle, but most were used in the 3in. rifle as a practical solution. Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 5.25in. (excluding fuze), weight 6lbs. (empty). Fired sabot shows 7 lands and grooves, fired from 2.9in. rifle, sabot intact. Threaded fuze was never installed. Metal solid, minor areas of pitting. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole exposes empty interior. Recovered: Helena, Arkansas. Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 110.

This is the "Ridgeway Civil War Research Center", a research tool for educational purposes only, and is provided at no cost to the reader. Some of the relics listed are retained in the author's collection, most reside in other collections and are not owned by the author. None of the items listed in this section are for sale, please refer to relicman.com sales listings for items offered for sale. This is a work in progress, I list items as I get to them, there are many patterns that are not listed yet, this list will be regularly updated as I get pictures and descriptions for more items. I will also correct mistakes, so if you see any please tell me. All items listed are believed to be authentic to the Civil War or as otherwise described. This information is available for research purposes, pictures may be used by permission only.
All excavated artifacts have been recovered from private property with owner's permission.
All projectiles listed have been disarmed.

Most information on this page is from:
Field Artillery Projectiles of the American Civil War, 1993 Edition. by Thomas S. Dickey and Peter C. George.
Civil War Heavy Explosive Ordnance, A Guide to Large Artillery Prjectiles, Torpedoes, and Mines, by Jack Bell.
Artillery Fuses of the Civil War, by Charles H. Jones.
Pictures are by the author, unless otherwise indicated.

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