A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
| Ridgeway Civil War Research Center,
A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War |
| Civil War Artillery | |
| by Harry Ridgeway |
| Rifled artillery projectile, Parrott design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, short test pattern with flat bottom, high band brass sabot with 12 rabbets, experimental pattern without fuze, Parrott 100 pounder rifle, 6.4in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals following development of Parrott's patent. The sabot, referred to as "type II", utilized a thin wide brass band which was softer and more flexible than wrought iron, secured to the base with 12 rabbets. However performance was poor, the thin soft brass sabot either failed to take the rifling or had a tendency to separate on firing, resulting in shards of brass flying into the backs of the forward infantry. However for large caliber guns, fired from ships or forts, flying sabots was less of a problem and this pattern of sabot became the primary convention for siege guns. Shell was apparently experimental, it was cast with a cavity and a fuze hole, but the fuze hole was never drilled or threaded to take a fuze. Projectile measures: diameter 6.25in., length 13in. (excluding fuze), weight 60lbs. approx. with sabot. Research Center: Artillery4721-Parrott, Ref: Bell Heavy Ordnance., not listed.     Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery4721-Parrott.html. |
| A2775...Rifled artillery projectile, Parrott design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, short test pattern with flat bottom, high band brass sabot with 12 rabbets, experimental pattern without fuze, Parrott 100 pounder rifle, 6.4in.
Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals following development of Parrott's patent. The sabot, referred to as "type II", utilized a thin wide brass band which was softer and more flexible than wrought iron, secured to the base with 12 rabbets. However performance was poor, the thin soft brass sabot either failed to take the rifling or had a tendency to separate on firing, resulting in shards of brass flying into the backs of the forward infantry. However for large caliber guns, fired from ships or forts, flying sabots was less of a problem and this pattern of sabot became the primary convention for siege guns. Shell was apparently experimental, it was cast with a cavity and a fuze hole, but the fuze hole was never drilled or threaded to take a fuze. Projectile measures: diameter 6.25in., length 13in. (excluding fuze), weight 60lbs. approx. with sabot. High band sabot is fired showing faint rifling, this shell did not grab the rifling which is probably why this design was rejected. Fuze hole is not threaded or milled. Metal solid. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole, cavity was never loaded with powder and is filled with foundry sand. Recovered: not known, probably West Point test range but this is not confirmed. Ref: Bell Heavy Ordnance., not listed. |
A0471...Rifled artillery projectile, Parrott design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, short test pattern with flat bottom, high band brass sabot with 12 rabbets, experimental pattern without fuze, Parrott 100 pounder rifle, 6.4in.
     Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals following development of Parrott's patent. The sabot, referred to as "type II", utilized a thin wide brass band which was softer and more flexible than wrought iron, secured to the base with 12 rabbets. However performance was poor, the thin soft brass sabot either failed to take the rifling or had a tendency to separate on firing, resulting in shards of brass flying into the backs of the forward infantry. However for large caliber guns, fired from ships or forts, flying sabots was less of a problem and this pattern of sabot became the primary convention for siege guns. Shell was apparently experimental, it was cast with a cavity and a fuze hole, but the fuze hole was never drilled or threaded to take a fuze. Projectile measures: diameter 6.36in., length 13.5in. (excluding fuze), weight 53lbs., without sabot. High band sabot separated on firing. Fuze hole is not threaded or milled. Metal solid. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole, cavity was never loaded with powder and is filled with foundry sand. Recovered: not known, probably West Point test range but this is not confirmed.
Ref: Bell Heavy Ordnance., not listed. |
| Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War. Artillery Research center, artillery, click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery0000-Index.html.     Research center, artillery, click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery0000-Index.html. |
| Civil War Relicman, Harry Ridgeway, Civil War artillery, Relicman sales catalog. Click here: http://relicman.com/artillery/RelicmanSalesArtillery1.html.     Artillery for sale: http://relicman.com/artillery/RelicmanSalesArtillery1.html. |