ID assistance requested on a piece of iron

[1320]

Found this piece in an area where I've found some Civil War buttons and bullets. I've also found alot of farm junk intermixed....just curious about this piece before I toss it.

Jamie

[JChambers]

It looks to be the primer for some sort of firepower, but I don't think they were in wide use during the civil war. I can't tell from the pics how big it is. Can you give a bit more detail on it?

[1320]

Thanks for the reply JC. The dimensions are approx 2 1/4 inches wide at the top, 1 3/4 inch at the bottom and, 1/2 inch thick. Doesn't appear to be threaded but it's hard to say for sure due to the "crust". For what it's worth, there was a huge blob of iron on the bottom of this piece but I chipped it away to get to the most defined portion.

I should have said that the relics that I've found on this site are military relics! Two tnet members thought that a few of the buttons that I found might possibly pre-date the Civil War. Every single bullet that I've found is of the round ball variety....no ringers.

Sure hope this helps.

[Pimp Lenin]

I'm no expert on artilley shells, but could it possibly be the arse end (base plate) of an artillery shell? Like a Parrott, maybe?

[JChambers]

I definately believe it to be some sort of a fuse for artillery as I said before, and I agree with the strong possibility that it may be from a parrot or a James rifle, even the dimensions fit. Try out this website and see if it helps, it should be of some use. I really hope that is what it is, that would be a really nice find, a shot and exploded piece of artillery. Good luck and let me know how your investigation goes.


http://www.civilwarartillery.com/

JChambers

[incajoe]

This looks like the back of the nose section of a Hotchkiss projectile. This would be the part that sits inside the base cup.