Oh gee...more artillery shells...

[aquachigger]

Got out with HomeGuardDan this weekend and scored 2 1/2 more artillery shells and a bayonet. The bayonet was fully exposed in only one inch of water. Hard to believe some fisherman didn't snatch it up years ago. The shells include a 6 pounder solid shot, an exploded Hotchkiss and what I believe to be a Read-Parrott, but I'm not positive on that as it looks a little different. The really smooth Read is one I found a few days ago and didn't post. I just took it out of electrolysis and cracked the crust this evening. It's a beaut for sure....



The smooth Read...



The bayonet in-situ and untouched as found...



And a bunch of baby spiders on my house just for giggles...



Thanks for checking out my post. I know I'm just on the Civil War stuff now and it may be a bit boring to some, but I'll be mixing it up soon...

 

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[Gunrunner61]

Killer finds AC, Man! I say it everytime, But I gotta get into that water hunting.......HH

 

[silversweeper]

Dude you are putting together one heck of a artillery shell collection this summer! I feel lucky to find a few bullets every once in a while, can't even imagine having a hunt like the ones you've been posting results of! HH and look forward to the next post.

 

[ynpto804]

yeah that civil war stuff is getting boring. Lol

 

[jewelerguy]

man they must have shelled the crap outta that place

 

[aquachigger]

man they must have shelled the crap outta that place

My shells haven't been from one site. I have at least 10 different spots separated by nearly 200 miles represented this season so far. Sure would have been easier to have found them all together, but certainly not nearly as fun! Thanks for the comment...

 

[BuckleBoy]

Man, I sincerely hope you make a year-end post of all your finds. That would shut the forum down there'd be so much traffic to gawk at the post.

Congrats on some more fantastic recoveries.


-Buck

 

[Bunker]

Very Cool! Would like to see the bayonet as well.
HH,
Bunker

 

[ticm]

How much do you charge to get in the museum you have built up

 

[aquachigger]

Very Cool! Would like to see the bayonet as well.
HH,
Bunker

Hey Bunker... I'll post up a picture of the bayonet tomorrow evening. Thanks for the interest...

 

[aquachigger]

How much do you charge to get in the museum you have built up

Admission is always free!

 

[JmCraz8]

Awesome artillery shells and congrats on the bayonet 150 years and still clearly visible like it was dropped yesterday lol congrats big time!!!!

 

[Ironman!]

Totally amazing! The pic. of the bayonet in the water is awesome!! I agree with Buckleboy, this site would overload at yearend when you post up everything you have found this year!! LOL

IM

 

[okerraine]

Great CW recoveries. Congrats.

 

[Southern_Digger]

I am thoroughly impressed over the quality of CW relics you are finding in the water. Wish I could do that here in Florida but if I did either the State laws against this, or gators, would bite me in the a#@.

 

[granthansen]

Awesome finds. Congrats! Makes me really want to get into the water more.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Aquachigger wrote:
> The shells iclude [...] what I believe to be a Read-Parrott, but I'm not positive on that as it looks a little different.

It is called a "Long-model" Read shell. It has the exact same form of sabot your "short" Read shell has. As you know, a civil war artillery projectile is named for the inventor/designer (if his name is known to us). With Read-Parrott projectiles, John B. Read invented the sabot and Robert P. Parrott invented the "pre-engraved" rifling on the sabot ...so, both of them are credited in the projectile's name. Although your Long-model Read looks very similar to a Parrott shell, no part of it was invented/designed by Mr. Parrott. Its iron body is longer than the short-model Read because it was made for use in a Parrott-type cannon, whose breech reinforcing band strengthened the cannon enough to allow it to safely fire a longer, heavier-weight projectile than a short-model Read projectile.

 

[Valley Ranger]

"a bit boring to some" - NOT HARDLY! Fascinating as always.

 

[aquachigger]

Aquachigger wrote:
> The shells iclude [...] what I believe to be a Read-Parrott, but I'm not positive on that as it looks a little different.

It is called a "Long-model" Read shell. It has the exact same form of sabot your "short" Read shell has. As you know, a civil war artillery projectile is named for the inventor/designer (if his name is known to us). With Read-Parrott projectiles, John B. Read invented the sabot and Robert P. Parrott invented the "pre-engraved" rifling on the sabot ...so, both of them are credited in the projectile's name. Although your Long-model Read looks very similar to a Parrott shell, no part of it was invented/designed by Mr. Parrott. Its iron body is longer than the short-model Read because it was made for use in a Parrott-type cannon, whose breech reinforcing band strengthened the cannon enough to allow it to safely fire a longer, heavier-weight projectile than a short-model Read projectile.

Thanks CBG. I guess I was confused and don't think I have found one like this before. I also looked it up in Field Artillery Projectiles of the American Civil War, which is an excellent reference book and should be on the shelf of all serious civil war buffs. It appears to be a "sleeved" version. Would you think so, or is the "groove" near the nose something different? I can post a better picture if that would help.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

It does look like the "sleeved" version ...though I have to say I cannot be 100%-certain about that, due to the thin encrustation still remaining on it. Before it was coated with sealant, the encrustation would have popped off with some gentle tapping. Send me an email and I'll advise you on what to do about getting rid of that pesky encrustation at this stage of the game.