Confederate "mid-sleeved" Read Long Model shell with pre-rifled brass sabot

[CSA2K]

Rare summer hunt for me pays off in iron and copper

 

[Lygore]

I agree, cannonballguy. I love preserving history, and was unaware that the police now destroy 100% of the items they come into contact with.
I was mostly worried about the destabilizing of the black powder that sometimes happens after it dries out. I've unfortunately had to do a few post-blast investigations on people that we're cutting into black powder filled projectiles (with power tools, as you said earlier) and one that was injured when they put a powder filled cannonball next to a fireplace and had it a little too close.
Thank you for clearing it up about the 3" range also. I should've asked for more spec.s about the item before saying, "it's a ..."
I'm still learning my civil war stuff😊
I only wish I lived closer, I would gladly inert that beautiful piece for free! I've made over 120 training aids and presentation pieces from live items, and the black powder filled items are some of the easiest and straight forward items out there.
Good luck on restoring your piece and sorry if I led anyone astray, just be safe, and when in doubt, please don't mess with it till it has been identified. Beautiful find, as it has been pointed out!

 

[gsxraddict]

I agree, cannonballguy. I love preserving history, and was unaware that the police now destroy 100% of the items they come into contact with.
I was mostly worried about the destabilizing of the black powder that sometimes happens after it dries out. I've unfortunately had to do a few post-blast investigations on people that we're cutting into black powder filled projectiles (with power tools, as you said earlier) and one that was injured when they put a powder filled cannonball next to a fireplace and had it a little too close.
Thank you for clearing it up about the 3" range also. I should've asked for more spec.s about the item before saying, "it's a ..."
I'm still learning my civil war stuff
I only wish I lived closer, I would gladly inert that beautiful piece for free! I've made over 120 training aids and presentation pieces from live items, and the black powder filled items are some of the easiest and straight forward items out there.
Good luck on restoring your piece and sorry if I led anyone astray, just be safe, and when in doubt, please don't mess with it till it has been identified. Beautiful find, as it has been pointed out!

Well, you'll see most accidents are with people drilling into naval fuses.

There is no harm with this shell, I wouldn't even make it a priority to disarm it, I'd go hunting again and get to it whenever it's convenient.

Didn't you see the thread on here where some guy's neighbor called the police to report that he found a solid shot and the bomb squad came and blew it up? A SOLID SHOT.

 

[CSA2K]

Thank you for reporting its length. At 8.5-inches, it is definitely a Read Long-Model shell, and almost certainly 2.9"-caliber, not 3"-caliber. The copper-saboted version you found first shows up in combat in early-1863, and was "plentiful from then though early-1864 1864, but gets quite scare after summer 1864, because the Confederacy lost possession of the great copper mines at Ducktown TN in late-1863.

I should mention, the Confederacy manufactured the iron-saboted version from the war's start to the very end... so, your copper-saboted Long-Model Read is much rarer than the iron-saboted version.

There are several variations of copper-saboted ones. After the rust-crust is removed, I'll be able to tell you which specific variation it is, and give you a rarity-rating for that variety. At the moment, I can only say that it is at least a 7 on the scale of 1-to-10 (with a 1 being the most common).

Should be Second Manassas or Bristoe campaigns so 62 or 63 makes perfect sense. Thanks CBG can't wait to get started on the restoration process!

 

[Double Envelopment]

I'd take that over a boring old coin any day.

 

[I-DIG-IT]

Nice digs.

 

[CSA2K]

Def is NOT bourreleted. Calipers measure 2.9" and it weighs 8.12lbs so allowing for crust.. 2.85" diameter, 8.5" length and just under 8lbs all consistent with Read long pattern smooth side.

 

[OzarkHistory]

amazing find!

 

[CoilyGirl]

Well, you'll see most accidents are with people drilling into naval fuses.

There is no harm with this shell, I wouldn't even make it a priority to disarm it, I'd go hunting again and get to it whenever it's convenient.

Didn't you see the thread on here where some guy's neighbor called the police to report that he found a solid shot and the bomb squad came and blew it up? A SOLID SHOT.

Off topic slightly but my husband found a cannonball about four or five months ago,posted it on Facebook and we had the police knocking on our door around 10:30 the next evening. A concerned friend reported what we had in our possession. We did not have to give it up though as my husband knows a lot more about cannonballs and ours was a solid shot. The officers were satisfied with his explanation after showing it to them.

 

[CSA2K]

Off topic slightly but my husband found a cannonball about four or five months ago,posted it on Facebook and we had the police knocking on our door around 10:30 the next evening. A concerned friend reported what we had in our possession. We did not have to give it up though as my husband knows a lot more about cannonballs and ours was a solid shot. The officers were satisfied with his explanation after showing it to them.

Not off topic by any means and thanks for your input. I posted this on my FB wall and some ACW related groups as I usually do. Its sad we have to have reservations about doing so these days. I've had friends and co-workers say to me.. something along the lines of.. how can you bring that thing into your house. The confluence of basic ignorance and post 9-11 hysteria is very dangerous and very real.

On a happier note it has been "inerted" by a responsible professional and the preservation process is underway!

 

[gsxraddict]

Off topic slightly but my husband found a cannonball about four or five months ago,posted it on Facebook and we had the police knocking on our door around 10:30 the next evening. A concerned friend reported what we had in our possession. We did not have to give it up though as my husband knows a lot more about cannonballs and ours was a solid shot. The officers were satisfied with his explanation after showing it to them.

If they were concerned, then they went about it the wrong way by calling the police.

I'd be pretty mad, and wouldn't be calling them friend after that.

 

[CSA2K]

Oh and I guess its worth mentioning its officially a Read long pattern mid-sleeve with a brass fuze and sabot.. very rare according to TheCannonballGuy who examined it thoroughly. I completely blew it in the thread title and I can't edit it, my bad. The top and bottom of the "sleeve" is what I mistook for bourrelets

 

[huntsman53]

Oh and I guess its worth mentioning its officially a Read long pattern mid-sleeve with a brass fuze and sabot.. very rare according to TheCannonBallGuy who examined it thoroughly. I completely blew it in the thread title and I can't edit it, my bad. The top and bottom of the "sleeve" is what I mistook for bourrelets

Congrats on a great and very rare find! The only thing that I ever found Civil War related to my knowledge, was a lone Grape Shot I found by eye in the waters edge below the Douglas Dam while fishing.

On another note, you bring up a topic of which there could be a fix! That topic is correcting/changing the "Title" name of a Thread. I believe that it would be fairly easy for Admin to make a change to the software programming which would allow the Original Poster of a Thread to correct the Title of their Thread. However, if that is not possible, then Admin could create a link to a request box where the O.P. could request that a Moderator correct or change the Title.


Frank

 

[CoilyGirl]

If they were concerned, then they went about it the wrong way by calling the police.

I'd be pretty mad, and wouldn't be calling them friend after that.

The thing is,I have no idea who reported it. We have Facebook friends who relic hunt so I know it wasn't one of them. I have tried to mull over in my mind who it could have been and were their intentions really well intentioned and well meaning. CASA2k I meant to say great find!

 

[L.C. BAKER]

sweet

 

[CSA2K]

Here are some pics after a few days in a low amp bath. It was found in a swampy area so the condition reflects that. There is considerable chipping and scaling but the significant features.. the sleeve, fuze, sabot, lathe dimple.. are all there.

 

[UnderMiner]

Anything Confederate is priceless, good job! (and this is coming from a Yankee )

 

[Tnmountains]

Rare summer hunt for me pays off in iron and copper

Just saw this. They will clean up nicely, Congratulations!

 

[Davers]

I'm an unexploded ordnance technician, and your projectile is still fuzed. You need to call your local police station and let them know you found a live civil war projectile. You could probably ask them if they could inert it for you and they should be able to for you. If they say no, you could ask for a fragment of it for your collection, at least. Good luck and be safe. It's a 3.3" Read-Parrott shell. High Explosive. Originally, a wrought iron cup was secured by cold or hot forging to the base, or by actually having the body cast on the cup.this was later changed to a brass ring that you see on yours. When it was seated in the barrel and the propelling charge detonated, pressure expanded the ring to the bore and ejected the projectile. Confederate shelled differed as they had two borrelets and were lathe finished while the union shells were forced through a type of die to finish them to bore specifications. The brass fitting on the nose is the McEvoy time fuze adapter that was common on these rounds.

TRUE

but

CALL THE POLICE YEA RIGHT!!!!!

 

[Davers]

I agree, cannonballguy. I love preserving history, and was unaware that the police now destroy 100% of the items they come into contact with.
I was mostly worried about the destabilizing of the black powder that sometimes happens after it dries out. I've unfortunately had to do a few post-blast investigations on people that we're cutting into black powder filled projectiles (with power tools, as you said earlier) and one that was injured when they put a powder filled cannonball next to a fireplace and had it a little too close.
Thank you for clearing it up about the 3" range also. I should've asked for more spec.s about the item before saying, "it's a ..."
I'm still learning my civil war stuff😊
I only wish I lived closer, I would gladly inert that beautiful piece for free! I've made over 120 training aids and presentation pieces from live items, and the black powder filled items are some of the easiest and straight forward items out there.
Good luck on restoring your piece and sorry if I led anyone astray, just be safe, and when in doubt, please don't mess with it till it has been identified. Beautiful find, as it has been pointed out!

Well Said..

Be Safe Lygore.

Davers

 

[Davers]

I'm very late seeing this post/ find -ie. My Comments.

An awesome find & informative Post.

Thanks for letting us see it.

Davers