Persistence Pays

[gxray]

I have spent the last few weeks hunting swamps and fields where I knew artillery was fired during the Civil War...finding dozens of shell and cannonball fragments. This weekend I tried it again ...looking for that elusive intact shell. I found 2 fragments and a piece of lead case shot, a portion of lead sabot and a tiny brass ring . I was on my way out of the field and got a deep mixed (iron and non-ferrous) signal. I dug down about 18 inches and scraped the bottom of the hole and saw some white powder. This was the clue I was looking for. I knew this was probably from a lead sabot. I started carefully digging around the object and revealed the rounded edge of the bottom of the shell. About 15 mins of careful digging around the object , I had gotten it loose and pulled out a 4 inch Hotchkiss Bolt shell. This is the second Hotchkiss bolt I found this year and the 3rd intact shell this yr. I had some pics of the dig on my cell phone but somehow I inadvertantly deleted them.
The following day I returned to the field and found 2 more shell frags and another lead case shot.

Thanks for looking and HH y'all

 

[CRUSADER]

wow, looks big

I know nothing about these, so please educate me, how much explosive is in it? how stable is it? Do you disarm it?

 

[umrgolf]

thats a beauty

 

[gxray]

wow, looks big

I know nothing about these, so please educate me, how much explosive is in it? how stable is it? Do you disarm it?

This shell is 4 inches in diameter at the base and is 6 1/2 inches long...
the term "bolt" means this is a solid shell with no fuse. If this were a "live" or explosive shell, it would have a fuse at the tip of the nose and would be full of black powder and perhaps case shot which is generally lead or iron balls as shrapnel. This shell has no risk of exploding and is harmless unless being fired from a cannon and you're on the receiving end. Generally, solid shells were primarily used for knocking down fortifications or punching holes in boats.

 

[CRUSADER]

wow, looks big

I know nothing about these, so please educate me, how much explosive is in it? how stable is it? Do you disarm it?

This shell is 4 inches in diameter at the base and is 6 1/2 inches long...
the term "bolt" means this is a solid shell with no fuse. If this were a "live" or explosive shell, it would have a fuse at the tip of the nose and would be full of black powder and perhaps case shot which is generally lead or iron balls as shrapnel. This shell has no risk of exploding and is harmless unless being fired from a cannon and you're on the receiving end. Generally, solid shells were primarily used for knocking down fortifications or punching holes in boats.

Thanks

Last question, what do you treat it with, too big for eletroloysis or not?

 

[{Sentinel}]

Man that one is Nice! I remember a few years ago myself and an Old hunting partner got into a WHOLE SLEW of shells ranging from 6lb Bormanns, 12lb Bormanns to 10lb. Parrotts! Nice save and great job on sticking at it, it definitely paid off!

 

[gxray]

wow, looks big

I know nothing about these, so please educate me, how much explosive is in it? how stable is it? Do you disarm it?

This shell is 4 inches in diameter at the base and is 6 1/2 inches long...
the term "bolt" means this is a solid shell with no fuse. If this were a "live" or explosive shell, it would have a fuse at the tip of the nose and would be full of black powder and perhaps case shot which is generally lead or iron balls as shrapnel. This shell has no risk of exploding and is harmless unless being fired from a cannon and you're on the receiving end. Generally, solid shells were primarily used for knocking down fortifications or punching holes in boats.

Thanks

Last question, what do you treat it with, too big for eletroloysis or not?

From what I've read, inert shells can be treated using electrolysis, but it is not recommended to submerge the lead sabot portion of the shell in the solution during electrolysis. I speculate that you can suspend the shell over the solution and only submerge the iron portion of the shell during electrolysis.

 

[CRUSADER]

wow, looks big

I know nothing about these, so please educate me, how much explosive is in it? how stable is it? Do you disarm it?

This shell is 4 inches in diameter at the base and is 6 1/2 inches long...
the term "bolt" means this is a solid shell with no fuse. If this were a "live" or explosive shell, it would have a fuse at the tip of the nose and would be full of black powder and perhaps case shot which is generally lead or iron balls as shrapnel. This shell has no risk of exploding and is harmless unless being fired from a cannon and you're on the receiving end. Generally, solid shells were primarily used for knocking down fortifications or punching holes in boats.

Thanks

Last question, what do you treat it with, too big for eletroloysis or not?

From what I've read, inert shells can be treated using electrolysis, but it is not recommended to submerge the lead sabot portion of the shell in the solution during electrolysis. I speculate that you can suspend the shell over the solution and only submerge the iron portion of the shell during electrolysis.

I did wonder about the effect on the Lead portion

 

[gxray]

I must stress the importance of the word INERT in my last statement. NEVER NEVER EVER EVER USE ELECTROLYSIS ON A 'LIVE" EXPLOSIVE SHELL!!

 

[CRUSADER]

I must stress the importance of the word INERT in my last statement. NEVER NEVER EVER EVER USE ELECTROLYSIS ON A 'LIVE" EXPLOSIVE SHELL!!

yeah, won't want to see that one on you tube

 

[Mr Tuff]

nice one!!!!!! MR TUFF

 

[Dman]

Congrats on the shell.
Dman

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Excellent find!
Way to stick with the persistence.
He with the most patience usually wins

 

[civilman1]

Proof is right there...Great shell

 

[LowGradeCopper]

I see no reason to believe that shell is inert

and no reason to use electro

distilled water works just fine

find an expert on disarming and email them