Bullet and Shell Civil War Projectiles Forum

Relic Discussion => Artillery => Topic started by: CarlS on October 13, 2015, 06:46:05 PM

Title: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: CarlS on October 13, 2015, 06:46:05 PM: Hello,

A friend has just acquired a couple 8-inch balls. I don't know if they are mortars or not but am getting that info. Both have lifting tong holes. I'll also hopefully try to post some pics. My question surrounds some markings on them. One is marked "JV" and the other is marked "DHB". Anyone seen these marking before on 8-inch shells? I assume they are some sort of inspector mark but anyone know anything about them? Thanks in advance for any input.
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: Dave the plumber on October 13, 2015, 08:24:41 PM: I have seen both those markings before. Not many 8 inch shells are marked. Do not know what they are
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: pipedreamer65 on October 13, 2015, 09:00:29 PM: I have a DHB marked 9 inch dahlgren. I can't recall ever seeing 8 inch round projectiles having markings upon them.
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: 24thMichigan on October 13, 2015, 10:34:13 PM: I am not familiar with those markings. I have a 8-inch shell with "TT" stamped near the fuse hole. Hard to capture in a photo but here it is......
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: CarlS on October 13, 2015, 11:27:15 PM: Hello,

See below the images of the two balls with their markings. I've since found that they are both mortars as they have the thinner wall thickness. both are pretty close to 7.85 inches in diameter.

Something I forgot to also ask about in my opening query was regarding the two rows of dots on the DHB ball. Anyone seen that before?

24thMichigan: Neat relic. I don't recall ever seeing the "TT" stamping either.

Any other stampings anyone have on their round projectiles? I know I have a couple 10-inch balls with a "D" and one with a star near the fuse. Hmmm...Wonder where I could have gotten those? :)
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: pipedreamer65 on October 14, 2015, 07:55:17 AM: Ran Hundley @ Sgt. Riker has a ball like that one with the dots and DHB on it. I've seen it before, but had forgotten completely about it when I made my above post. Check it out.
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: divedigger on October 14, 2015, 08:25:26 AM: I have an 8" shot with a D stamp and have seen 10" Columbiads with T stamps. I have other markings on 9" shells, some the same as Pipedreamer reports but am not able to see what they are until I get home. Will update then. I don't know what any of them mean. I bet you got them 10" balls from that old fart near Southport
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: CarlS on October 14, 2015, 08:58:32 AM: He's a nice old fart! ;D
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: divedigger on October 14, 2015, 09:21:55 AM: Ha ha ha! Depends on who you ask!
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: pipedreamer65 on October 14, 2015, 11:24:21 AM: I have one 9" Dahlgren that has a "BY" mark upon it... (Brooklyn Yard??) and some kind of letters made up to resemble a type of geometric pattern. I'll have to image it sometime and post here. Sorry to keep bringing the larger examples up. :)
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: divedigger on October 14, 2015, 08:39:52 PM: hello Carl, I realize we kinda got away from 8"balls, but I checked the 9" balls and it was a learning experience. 1 had 6T by the fuse, 1 had BY, 1 had BY IM and an X all around the top, 1 had BY with JM under it like a math problem and a very large A on the bottom, and 1 had 10 with an asterick on the bottom BY J.M. and 8 near the fuse. So there ya go,I don't know what any of those markings mean, I only have 1 8" ball that is marked and it has the D which I have been told means Atlanta
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: pipedreamer65 on October 15, 2015, 10:51:12 AM: divedigger, now I know I will have to post an image of my 9" shell. One of those you are describing sounds just like the one I have. It has some really odd marks on it. Mine came from Fort Fisher, I figure yours did to, or that locale...
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: divedigger on October 15, 2015, 03:03:36 PM: Very close
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: alwion on October 15, 2015, 05:18:39 PM: Have a 10" columbiad with a chisel stamped T, from ft Fisher
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: divedigger on October 15, 2015, 07:49:09 PM: those T balls seem to be only from around here, mine came from Brunswick County which is just below Ft Fisher
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: John D. Bartleson Jr. on October 16, 2015, 03:52:51 PM: Sorry I got in on this one late as was in local hospital. Home now.
When you start to see the same stamps on numerous shells it has to be an inspector's mark. After the shells are cast they are inspected and ring gauged, the core removed and dried.
No reference just comparing to what happens to modern shells.
Regards,
John
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: John D. Bartleson Jr. on October 18, 2015, 11:35:57 AM: Hey, I am not supposed to be the final word on this post!?)
Regards,
John
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: divedigger on October 18, 2015, 12:49:11 PM: you are the only one who actually answered Carl's question...
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: CarlS on October 18, 2015, 10:42:03 PM: The wise one has spoken!

Sorry for delayed response as was traveling. I had assumed at least most of these marks were inspector marks. Is there any knowledge of who they were or where they worked?

Any thoughts on the rows of dots or are those inspector marks too?
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: divedigger on October 20, 2015, 04:09:35 PM: Did they check hardness on those thing? A hardness gauge leaves small indentions
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: John D. Bartleson Jr. on October 21, 2015, 09:46:14 AM: Good thought, it is called the Rockwell Test.
John
Title: Re: 8-inch Ball Markings
Post by: 24thMichigan on October 24, 2015, 09:23:34 PM: Here is another one. "RLN" on 11-inch Dahlgren.