Don't know if y'all like to see finds. Some recent Archer finds!

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Mike,
    So it is an early model that just didn't work out.   The reason I asked about the term prototype is I think of prototype as a pre-production model that is still in the testing stage, then if proved satisfactory, placed into full production or back to the drawing boards.
      Do you think it was rushed into production without the testing stage?  Surely it would have proved unsat rather than finding this out on the battlefield...
Regards,
John

[emike123]

It was absolutely rushed into production.  There is a book you should get, John, called From Under Iron Eyelids, the Biography of Henry James Burton.  Thomas K. Tate is the author.

On pages 367-374 is a letter he wrote that includes a drawing of this projectile.  The letter is dated Dec. 16, 1860.  That doesn't leave a lot of time to get them out the door.  Burton was proposing this projectile design in it and so this type should be called a Burton/Archer by the way.

[emike123]

Scott:  Try using Photobucket to post it.  I'd have you eMail me it, but I am afraid I might catch something from you 

I am using Photobucket to post this picture of some different Archer bolts.

[scottfromgeorgia]

OK, but my computer is completely clean. There are no risks of viruses - not sure why my system seems to have trouble with the site's software.

[emike123]

Its working now obviously but no attachment in your last post.

I had at one time blocked registration from some of the God forsaken places you travel to because a lot of spammer IP addresses come out of there.  Last time you had troubles I think you were in the Middle East.  I'll check the available memory for posting as that gets maxed out periodically which is why I try to go the Photobucket (eg, Free) route more often than not.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Mike,
    I have read the book you proposed.   It certainly looks like Archer stole Burton's design, just replace the wood sabot with lead.
Regards,
John

[emike123]

No stealing -- if you read Chapter 10, you will see they had a partnership agreement, hence why some feel these should be called Burton/Archer.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

John Biemick will present the Archer/Burton in his book.
John

[emike123]

Yes, I referred Col. Biemick to this book on Burton published in 2006 after Jack Melton referenced the book on Burton to me.  Its a good book covering lots of other stuff including the initial Minie ball trials at Harper's Ferry.  I recommend it highly.

[CarlS]

Personally I'm not sure I'd want my name on the Archer shell if I was Mr. Burton.  They are so small that they had to be one of the least effective bolts and shells in that caliber.  Probably why they weren't used more.   One advantage might be that you could put more of them in the same size caisson than Reads, for example, and they might use less powder with them.  But as a collector I like them a lot and used to have a decent collection of them.

[alwion]

Thanks for posting the pic Mike. You can look at the book pages, but its alot different and easier to see the differences in the types when they are all lined up. Do you ever get complaints from the wife about dusting your collections:)  I have to dust all mine. They just don't understand.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Mike,
 Do you think any were made with wooden sabots in the early days of the war at Manassas?
John

[emike123]

I have seen a mint non dug one with a round wooden sabot with a hole in its center that went around the base knob on an Archer and beneath the lead driving band so that particular one (a forum member has it and its up to him if he chooses to post it) has both a lead and a wood sabot.  Its very cool.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Mike,
Most have probalby rotted away by now.  Burton's disign called for a wooden sabot.
John

[swest47]

Hi Pete,

Sorry, it took so long. We were both attending DIV (Diggin in Virginia) and have been out of pocket for over a week.

Brant was kind enough to say they were both found North of Shiloh on property owned by Santana Dredging. He listed the following info

The 2 groove diameter is 2.94", length is 5~11/16" and weights 5 lb 15 oz.

The 3 groove diameter is 3.22", length is 6 1/2" and weights 8 lb 14 oz.

Cheers, Scott