Port Hudson shell ID please...

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

When I look at the base of this ribbed Sawyer I do not see any iron ribs beneath the lead ribs.  Anyone else?   
Regards,
John

[Pete George]

 When the shell version of Sawyer projectile was manufactured, the lead jacket covered the shell's iron body completely.  So, it's normal to not be able to see any iron on an unfired Sawyer shell. The iron is only visible when the lead jacket got torn off by the shell's impact into the ground, or somebody cut it off.

  I specified "shell version" in the above statement because the curved top of the Bolt version of Sawyer was not covered by the lead jacket.

Regards,
Pete

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Dear Pete,
   I am looking at the iron base, looking between the ribs the lead jacket clearly touches the shell sides., so does the lead ribs.  I wonder why I can't see the bottom of the iron rib as well as the  iron shell base?
Regards,
John

[Pete George]

  The photo you posted is the bottom of the shell's lead jacket, which covered the ENTIRE shell-body, including every part of the iron flanges/ribs and shell-base. The weight-markings on the 4.2"-caliber shell Sawyer in the photo are stamped into the lead jacket's bottom.

  The photo below shows the bottom of a 5"-caliber Flanged Sawyer shell, with part of the lead jacket torn off the base, revealing the iron shell-body under the lead jacket. Note that where the lead jacket is not torn off, the flanges/ribs are entirely hidden by the lead. If this photo isn't large enough for you to see clearly, you can view it in the Ridgeway Archive's photos of the 5"-caliber Flanged Sawyer (shell #A2524) at the following link (click on the photos there to see an enlarged version): http://www.relicman.com/artillery/zArchiveArt.Sawyer.00.htm

Regards,
Pete

[redbob]

I have a Sawyer shell that has the entire lead covering stripped off and it has all of it's iron ribs intact.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Dear Pete,
   Yes I can see the iron rib now.  So you think my posted example also has the lead covering the base?  John

[Pete George]

John D. Bartleson Jr. wrote:
> So you think my posted example also has the lead covering the base?

  Yes. In my previous reply, I said "The photo you posted is the bottom of the shell's lead jacket, which covered the ENTIRE shell-body, including every part of the iron flanges/ribs and shell-base."

Regards,
Pete

[CarlS]

For further support regarding the lead on the bottom discussion, you can clearly see the layer of lead across the bottom of this flanged Sawyer shell base fragment in the first and second images of:
      http://www.bulletandshell.com/Items/item.php?id=F00012
You can also make out the iron portion of the rib in the bottom image as the lead was stripped away on detonation from the side.  Only the lead on the bottom is present on this cool frag.  For those interested, this frag is on our sales site and an incredibly good priced fragment from Port Hudson which could be yours!   

[misipirelichtr]

here's the same type Sawyer shell, also from Port Hudson, as Aquachigger originally posted.  You can clearly see the hack marks down the side of the lead, and with shell in hand, it is clear some of the lead was cut/peeled from the base and lower third of the shell.  The Confederate defenders of Port Hudson were doing everything they could to keep bullets in their cartridge pouches, and this shell is evidence to that effect

[joevann]

John, there is little doubt that you are looking at a lead covering on the base of the shell in your photograph.  Iron just doesn't scratch, dent, and stamp that easy.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Yep...