One of the more interesting Mansfield finds...

[emike123]

The 3.3" bolt on the left showed up at Mansfield and I Hoovered it up.  I already had the one on the right, but finding these with their sabots is very difficult.  In fact the one shown in D&G on page 140 doesn't even have its sabot.



Bottoms:

[CarlS]

Super cool and super rare.  It seems I've seen one before with a sabot but I'm not even sure of that.  Congratulations on a great acquisition.

[Dave the plumber]

                 I read the description in Pete's book. The shell has a history.....   Since it was written in 1993 [ the last century !! ], has any new info come out on it ??

[emike123]

We can be pretty sure that it is not a "Burton" as called previously because we have some of Burton's drawings now that show his projectiles resembled a cross between what we call an Archer and an Armstrong.

This 3.3" projectile was found in Fairfax, Virginia.  I used to live near there and the action up there was early war.  Others have been found in that area down to Manassas.  I am sure more will come out concerning these little devils in the future.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

U.S. Dyer bolts for the new members.
John

[emike123]

I understand the Dyer name, but for us older members, at least this one would be interested to know what Yankee guns were on the field in Fairfax, Manassas, or anywhere for that matter to fire 3.3" bolts with 12 lands and grooves.

[alwion]

very nice thanks for sharing

[joevann]

The answer to THAT question MAY be found on page 115 of "Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War" by Hazlett, Olmstead, and Parks.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Joe = Well, please tell us since we can't afford that novel.
John
Mike are you saying it is not a Dyer bolt?

[emike123]

There you go, Joe. 

I am under a restriction as to how much I can reveal at present, but what you have pointed out comes down to a short answer of "no 3.3in rifles used on the field by Yankees"  However, as your source notes, some very early 3.3in rifled tubes MAY (Joe's caps copied) have been produced North of the Mason Dixon line.

Definitely not a Burton...

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Mike,
  My references show that Dyer bolts were made in 3, 4.5, 6.4, and 7 inch diameters.
John

[joevann]

Can't quote, John.  Copyrighted material.  But apparently there are three known Parrott rifles of unknown lineage and provenance in current existence in that caliber with that rifling.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Joe, the last ref I sent you states only the Dyer calibers I quoted above were in service.  So we have additional sizes?  Oh you can quote from a book as long as you place it in quotations and site the source.
John

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Forget it.

[joevann]

I'm not on here ALL the time, but what I THINK is being said here is some guns produced in the North after the beginning of hostilities may have been used by the South, and this is a projectile from one of those guns.  Now, whether the projectile was produced in the North or South, I have no idea, but it does have a lead hollow sabot cast on the base....   If I am completely off base, someone please correct me before I make a complete fool of myself.