Bormann ball with .30 caliber buckshot...

[Aquachigger]

So I'm hanging out this evening and cleaning up some of the shells I have found so far this summer and came across something a little different I thought I'd share. This is a 12pdr with a rotted out Bormann fuze (brass underplug). After flushing out the powder and giving it a good shake, I discovered it has lead balls in it. Not many, maybe a half dozen larger ones and a small handful of these .30 cal buckshot. There is no matrix present, they appeared to just be loose in there. I've never run across buckshot in a shell and was wondering if this is unusual. Also, is it ever a good idea to drill out the flush hole bigger so that the balls can be removed and oohed and aahed over? I have done this before and thought it made for a neat display, but don't want to '"ruin" this one if it's a big no-no. Thanks for checking out my post!

[Aquachigger]

Sorry for the giant picture

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Chigger,
Is that your inerting hole?
John

[Dave the plumber]

    Aquaman,     I wouldn't think the shot would have been loose in the shell mixed in with the powder, the friction and compression of the balls on black powder could have caused a premature explosion, in transport or on firing from a gun. Did you flush any powder out too ?? Any yellow sulphur matrix ??
       As for your question of a large drill hole 'ruining' the value;   actually, some people would probably like to see the shot inside, and like you say, it makes a neat display. Since it is a common 12 lb'er, I don't think it is a problem. It is now an educational piece too.  If it were some uncommon shell, I would hesitate from drilling that large a hole.     Just my two cents thoughts...

[Aquachigger]

Hey John... that is the inerting hole.  And Dave, that's half the mystery for me. I flushed out the powder with a pressure blast of water and it ran black for a bit. There was no evidence of a matrix. There might have been something in there holding them in place, but it wasn't any sort of a solid and it was easily washed away. The ball is completely empty except for the lead balls rolling around like maraca. And the little buckshot, what's up with that?

[emike123]

There were two methods of putting shot in shells.  The more common approach during our war with matrix superseded the earlier "English" method of simply mixing all the balls and powder together.  I have had Confederate Bormann shells recovered from the water around Mobile that employ the English method.

Usually as you know the shot in a Bormann ball is bigger, but some have all sorts of junk in them including spent bullets and (war crime spoiler) nails.

There is a guy here who sometimes makes bigger holes in shells and then taps them.  A cut off plug from a bolt fills the hole but is visible on close inspection and removable for further assessment.  I have had it done a couple times and its pretty nice.

[joevann]

You're liable to find anything in case shot.  I've seen several loaded with Williams cleaner bullets.  I have seen a few without matrix, but the powder was not mixed with the lead balls.  The lead balls were simply packed so tightly that they stayed in places and a cavity was drilled through them for the powder.  These were found at Sandy Hook, New Jersey (no, you can't hunt there unless you want to go to jail)  The balls were flattened on all sides by compression with partial spheres where it had been drilled (3/4" column).  I have no written period documents for this method, just my personal observation of the evidence.  If any sort of matrix had been used, it certainly wasn't evident.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

David,
Mike is correct about the English method of loading the shrapnel balls and powder together with no matrix.
and you are correct in saying that this method could cause an in-bore explosion.  This prompted Col. Boxer to invent the Boxer diaphragm shell which completely separated the shrapnel from the powder.
Cheers,
John

[Dave the plumber]

  John, what is a Boxer diaphragm shell ??   Never heard of it........