Confederate 3-Inch Broun Shell with Half Inch Bourrelet +++ Peter George Collection +++
SOLD
FROM THE PETER GEORGE COLLECTION
Item: Confederate 3-Inch Broun Shell with Half Inch Bourrelet.
Construction: Cast iron with thin copper band sabot (mostly missing).
Fuzing: Wood fuze plug/adaptor for paper time fuze.
Approximate size: Weight: 7 pounds. Diameter: 2.94 inches. Length: 7.5 inches.
Condition: Good, fired, excavated. The shell's body is smooth with very little pitting. The wood fuse adaptor is present and appears complete. Only a small portion of the sabot remains (see comments below). This shell has been very lightly clear coated, professionally deactivated, and has not been repaired.
Recovered: Petersburg, VA area.
Comments: In a conversation with Peter George, co-author of "Field Artillery Projectiles of the American Civil War", it was mentioned that the missing sabot portion allows for the visibility of two of the three indentions in the base. The sabot was manufactured with three large "L" shaped integral tabs which fit directly into the indentions. These large tabs were a late war improvement of the sabot which had previously been manufactured narrower slot tabs. The remaining portion of the sabot on this shell is connected by a tab to one of the indentions.
On page 132 in the 1993 edition of the above mentioned book the authors write: "Captain William LeRoy Broun, commanding the Richmond Arsenal, patented his 3" Rifle projectile in April 1864. The nose is blunter to increase its wind resistance, which it was thought would help stabilize the flight of heavy-based shells. The Confederates later adopted this principle for their 20- & 30-Pdr. Parrott Rifle rounds. He dispensed with the usual body ring above the base, making the sabot wider in diameter to act as the lower bourrelet. Two saw-cuts were added for flame grooves. The Broun projectile's first appearance is at 2nd Cold Harbor, Virginia, May 1864."
This Confederate Broun shell will be an excellent addition to any excavated Civil War artillery or general relic collection.
- Product Code:
- PC9978
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