Federal

Hotchkiss

 

 

DIAMETER: 3.73 inches
GUN: 14-pounder James rifle, 3.8-inch caliber
LENGTH: 7 1/8 inches
WEIGHT: 13 pounds 2 ounces (case-shot balls missing)
CONSTRUCTION: Case shot
SABOT: Lead band
FUZING: Zinc fuze plug, paper time fuze

C.W. Smith, G.H. Babcock, B.B. and C.A. Hotchkiss were issued a patent #38,359 on April 28, 1863, for an improvement in the Hotchkiss case-shot projectile. Their improvement consisted of an iron plate, which separated the bursting charge from the case-shot chamber. The purpose of the plate was to decrease the chances of a premature discharge during firing. In order to allow this plate to be inserted easily, the removable nose of the projectile body was developed. As a bonus, this allowed for easier loading of the bursting charge and case-shot balls. The removable nose piece has two spanner holes opposite each other near the fuze well. The removable nose is machined with fine threads that screwed to threads of the projectile body.