Also known as: chain shot.
| Class | Antirigging projectile |
|---|---|
| Form | Two balls or half-balls linked by a chain |
| Use | Naval; cutting masts, spars, and rigging |
Naval antirigging shot
Chain shot linked two balls, or two halves of a ball, with a length of chain. On firing, the two weights flew apart to the length of the chain and spun, so the whirling chain and balls would cut through masts, spars, and standing rigging.
It was a naval projectile meant to cripple a ship's ability to maneuver and fight. Like bar shot, it saw little use on land, where such a spreading, tumbling projectile had no comparable target.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- United States Army, Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Manual for the Use of the Officers of the United States Army. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1862.