EXPERIMENTAL CIVIL WAR CANNON CARTRIDGE INSERT

Description

S200S, Civil War cannons were being experimented with to convert them to breech loaders, this followed the theory that rifled cannon should be loaded from the breech, the projectile, usually a conical (explosive, or solid shot) was rammed into the newly designed breech of the muzzle loading cannon with rifling until the rotating band met the rifling, then this device loaded with smokeless powder was inserted to the breech behind the projectile and lined up with touch hole at top of breech, then breech block was locked into place, a standard lanyard triggered detonator was inserted into the cannon's touch hole. The lanyard had a metal hook, which would then attach to the ignitor and lanyard was pulled upon command which fired the cannon instantly. This was the ancestor of all breech loading cannons which followed and the principle is still used today, except that the ignitor now is a primer in the explosive shell itself. Measures 5" diameter largest point x 4.5" smallest point x 19" long, bore chamber size 1.5" (35mm), bore tapers and narrows down to the bottom of the device, providing greater strength to withstand pressures. This piece was discovered at BANNERMANS Military Surplus, in NY, in the 1960's. So much of this ordnance ended up for sale as relics of the Civil War, ship weight is a whopping 80 pounds and will have to be crated, or you may come pick it up.