Any dangers with Electrolisis and a live shell?

[PCGeorge]

Dandan wrote:
> Here are some photos of the shell I cleaned -- no preservative coat applied!

Because I've used Electrolysis to clean hundreds of shells, I recognize good cleaning-work when I see it. You did a very good job, especially since it is your first try at cleaning a shell.

> What do the 3 "strikes" on the bottom mean? What sort of shell is this one? Thanks.

Your shell is definitely a US-made Parrott. It has Robert P. Parrott's brass Type 3 sabot, which made its first appearance in combat during early 1863. Your shell was fired from a "10-pounder" Parrott cannon -- which was 2.9" caliber until the 3"-caliber version was introduced into Federal service in February 1864.

Now, about what the three "strikes" on your shell's flat iron base MAY mean. It is important to remember that a Muzzle-loading artillery projecile's diameter is always a little bit smaller than the bore-diameter (called "caliber") of the cannon it was intended to be fired from. For example, the main iron body of a 2.9"-caliber Parrott cannon's shells was 2.84 to 2.88 inches in diameter. A 3.0"-caliber Parrott cannon's shells were 2.92 to 2.94 inchhes in diameter.

To diminish the possibility of confusion over such ammunition by the cannon-crew, some cylindrical projectiles were marked on their base with a number "3" to tell the caliber of cannon they were intended for. So, there is a POSSIBILITY that the three "strikes" on your shell's base represent its caliber. You'll need to extra-precisely measure the main iron body's diameter with a good set of Digital Calipers. If its diameter is greater than 2.88 inches, the three "strikes" do represent 3-inch caliber.

If you don't own (and cannot borrow) some accurate Calipers, there may be another answer. As I mentioned, Mr. Parrott's 3"-caliber rifled cannon did not get into Federal service until February 1864. If the site you found your shell at did not see any artillery action on or after that date, your shell cannot be a 3"-caliber Parrott shell.

For example, it is impossible for 3"-caliber Parrott projectiles to have been dug from Gettysburg -- despite claims by certain relic-sellers on Ebay. ;-)

Regards,
Pete [P.C. George]

[dandan]

PCGeorge... Thanks for your help, expertise, time and kind words as to the job I did on my first full shell electrolysis-cleaning! In light of what you had to say, I can most assuredly say this one was dug from an August 1863 context ruling out the possibility that the three "strikes" on the bottom could have meant 3".... so, the only thing left for me to guess would be that PERHAPS they were indicating the number of seconds on the timed fuse it contained. Perhaps I should find out approximately how many yards a 3 second timed fuse would allow for and measure it up against the context of where I found it (taking into consideration of course that this one never exploded at 3 seconds and may have overshot its mark). Thanks again!