Item Number: A01030

Item Title: Nice Vicksburg Read Shell

Price: $325

Shipping: Not included

Provenance: CS

Type: Read Shell

Size: 3 Inch Caliber

Sabot: Copper ring

Fuse: CS Copper Time Fuse Adapter

Book:
Dickey and George (1993 Edition) Page 257
Melton and Pawl (Paperback Editon) Page 72 A-10

Location Recovered: Vicksburg Area

Description:Popular with the collectors as they are so visibly Confederate and reasonably priced this so-called Virginia pattern projectile was used extensively in the eastern theatre and somewhat in the western theatre. There are quite a few varieties but this style is the most frequently encountered. Pete George indicates that the copper fuse variety first shows in spring of 1863 so this would be an early manufactured example coming from Vicksburg and thus fired in the summer of 1863.

This example has no major pitting on the iron but shows light ground action overall. It stands straight on the very nice copper sabot which shows 7 lands-n-grooves of the ordnance rifle. The fuse is intact other than an impact area on the lip but both spanner holes are unaffected. Note that a small disarming hole is drilled in the side to keep the nice lathe dimple in the base unmolested. This is a very nice Read for the money. A little TLC would make it look even better.

The shell is inert, cleaned and coated.