hink441 Posted April 18, 2020 Share #1 Posted April 18, 2020 I recently obtained this mortar shell. I believe it is a 9 mortar shell. It has a 28 circumference and weighs around 70 pounds. I am unsure of the two holes for two fuses?? Anyone know why there are two holes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted April 18, 2020 Author Share #2 Posted April 18, 2020 Close up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted April 18, 2020 Share #3 Posted April 18, 2020 Is the smaller hole threaded? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted April 18, 2020 Author Share #4 Posted April 18, 2020 Yes the smaller hole is also threaded. Chric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus5150 Posted April 19, 2020 Share #5 Posted April 19, 2020 Never seen one like that before. Both holes seem to have matching "patina", so maybe period modification rather than a disarming/flushing hole. Could be a naval time-fuzed shell modified to accept a Schenkl-type percussion fuze component as a backup? It's got me scratching my head... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted April 20, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted April 20, 2020 I think it might be a shell for a 9 Dahlgren Naval gun. Seems to match from the info I have found on the Dahlgren guns. Still have not found one with a double fuse. I have seen the triple fuse used on the larger Navy guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collector Posted April 20, 2020 Share #7 Posted April 20, 2020 Is the bigger hole where they would stuff the powder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted April 20, 2020 Author Share #8 Posted April 20, 2020 Yes I believe the powder was filled through the bigger hole and a fuse was then inserted. This one has an extra smaller hole that I cant figure out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illinigander Posted April 20, 2020 Share #9 Posted April 20, 2020 There was no nine-inch mortar round in US CW service. If you put your finger into the fuze hole, the large one , you will feel the case wall is quite thick compared to a mortar round. I wonder if the second is not some later addition? Illinigander Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 21, 2020 Share #10 Posted April 21, 2020 What ever it is it’s very cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted April 21, 2020 Author Share #11 Posted April 21, 2020 There was no nine-inch mortar round in US CW service. If you put your finger into the fuze hole, the large one , you will feel the case wall is quite thick compared to a mortar round. I wonder if the second is not some later addition? Illinigander Yes I agree. I have learned that the 9 inch shell was probably a Dahlgren gun. The wall thickness is very close to two inches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus5150 Posted April 23, 2020 Share #12 Posted April 23, 2020 9" Federal Dahlgren smoothbore shell. I checked with my copy of Dickey and George's Field Artillery Projectiles of the Civil War and found this. Note the threaded 5/8" hole for powder loading. Nice shell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share #13 Posted April 23, 2020 Thank you for the great info. I also found this info in Jake Bells book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted April 28, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted April 28, 2020 Apparently this is a somewhat rarer shell. According to Jake Bell’s book he lists less than ten known to exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdk0911 Posted April 28, 2020 Share #15 Posted April 28, 2020 very cool shell and super find!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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