Birdseye
BOCN Contributor
Hi all.
I am trying to gather information on 1.65 in ammunition for the Hotchkiss Mountain Gun.
Briefly, this weapon was in service from about 1880 to about 1905 or so. It was used by State Troops (as distinct from Federal troops) for some unknown period of time.
The weapon and it's ammunition started out as friction primed rounds. That is to say that a friction primer caused flame to be introduced, past a diaphram, into the earlier shells. This, obviously, caused a discharge. Later, a percussion shell was developed for the gun and a percussion block was retrofitted in existing weapons. Around 1890 the American Ordnance Co. began producing these cannon under lisence from Hotchkiss. They saw service with various state militias and were exported to many countries.
When production was handed off, whether Hotchkiss produced these things in parallel with AOC, when and how the percussion mechanism was filtered in, when final production was, all of these things are murkey.
At the moment, I am attempting to inject some order into the chaos of the ammunition.
There are at least 3 manufacturers of either complete rounds or their components (Winchester, Frankford Arsenal and UMC). There are Casings from these three and so marked.
Note that the FA caseing is tinned. My understanding is that it is only their casings that are so treated.
As far a projectiles go, things are a bit interesting.
There are three main types.
1) base fused common
I have only seen black painted examples
Here are some examples
OK. The question is what in the wide world of sports is going on here?
Who made what, when?
All information is appreciated.
I am trying to gather information on 1.65 in ammunition for the Hotchkiss Mountain Gun.
Briefly, this weapon was in service from about 1880 to about 1905 or so. It was used by State Troops (as distinct from Federal troops) for some unknown period of time.
The weapon and it's ammunition started out as friction primed rounds. That is to say that a friction primer caused flame to be introduced, past a diaphram, into the earlier shells. This, obviously, caused a discharge. Later, a percussion shell was developed for the gun and a percussion block was retrofitted in existing weapons. Around 1890 the American Ordnance Co. began producing these cannon under lisence from Hotchkiss. They saw service with various state militias and were exported to many countries.
When production was handed off, whether Hotchkiss produced these things in parallel with AOC, when and how the percussion mechanism was filtered in, when final production was, all of these things are murkey.
At the moment, I am attempting to inject some order into the chaos of the ammunition.
There are at least 3 manufacturers of either complete rounds or their components (Winchester, Frankford Arsenal and UMC). There are Casings from these three and so marked.
Note that the FA caseing is tinned. My understanding is that it is only their casings that are so treated.
As far a projectiles go, things are a bit interesting.
There are three main types.
1) base fused common
I have only seen black painted examples
a. Cast iron (with a flat nose)
b. Hardened Steel (pointed nose)
2) Caseshotb. Hardened Steel (pointed nose)
a. Japanned tin
b. Brass round nose
3) Nose fusedb. Brass round nose
a. Wide driving band, 18mm fuse opening Red painted
b. Wide driving band, 16mm fuse opening Black painted
Both of these are completely unmarked
c. Narrow driving band, 16mm fuse opening Red painted Marked Winchester and Hotchkiss Patent date (for improvement to the driving band)
I read (gotta find the reference) that the broader band is older. b. Wide driving band, 16mm fuse opening Black painted
Both of these are completely unmarked
c. Narrow driving band, 16mm fuse opening Red painted Marked Winchester and Hotchkiss Patent date (for improvement to the driving band)
Here are some examples
OK. The question is what in the wide world of sports is going on here?
Who made what, when?
All information is appreciated.
