Parrot+Rifle

=Parrot Rifle=

an HMS American Cultures collaborative production
Christian Faust To start the Parrot Rifle was a type of [|muzzle loading] rifled artillery [|weapon] used extensively in the American Civil War. It was invented by [|Robert Parker Parrott] who was a [|West Point]graduate. He created the first Parrott Rifle in 1860. Parrott Rifles were manufactured with a combination of cast and wrought iron. The cast iron was made for an accurate gun, but was brittle enough to suffer fractures. Hence, a large wrought iron reinforcing band was overlaid on the breech to give it additional strength to it's fire power. There were other cannons in the civil war that were designed almost the same way as the Parrott Rifle. Parrott Rifles were made in different sizes for 10 pounders up to the rare 300 pounders. Then while in the field both armies were using the 10 pounders and the 20 pounders. The barrell of the cannon alone weighed over 1,800 pounds and it came in two different sizes such as the 2.9 inch which was 74 milimeters and the 3.0 inch which was 76 milimeters. Then by the end of the Civil War both sides were using this unique piece of Civil War Artillery.


 * 1) [|The Encyclopedia of Civil War Artillery: Projection Tables], citing "The Confederate Ordnance Manual". Accessed May 26, 2009.