PARROTT RIFLES

2.9-inch (10-pounder) Army Parrott rifle, Model of 1861 Nominal length (from muzzle face to rear of reinforcing band): 73 inches. Rifling: 3-groove, right hand twist. Weight: 890 pounds. The 3-inch model, introduced in late 1863 differed in having no muzzle swell. An unknown quantity, perhaps 12 or more, were bored 3.3-inch with 12-groove, right-hand rifling. These were produced during the spring and summer of 1861 for the Union Committee of the City of New York. Known survivors: 105 2.9-inch, 46 3-inch, 8 3.3-inch.

2.9-inch (10-pounder) Confederate Army Parrott rifle Nominal length: 74.5 inches. Rifling: 3-groove, right hand twist. Weight: 1,150 pounds. Note longer reinforcing band than Union version and straight taper of chase. Also made with 3-inch bore that had 12-groove, left-hand twist rifling. The front of the reinforcing band is beveled on most surviving specimens. Known survivors: 19 2.9-inch, 7 3-inch.

2.9-inch (10-pounder) Confederate Navy Parrott rifle Nominal length: 74.5 inches. Rifling: 3-groove, right-hand twist. Six of this pattern, with underlug instead of trunnions but otherwise identical to those above, were made by Tredegar Foundry. Known survivors: 2

3.67-inch (20-pounder) Army Parrott rifle, Model of 1861 Nominal length: 83.5 inches. Rifling: 5-groove, right-hand twist. Weight: 1,700 pounds. A later pattern has no muzzle swell. Known survivors: 57

Some 3.67-inch and 4.2-inch Army Parrott rifles were converted for Navy use aboard ships by machining the knobs to accept wrought-iron shackles.

3.67-inch (20-pounder) Confederate Army Parrott rifle Nominal length: 83.5 inches. Rifling: 5-groove, right-hand twist. Weight: 1,860 pounds. Except for the length of the reinforcing band, very similar to Union Army version. Note that chase does not have straight taper like other Confederate Parrott rifles. Known survivors: 17

3.67-inch (20-pounder) Navy Parrott rifle Nominal length: 83.5 inches. Rifling: 5-groove, right-hand twist. Weight: 1,750 pounds. Differs from Army version in having more hemispherical breech and breeching jaws instead of knob. Know survivors: 78

Illustrated here is the typical manner in which U.S. Navy Parrott rifles had their foundry initials, Registry Numbers and weights marked near the rear of the reinforcing band. Clockwise from 10 o'clock: initials of Robert Parker Parrott, owner of West Point Foundry; Registry Number; weight of tube.

4.2-inch (30-pounder) Army Parrott rifle, Model of 1861 Nominal length: 126 inches. Rifling: 5-groove, right-hand twist. Weight: 4,200 pounds. Early versions had muzzle swell, later versions did not. Known survivors: 198

4.2-inch Army Parrott rifle muzzle face markings. The illustrated muzzle markings are typical for all Army Parrott rifles made after late 1862.

4.2-inch (30-pounder) Confederate Parrott rifle Nominal length: 132 inches. Rifling: 5-groove, right-hand twist. Weight: 4,700 pounds. Reinforcing band and chase longer than Union version. All had muzzle swell. Known survivors: 3

4.2-inch (30-pounder) Navy Parrott rifle Nominal length: 102 inches. Rifling: 5-groove, right-hand twist. 24 inches shorter than the Army pattern and weighing 3,500 pounds. Early version had muzzle swell, later versions did not. Known survivors: 74

4.2inch experimental Army Parrott rifle Nominal length: 125.1 inches. Rifling: 5-groove right hand twist. Weight: 3,610 pounds. Only known survivor of five made in 1864 to fit the same carriage as the 4.5-inch Ordnance Rifle.