Federal

Read
Pre-1861

DIAMETER: 4.5 inches
GUN: 4.62-inch Rifle
LENGTH: About 7 1/4 inches
WEIGHT: About 25 pounds (estimated)
CONSTRUCTION: Common Shell
SABOT: Wrought-Iron
FUZING: West Point Type Percussion, Iron

An extraordinary non-battlefield specimen.  It is probably, from its length and weight, for a rifled smoothbore, possibly an oversize 12-pounder.  For a patent drawing and information about the inventor, John B. Read, click here.