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Great Britain
DIAMETER: 1.68 inches across flats, 1.82 inches outer diameter |
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| Sir Joseph Whitworth of Manchester, England, patented this Pattern I, Sub-pattern I projectile on April 23, 1855, Great Britain patent #903. His patent states, "Projectiles [are] made in a spirally shaped form, so as to fit exactly the interior of a piece of ordnance or fire-arm made of a corresponding form, thereby enabling harder metals to be used, economising the force hitherto expended in pressing the projectile into rifle grooves, and diminishing the loss by windage and friction." No battlefield recoveries of this pictured specimen are known to the authors. The use of this Whitworth sub-pattern during the American Civil War is unlikely. Note the non-tapered base which was felt to contribute to an unstable flight. As a result, the base in other Whitworth sub-patterns were tapered to correct this defect. | ||||