Also known as: Hotchkiss explosive shell.
| Class | Rifled explosive shell (Hotchkiss system) |
|---|---|
| Construction | Iron body and cup with a soft lead band, plus cavity and fuze |
| Driving system | Lead band expanded by the movable base |
Explosive Hotchkiss
The Hotchkiss shell applied the Hotchkiss system to an explosive projectile. The characteristic three-part construction, an iron body and a movable base cup with a soft lead band between them, let propellant pressure force the base forward so the lead band was squeezed out into the rifling.
As a shell it carried a cavity, bursting charge, and fuze, and it was made in the Civil War calibers of the Hotchkiss system. It is identified, like the other Hotchkiss projectiles, by the banded three-piece body.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- Hackley, Frank W. Civil War Explosive Ordnance. Revised November 10, 1960. U.S. Naval School, Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
- CivilWarArtillery.com research archive: projectile identification pages, manuals, and reports.