This Dyer example has four flame grooves cast into the lead sabot, note the
lubrication groove above the sabot. Often the lead sabot of the 3-inch Dyer projectile
became separated during firing. According to a letter found in the National Archives
written by Major J.G. Benton to General Alexander B. Dyer and dated October 28, 1864, this
problem was corrected: "...the old cups can be easily removed and good ones put on at
a cost to the Government of 15 cents. There are about 55,000 of these projectiles at this
Arsenal and I think that they can be made serviceable by Mr. Taylor's plan...Forty
projectiles arranged in this way were fired without a single failure or detachment of the
sabot." This specimen was picked up on the 1863 Gettysburg battlefield in
Pennsylvania.
