"James Rifles" Topic

I know that old 6-pounder guns were rifled to take the 12-pound James ammo, but weren't there also some purpose-made James Rifles? 12-pounders, but also heavier? Can someone line to pictures(s)?

James Rifle

The Wiki article contains pics of both types of guns.

Also this is pretty good:

link

There is often confusion as to what is a "James Rifle". Even before the war there were 6 pound smoothbores (3.67") that were rifled to increase the number of rifled field pieces. These are identified as "Rifled 6 pounders".

James Rifles were the Type I which was the same pattern as the 6 pound bronze smoothbore which was reamed out to 3.80" and then rifling grooves added. They look identical to the rifled 6 pounders, but would fire a 14 lb round.

These were followed by a the Type II (series 1-4) which had the sleek "dolphin" shape very similar to the 3" Ordnance rifle. This would be the more recognized 14 LB James Rifle.

A handful of Type III steel rifles where also made as well as perhaps 6 Rifled 12 pounders (from Napoleons) that would fire a 24 LB shell.

No James rifles were manufactured after 1862. Charles T. James was killed in a manufacturing accident in 1862.

Ames Mfg actually made the guns, not James who only designed the shells for them.

Kim

Thanks, both of you!

What about larger ones? I've seen reference to such being used against Fort Pulaski, as well as Parrotts.

What Kim said. It basically boils down to this:

M1841 6 lb. guns rifled to fire James projectiles, but left in their original 3.67" bore.

M1841 6 lb. guns re-bored to 3.80", and then rifled to the James system. These are what modern historians call the Type 1.

Purposely cast 3.80" bored rifles with the James system. These have the smooth, ordnance rifle profiles. They look like bronze 3" Ordnance Rifles. These are now called Type 2.

The funny, and annoying, thing is that the Ordnance Department did not differentiate between the "Type 1 and Type 2" in the Ordnance Reports. They just lumped all 3.80" James rifles in the same category, regardless of original M1841 tubes or the newly cast tubes. After all, they both use the same ammunition. You would have to find mentions in other unit reports, or unit histories for references such as "improved James rifles".

Don,

Go to the bottom of this link

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Old 24, 32 and 42 pound smoothbore siege artillery pieces were rifled to double the weight of the projectile with increased range using the James pattern shot and shell.

I have been to Ft Pulaski and know that the walls were easily breeched near the magazine which forced the commander to surrender. Rifled siege guns pretty much made all the brick forts James Madison commissioned obsolete.

The only southern brick fort to not be damaged during the war was the Fort Jefferson on the Dry Tortugas off Key West.

As new iron rifled siege guns were produced the old bronze rifled guns were removed from service.

Kim

Kim and Cleburne, good work.

Thanks, Kim. I guess i didn't go down that far the first time.

I wonder if the "42 lb Army riles" found on the Cairo class ironclads were James rifles? I know they were rifled smoothbore artillery pieces, but haven't seen a reference to what the smoothbore pundage was before being rebored.

I assume they were 42-pounder smoothbores that were rifled, and after the links here, assume for James ammo.

Initially all the City Class "Eads" gunboats were equiped with whatever was available, including old 42lb smoothbores that were rifled. As newer guns became available each of the ships would be upgraded individually with more modern rifles or larger smoothbore guns. Some ships had up to 3 upgrades during the war from their initial armament.

link

Kim