Relic Bar Shot

[Ed]

I was given this by a dealer in Virginia Beach, VA. USA. It was found, not surprisingly, on a beach locally.

Note that there is significant delamination. It has not been treated.

Current size is
11.5" long
~4" in diameter.
I estimate that the original length was ~14"

I have no doubt about the authenticity of this thing.

Age ... Well there were a lot of violent confrontations along the Eastern seaboard of the US. Pirates, Brits, the CW. I sez pick yer age and go with it.

I'd guess CW.

A note on chain and bar shot. These silly things have been reproduced in 12ga shotgun loadings. The research that I have seen suggests that both extremities of these lethal things go thru the same hole.

Here is a test ... both balls (1/2" in dia) make a hole 1" in dia.

https://youtu.be/toYywyiOBw0?t=66

[M ELEY]

Very nice find, Ed! These bar- and chain-sot are becoming harder and harder to find. Of course, one has to be careful with misidentified (i.e.dumbells!) and downright fakes (some of the sliding bar shots I've seen are modern blacksmith-crafted). I'm always in the market for these, but my wallet is usually a little too empty to afford them! I was surprised to learn over the years the smaller sizes these can run in, some of the bars not much longer than a pencil!

A question I've always had is if the bar shot and chain shot that was still around for the CW really made then? Or much like many boarding pikes, where they reused ordinance from earlier periods?

[Jim McDougall]

Thats an excellent question Capn!
It was not at all unusual for weapons and ordnance still brought into use in later wars and conflicts, and in the Civil War many weapons from Revolutionary War and War of 1812 still used. With these types of naval artillery ordnance were probably still stored in arsenals IMO.

[adrian]

My example was recovered from the wreck of the Hanover, she was a 100ft two-masted brigantine, built in 1757. On 20 November 1763 the Hanover left Lisbon, on her way to Falmouth, and on 2 December was hit by a hurricane. Of the 27 crew and just over 30 passengers it is believed that only three survived.

Its shaft is square in profile, rather than being of round bar, and ends are cylindrical, rather than spherical or semi-spherical, as is sometimes encountered.

[Rick]

These were great for cutting up your opponent's rigging when used at sea.

[M ELEY]

Incredible! Another fine example and this one with provenance! Adrian, I am green with envy! If you ever grow weary of it, remember me

[Jim McDougall]

Fascinating topic, and Capn, I can see why you've had your sights trained on acquiring examples of these.
It seems these BAR SHOT have a number of variations, which have been in use for a VERY long time. While their purpose obviously was to destroy rigging and masts as these flailed through the air and tore through these on impact.
The drawback was they were horribly inaccurate unless at close range......clearly not very aerodynamic.

This type of shot was known as 'dismantling shot' (often loosely nicknamed 'angel shot' apparently in a bizarre sense).

The 1728 edition of Ephraim Chambers encyclopedia"
"...round shot with a long spike of iron cast in it as if it went through the middle of it"
The 1743 edition revised, " two bullets or half bullets joined together by an iron bar, serving to cut down masts".
* interesting to see cannon shot referred to as 'bullets'.

While obviously intended for this use at sea, these projectiles were horrifyingly used against personnel on land as well such as against Parliamentarians in English Civil War and against Cromwell in Ireland at Seige of Clonmel 1650.

On Blackbeards 'Queen Annes Revenge' there have been 35 examples of 'dismantling shot' found thus far, of 4 varying types. Naturally it seems likely pirate vessels acquired an assortment of such armament in their 'encounters'.

The QAR images are from Queen Annes Revenge 1718.
The third from the Swedish warship Vasa, 1628.

It seems to me that much as with most artillery, guns (and certainly the projectiles and ammunition) these would be held in use for long periods. Deck guns for example might be in use for a century. As these 'dismantling shot' were somewhat troublesome perhaps their use was often deferred, and the regular shot expended as required. Possibly a reason some survived for a long time, and in some cases were among artifacts of later shipwrecks.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by adrian

My example was recovered from the wreck of the Hanover, she was a 100ft two-masted brigantine, built in 1757. On 20 November 1763 the Hanover left Lisbon, on her way to Falmouth, and on 2 December was hit by a hurricane. Of the 27 crew and just over 30 passengers it is believed that only three survived.

Its shaft is square in profile, rather than being of round bar, and ends are cylindrical, rather than spherical or semi-spherical, as is sometimes encountered.

This type of bar shot (post #4) with cylindrical heads is known as 'hammer shot' according to sources I checked.