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Plate 011 · Field Gun · Industrial

Parrott Rifle (10-pounder)

A wrought-iron-banded cast iron rifle, instantly recognizable in Civil War batteries.

Parrott Rifle (10-pounder) — Photograph by Hal Jespersen
Photograph by Hal Jespersen · CC BY 3.0View on Wikimedia Commons →

Historical Record

Provenance & Service

Designed by Robert Parker Parrott at the West Point Foundry, the Parrott rifle was distinguished by the wrought iron reinforcing band shrunk over the breech. Inexpensive to produce and accurate, Parrotts were used in calibers from 10-pounder field guns to 300-pounder siege weapons. Their reputation was tempered by an alarming tendency to burst.