3-inch Ordnance Rifle

The 3-inch Ordnance Rifle was developed by John Griffen, who aquired a patent for it in 1855. Most of these weapons were made by the Phownix Iron Company of Phoenixville, Pennsylvannia. The president of Phoenix, Samuel J. Reeves, madr improvements to the wrought iron forging and welding process and was issued his own patent in 1862.
It was also a major step forward in material, being made entirely of wrought iron. Strips of wrought iron were hammer-welded in criss-crossing spiral layers around a mandrel; this was then bored out and the finished product lathe turned into shape.
Though time consuming and expensive to produce, the result was a singularly sturdy, accurate weapon, which was superior to the 10-pounder Parrott.
The Ordnance Rifle is distinctive with its sleek lines and lack of external decoration.
Tests with four experimental wrought iron cannons in early 1861 led to their acceptance by the Federal Ordnance Department.
Over 1,000 were purchased by the North, many captured guns and their projectiles were used by the South.
At Gettysburg, 146 (41 per-cent) of Meade's guns were 3-inch Ordnance Rifles.
The 3-inch Ordnace Rifle usually fired Hotchkiss of Schenkl patented shells or case shot. It could shoot 10-pounder Parrott ammunition if necessary, and like the Parrott it was less effective with canister than a smoothbore.