10-pounder Parrot field rifle - Model 1861

The Parrott rifles were patented in 1861, by Robert P. Parrott and cast by him as superintendant of the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York. They werew not the best rifles put into service but they were available, inexpensive, and accurate. The Confederacy even went so far as to produce their own copies.
The Parrotts are easily identified by the wrought iron reinforcing band around the breech. Although there were several other types of cannon with similar reinforces (Wiards, Brookes, and British imports like the various models of Blakelys) the Parrott was by far the most common.
Parrott's band was made by winding a bar or iron around a form or mandrek and the hammering it until it welded solid. What Parrott claimed as new was his method of attaching the band. While hot, it was forced onto ther breech of the tube that was being water-cooled on the inside. The band greatly increased the strength of the breech, but many Parrott rifles burst in front of the band.

10-pounder Parrott Field Rifle, Model 1863

The 10-pounder, Model 1861, has a bore diameter of 2.9 inches while the 10-pounder, Model 1863 has a 3.0-ich bore. The bore was increased to make its ammunition consistent with that of the new 3-inch ordnance rifle.
Ammunition made for the latter model could not be used in the Model 1861. However, the reverse situation was possible. The two guns are readliy identified by the lack of muzzle swell on the Model 1863.
A Solid iron bolt was produced to be fired by Parrott field rifles, but the most common ammunition fired was shell and case. Canister was always to be found in the chests, but when fired from the rifles it was not as effective as when fired from a smoothbore. The rifled barrel tended to throw the canister balls into an erratic, spiralled pattern.