Question about barshot...again

M ELEY · 3rd May 2009, 08:25 AM

Thank you so much, Jim, for responding to this obscure question. Actually, as always, you did an amazing job! I hadn't thought about the rifling on the barrels starting around this period. Dunce cap for me-

The book reference you mention gets to the heart of my question. Scoffern mentions the "dumbell appearance" of the barshot, but this doesn't pin-point the type of barshot. A dumbell can have both rounded "cannon shot" ends, half shot ends or flat disc ends. Alas, the one I saw that appears like it might be barshot and of this period has the disc ends. Likewise, its bar is tubular. All of the disc-type barshot I have seen thus far have been mounted on a square bar, not rounded. So the question remains as to whether it's a real piece of artillery or just a dumbell.
Thank you for helping me close the date of when these type items became obsolete (Naval ordenance seemed to always linger long past it's time. i.e.cutlasses, pikes, etc). I might have to pick up that reference. Again, my thanks, old friend!

M ELEY · 8th May 2009, 07:48 AM

Bump...Anyone know if the barshot with two discs were made into the 19th century (I know the full round shot and half shot models were). Also, anyone see any of these barshot with disc ends with a rounded bar vs the 4-sided bar so often seen (see Chainshot thread for examples).

fernando · 7th January 2018, 11:20 AM

Hi Captain,
Can i illustrate your thread with this interesting image; in that we see that barshot was already in action during the 17th century.

(Courtesy of an email sent by Jan Piet Puype to Cathey and Rex about cutlasses)

.

M ELEY · 9th January 2018, 10:04 PM

Excellent pic, Fernando. It would be nice if it piqued a few comments again. I have learned that the barshot pictured (the type with the hockey puck-type ends ) was a French pattern, as seen on the wreck of the Mashault and others. The classic 'half spheres' were popular with British ships and the two whole spheres with square bar are used by multiple countries (Britain, the Netherlands, etc). I believe the odd wedge-shaped (door knob shaped) shot was a French pattern as well.

Wouldn't be complete without Michael's excellent thread (which we all jumped in on!

).

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=chain+shot

fernando · 10th January 2018, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M ELEY

...I have learned that the barshot pictured (the type with the hockey puck-type ends ) was a French pattern, as seen on the wreck of the Mashault and others...

Yet in the picture, barshot depicted have puck-type ends and the author of the work is Dutch

7th January 2018, 11:20 AM	#3
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi Captain, Can i illustrate your thread with this interesting image; in that we see that barshot was already in action during the 17th century. (Courtesy of an email sent by Jan Piet Puype to Cathey and Rex about cutlasses) . Attached Images

9th January 2018, 10:04 PM	#4
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,210	Excellent pic, Fernando. It would be nice if it piqued a few comments again. I have learned that the barshot pictured (the type with the hockey puck-type ends ) was a French pattern, as seen on the wreck of the Mashault and others. The classic 'half spheres' were popular with British ships and the two whole spheres with square bar are used by multiple countries (Britain, the Netherlands, etc). I believe the odd wedge-shaped (door knob shaped) shot was a French pattern as well. Wouldn't be complete without Michael's excellent thread (which we all jumped in on! ). http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=chain+shot Last edited by M ELEY; 9th January 2018 at 10:27 PM.

3rd May 2009, 08:25 AM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,210	Thank you so much, Jim, for responding to this obscure question. Actually, as always, you did an amazing job! I hadn't thought about the rifling on the barrels starting around this period. Dunce cap for me- The book reference you mention gets to the heart of my question. Scoffern mentions the "dumbell appearance" of the barshot, but this doesn't pin-point the type of barshot. A dumbell can have both rounded "cannon shot" ends, half shot ends or flat disc ends. Alas, the one I saw that appears like it might be barshot and of this period has the disc ends. Likewise, its bar is tubular. All of the disc-type barshot I have seen thus far have been mounted on a square bar, not rounded. So the question remains as to whether it's a real piece of artillery or just a dumbell. Thank you for helping me close the date of when these type items became obsolete (Naval ordenance seemed to always linger long past it's time. i.e.cutlasses, pikes, etc). I might have to pick up that reference. Again, my thanks, old friend!

8th May 2009, 07:48 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,210	Bump...Anyone know if the barshot with two discs were made into the 19th century (I know the full round shot and half shot models were). Also, anyone see any of these barshot with disc ends with a rounded bar vs the 4-sided bar so often seen (see Chainshot thread for examples).