Here is an excavated Civil War field artillery projectile in very good original condition known to collectors as a 3” Ordnance Rifle Type 1 Dyer shell. Once part of renowned collector Mac Mason’s private collection, this type shell appeared in the fall of 1861. Exterior surface has a handwritten ID in old white paint that reads “C.S. (within an oval) / 3 PnDR / SHELL / FOUND / FT MAGRUDER / NOV 1964.”

The cylindrical-shaped projectile measures 6½” high, has a base diameter of 2.95” and weighs 8 pounds. Shell, constructed of cast iron, is an excavated specimen that features a rounded nose, no bourrelets on the body and an excellent Dyer zinc time fuse adapter screwed into the nose. The projectile is in very good, strong dug condition. Entire surface body of the shell exhibits very light surface pitting and has been cleaned and coated with a clear material some time ago. Surface wears a pleasing brown color.

Fuse opening still holds the Dyer zinc time adapter tightly in place. Missing is lead sabot at the shell’s rounded, single-step-down base. This Dyer shell was designed to be fired from a 3” iron rifle (ordnance rifle). U.S. government wartime projectile purchase records indicate that over 110,000 such Dyer rounds were bought but very few have turned up on Civil War battlefields.

This “Dyer” projectile specimen from Mac Mason’s personal collection is in fine excavated pieces.  [RA]

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