ARSENAL ARTILLERY CANNISTER SHOT TONGS
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THIS OFFERING IS FOR A PAIR OF FORGED IRON TONGS CRAFTED TO TRANSFER HOT CAST IRON ARTILLERY CANNISTER SHOT WHEN RELEASED FROM THE MOLD TO A WOODEN BUCKET OF WATER TO BE COOLED AND ANNEALED. FORGED TONGS OF THIS TYPE WERE IN USE FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR THROUGH THE EARLY YEARS OF THE CIVIL WAR. THE JAWS OF THE TONGS ARE HOLLOWED OUT ON BOTH JAWS MUCH LIKE A BULLET MOLD. THE HOLLOWED AREA MEASURES .750 WHICH WOULD ACCOMMODATE THE CONFEDERATE IRON CANNISTER SHOT OF .687 OR THE LEAD CASE SHOT OF .690. THE JAWS DO NOT MEET WHEN CLOSED SINCE THEY WERE INTENDED TO REMAIN PARALLEL WHEN GRIPPING THE SHOT. THE SHOT SIZE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE 12 OR 24 POUNDER CANNISTER EACH OF WHICH CONTAINED 48 IRON SHOT. ONCE COOLED WHEN REMOVED FROM THE MOLD, THE SHOT IS PACKED IN A WOODEN CRATE AND SHIPPED TO THE ARSENAL W THE CANNISTER IS ASSEMBLED. I WOULD JUDGE THESE TO BE CONFEDERATE BY THE CALIBER THEY WERE INTENDED TO HANDLE AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE TONGS WERE CONSTRUCTED. OVERALL LENGTH OF THE TONGS IS 14 INCHES AND PACKAGED WEIGHT WILL BE 2 LBS. A FAIRLY RARE IMPLEMENT OF THE ARSENAL NECESSARY TO THE HANDLING OF THE INCALCULABLE NUMBERS OF CANNISTER SHOT BEING MOLDED. CONDITION IS EXCELLENT WITH BUT A LITTLE PLAY BETWEEN THE JAWS BOTH FROM AGE AND HEAVY USE. NO RESERVE FOR THIS RARITY
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