| 14-pounder James rifle | |
|---|---|
.jpg) 14-pounder James rifle (Type 2) at Manassas National Battlefield Park | |
| Type | Rifled cannon |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1861–1865 |
| Used by | United States |
| Wars | American Civil War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Ames Manufacturing Company |
| Produced | 1861 |
| Variants | Type 1 and Type 2 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | Type 1: 880 lb (399.2 kg) Type 2: 918 lb (416.4 kg) |
| Length | Type 1: 60 in (152 cm) Type 2: 69.75 in (177 cm) |
| Crew | 9 |
| Shell weight | 14 lb (6.4 kg) shot 0.75 lb (0.3 kg) charge |
| Caliber | 3.82 in (97 mm) |
| Barrels | 1 |
| Action | Muzzle loading |
| Carriage | 900 lb (408.2 kg) |
| Effective firing range | Schenkl: 1,700 yd (1,600 m) Hotchkiss: 1,530 yd (1,400 m) at 5° elevation |
The 14-pounder James rifle or James rifled 6-pounder or 3.8-inch James rifle was a bronze muzzle-loading rifled cannon that was employed by the United States Army and the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fired a 14 lb (6.4 kg) solid shot up to a distance of 1,530 yd (1,400 m) at 5° elevation. It could also fire canister shot and common shell. Shortly before the war broke out, the U.S. Army adopted a plan to convert M1841 6-pounder field guns from smoothbore to rifled artillery. Rifling the existing 6-pounders would both improve the gun's accuracy and increase the weight of the shell (by elongating the round). There were two major types produced, both were bronze with a bore (caliber) of 3.8 in (97 mm) that would accommodate ammunition designed by Charles Tillinghast James. The first type looked exactly like an M1841 6-pounder field gun. The second type had a longer tube with a smooth exterior profile similar to a 3-inch Ordnance rifle. At first the rifles were quite accurate. However, it was discovered that the bronze rifling quickly wore out and accuracy declined. None of the rifles were manufactured after 1862, and many were withdrawn from service, though some artillery units employed the guns until the end of the war.