3-Inch Ordnance Rifle in Beaufort, North Carolina
US Army 3-Inch Ordnance Rifle converted to a saluting gun is displayed in Beaufort, North Carolina
A US Army 3-Inch Ordnance Rifle, Number 787, which was originally manufactured as a standard muzzle loader in 1864 at the Phoenix Iron Company, is displayed outside the Carteret County Courthouse in Beaufort, North Carolina
Number 787 was one of about 200 of the type converted around 1903 into saluting guns. The original breech was cut off of the tube, a steel sleeve sized to accept a 6-pounder saluting charge cartridge case was inserted into the breech and a very simple sliding breech block was installed. They were mounted on a pedestal similar to small naval guns of the period. It should be noted that Number 787 is reversed on its pedestal.
Hazlett et al. pictures Number 787 as well on page 129.
According to Williford, the US Army converted these guns to replace old muzzle loaders in use as saluting guns on army installations. The old muzzle loaders had been the source of a number of accidents in recent years.
A quick look at the registry shows around 50 surviving 3-Inch Ordnance Rifles are these salute gun conversions (out of a total of over 500 known survivors).
An unmodified Ordnance Rifle at Petersburg National Battlefield shows the original appearance of Number 787.
The sliding breech block of Number 787
The left side of the breech of Number 787
