The 10-pounder Parrott rifle had a bore (caliber) with a diameter of 2.9 in (74 mm) and fired a projectile weighing 9.5 lb (4.3 kg).
Its gun barrel was 74 in (188 cm) long and weighed about 890 lb (403.7 kg).
The gunpowder charge weighed 1.0 lb (0.5 kg) and fired the projectile with a muzzle velocity of 1,230 ft/s (375 m/s) to a distance of 1,850 yd (1,692 m) at 5° elevation.
The 10-pounder Parrott was manufactured with a right-hand gaining twist (increasing toward the muzzle).
The twist rate was one turn in 16 ft (4.9 m).
A smoothbore cannon's projectile typically retained only one-third of its muzzle velocity at 1,500 yd (1,372 m) and its round shot could be seen in the air.
Meanwhile, a rifled projectile generally retained two-thirds of its initial velocity at 1,500 yds.
and remained invisible in flight.
However, a rifled projectile could become visible if the shell began to tumble out of control.
Tumbling occurred when the shell failed to take the grooves inside the gun barrel or when the spin wore off in flight.
The caliber was the same as that of a smoothbore 3-pounder gun, which fired a round shot with a diameter of 2.9 inches.
Rifled projectiles were heavier than smoothbore shot because they were elongated.

The 10-pounder Parrott rifle was mounted on the standard carriage for the M1841 6-pounder field gun.
Because its projectile weighed more than a 6-pound round shot, the rifle's greater recoil could damage the trail or the cheek pieces of the carriage.
The 6-pounder carriage weighed 900 lb (408 kg).
The 10-pounder Parrott rifle fired case shot (shrapnel), shell, and canister shot.
The use of bolts (solid shot) was rare and it was generally not provided in the ammunition chests.
Firing shell without the fuse would accomplish the same result as firing a solid shot from a rifled gun.
Parrott ammunition was designed to be used.
The Parrott rifles could also fire Hotchkiss ammunition, but gunners were forbidden to use Schenkl ammunition.
One weakness of Parrott ammunition was the sabot's position at the projectile's base.
This meant that the final impulse on the shell as it left the gun was on its base, potentially causing the shell to wobble.

For two reasons, canister shot fired from rifled guns was less effective than canister fired from a 12-pounder Napoleon or a M1841 12-pounder howitzer.
First, the rifled gun's 2.9-inch or 3-inch bore was narrower than the 12-pounder's 4.62 in (117 mm) bore and could hurl fewer canister balls.
Second, the barrel's rifling caused the canister to be blasted in an irregular pattern.
Union General Henry Jackson Hunt believed that the range of canister fired from rifled guns was only half the 400 yd (366 m) effective range of canister fired from the 12-pounder Napoleon.

Federal batteries were organized with six guns of identical type early in the conflict.
Each 6-gun battery required 14 6-horse teams and seven spare horses.
The teams towed the six artillery pieces and limbers, six caissons, one battery wagon, and one traveling forge.
Each caisson carried two ammunition chests and the limber carried one additional ammunition chest.
The 10-pounder Parrott rifle carried 50 rounds in each ammunition chest.
A memo from November 1863 specified that rifled guns should have 25 shells, 20 shrapnel (case shot), and five canister rounds in each ammunition chest.
In March 1865, a memo recommended that each chest carry 30 shell, 15 shrapnel, and five canister rounds for rifled guns of the horse artillery.
The 10-pounder Parrott rifle had a bore (caliber) with a diameter of 2.9 in (74 mm) and fired a projectile weighing 9.5 lb (4.3 kg). Its gun barrel was 74 in (188 cm) long and weighed about 890 lb (403.7 kg). The gunpowder charge weighed 1.0 lb (0.5 kg) and fired the projectile with a muzzle velocity of 1,230 ft/s (375 m/s) to a distance of 1,850 yd (1,692 m) at 5° elevation. The 10-pounder Parrott was manufactured with a right-hand gaining twist (increasing toward the muzzle). The twist rate was one turn in 16 ft (4.9 m). A smoothbore cannon's projectile typically retained only one-third of its muzzle velocity at 1,500 yd (1,372 m) and its round shot could be seen in the air. Meanwhile, a rifled projectile generally retained two-thirds of its initial velocity at 1,500 yds. and remained invisible in flight. However, a rifled projectile could become visible if the shell began to tumble out of control. Tumbling occurred when the shell failed to take the grooves inside the gun barrel or when the spin wore off in flight. The caliber was the same as that of a smoothbore 3-pounder gun, which fired a round shot with a diameter of 2.9 inches. Rifled projectiles were heavier than smoothbore shot because they were elongated. 
The 10-pounder Parrott rifle was mounted on the standard carriage for the M1841 6-pounder field gun. Because its projectile weighed more than a 6-pound round shot, the rifle's greater recoil could damage the trail or the cheek pieces of the carriage. The 6-pounder carriage weighed 900 lb (408 kg). The 10-pounder Parrott rifle fired case shot (shrapnel), shell, and canister shot. The use of bolts (solid shot) was rare and it was generally not provided in the ammunition chests. Firing shell without the fuse would accomplish the same result as firing a solid shot from a rifled gun. Parrott ammunition was designed to be used. The Parrott rifles could also fire Hotchkiss ammunition, but gunners were forbidden to use Schenkl ammunition. One weakness of Parrott ammunition was the sabot's position at the projectile's base. This meant that the final impulse on the shell as it left the gun was on its base, potentially causing the shell to wobble. 
For two reasons, canister shot fired from rifled guns was less effective than canister fired from a 12-pounder Napoleon or a M1841 12-pounder howitzer. First, the rifled gun's 2.9-inch or 3-inch bore was narrower than the 12-pounder's 4.62 in (117 mm) bore and could hurl fewer canister balls. Second, the barrel's rifling caused the canister to be blasted in an irregular pattern. Union General Henry Jackson Hunt believed that the range of canister fired from rifled guns was only half the 400 yd (366 m) effective range of canister fired from the 12-pounder Napoleon.
Federal batteries were organized with six guns of identical type early in the conflict. Each 6-gun battery required 14 6-horse teams and seven spare horses. The teams towed the six artillery pieces and limbers, six caissons, one battery wagon, and one traveling forge. Each caisson carried two ammunition chests and the limber carried one additional ammunition chest. The 10-pounder Parrott rifle carried 50 rounds in each ammunition chest. A memo from November 1863 specified that rifled guns should have 25 shells, 20 shrapnel (case shot), and five canister rounds in each ammunition chest. In March 1865, a memo recommended that each chest carry 30 shell, 15 shrapnel, and five canister rounds for rifled guns of the horse artillery.
10-pounder Parrott rifle