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3,6,12,24,36 (caliber of guns)


Ligatorswe

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I was wondering why the sizes of the guns were like they were?

3,6,9 (8),12,18,24,32,36,42,64, 68

The sizes of the Guns seem to have been standardized. And are divisible by 3 (Except the french 8 and the 68 punder pounder)

Why?

Edited by Ligatorswe
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For France, the weight of the balls directly from the caliber.

In France, it pierces the guns as follows:

(French feet, inches, lines)

Diameter 6'3 "0l = 36-pdr

D 5'5 "4l = 24-pdr

D 4'11 "6l = 18-pdr

D 4'4 "0l = 12-pdr

D 3'9 "6l = 8-pdr

D 3'5 "2l = 6-pdr

D 3'0 "0l = 4-pdr

In mm:

D = 169 mm 36-pdr

D = 147 mm 24-pdr

D = 134 mm 18-pdr

D = 117 mm 12-pdr

D = 103 mm 8-pdr

D = 93 mm 6-pdr

D = 81 mm 4-pdr

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Same reason that 0 bore/gauge is the circumference of 1 lb of lead cast in a perfect sphere and 4 bore/guage is one quarter of that circumference and 1/4 a lb. of lead.  It just made sense to do such things back then. If you look at the list you made you will realize that each weight is either a double or addition of two of lower mass. This is very easy for people to visualize and quite similar to how one would use a scale back then.

 

A very large part of why the weight of shot was so important back then is the equation Kinetic Energy = Mass X (Velocity)^2. In the era of black powder there was a limit on velocity because black powder has a far lower pressure curve then smokeless powders. So the only other way to increase the energy of the cannon's projectile was to increase the weight of said projectile. 

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Those aren't diameters in pied, pouce and ligne... they are not consistent with the ratio of mm lengths, nor are of the correct magnitude. Can you recheck your source and update?

The 36lb should be around (ish) 6.3 pied... and 6.7" (English) but precise values may differ according to what is being reported (bore finished diameter, ball gauge (high) or ball gauge (low) or 'mean of gauges')

 

The source is normally very reliable since it is Boudriot Jean, the French reference on the subject. So I have not checked the data ...

So I look, and the values are correct.

But I did not quite reproduce the text of J. Boudriot, not in feet, inches, and lines, but inches, lines, and points. So I'm sorry ...

Accurate data:

D 6" 3l 0p = 169.181 mm = 36-pdr

D 5'' 5l 4p = 147.376 mm = 24-pdr

D 4''11l 6p = 134.217 mm = 18-pdr

D 4'' 4l 0p = 177.299 mm = 12-pdr

D 3'' 9l 6p = 102.637 mm = 8-pdr

D 3''5l 2p = 92.862 mm = 6-pdr

D 3''0l 0p = 81.207 mm = 4-pdr

-_-

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