CANNON QUESTION

[Doc Ivory]

Its my understanding (rookie at best) that cannon barrels weren't rifled till about mid American civil war.
Is that true? I would have thought someone, somewhere would have tinkered with rifling a barrel when rifling for pistols
and shoulder arms became more the norm.

Perhaps, it was commercial contracts for rifled cannon barrels didn't arrive till th3e mid civil war.

Thanks gents,

-Doc

 

[Ponderosaman]

Its my understanding (rookie at best) that cannon barrels weren't rifled till about mid American civil war.
Is that true? I would have thought someone, somewhere would have tinkered with rifling a barrel when rifling for pistols
and shoulder arms became more the norm.

Perhaps, it was commercial contracts for rifled cannon barrels didn't arrive till th3e mid civil war.

Thanks gents,

-Doc

Disclaimer, I don't know anything about cannons, but wonder if using steel/iron balls would be the reason for not rifling a cannon. Lead will deform relatively easily, therefore allowing it to track in the rifling grooves.

 

[andy52]

I guess one could look at rifles of the time as an example. Muskets were faster to load than rifles. Bullets vs round balls didn't come into play much before the civil war. So the advent of an elongated
projectile that requires a rifled bore to stabilize probably was the answer.

 

[Dismount]

Its my understanding (rookie at best) that cannon barrels weren't rifled till about mid American civil war.
Is that true? I would have thought someone, somewhere would have tinkered with rifling a barrel when rifling for pistols
and shoulder arms became more the norm.

Perhaps, it was commercial contracts for rifled cannon barrels didn't arrive till th3e mid civil war.

Thanks gents,

-Doc

 

[Dismount]

Only when they developed copper or lead rings, sabots, incorporated onto a pointed shell did they start rifiling artillery

 

[ghostdncr]

Another amateur here, but I would expect rifled artillery really gained traction alongside the implementation of breechloaders. You guys know how difficult it can be engraving rifling into a little rifle ball in some cases, right? Imagine the force required to engrave an artillery projectile if loading from the muzzle!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Loading speed was often the deciding factor in cannon warfare. Projectiles were made of iron and sometimes stone. Loading something like that could be near impossible. I sold my copy of 'Round shot and Rammers' to someone here. I'll betcha it discusses this subject.