Erzulis boat
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2005
- Messages
- 566
- Reaction score
- 78
I did a little checking in to hand mortars.
The stated purpose was to allow a soldier to propel a grenade farther than an individual could throw it. They will also be called grenade launchers in some texts.
The measured bores were in a variance between 1.72" and 3" basically. Some were configured much like a handgonne (mounted to a short shaft) and some were stocked like a period rifle.
The barrels were bronze or iron typically. Ignition was what was implemented for the current arms.
Every "major" army of the time used hand mortars in some capacity, albeit small. Historians state that the device had no real effect on a battles outcome, and they were never issued in any great numbers.
They were indeed hazardous to a degree, as the grenade was lit seperate from the means to propel it, so if the propelling ignition source failed....
As of the late 1600's there were requests to have the dishcharge of the flintlock mechanism(example) also then light the fuse of the grenade, but this technology was never implemented.
The Tower of London has 2 examples.
I am still interested in a drawing depicting the internal configuration of the barrel.
The stated purpose was to allow a soldier to propel a grenade farther than an individual could throw it. They will also be called grenade launchers in some texts.
The measured bores were in a variance between 1.72" and 3" basically. Some were configured much like a handgonne (mounted to a short shaft) and some were stocked like a period rifle.
The barrels were bronze or iron typically. Ignition was what was implemented for the current arms.
Every "major" army of the time used hand mortars in some capacity, albeit small. Historians state that the device had no real effect on a battles outcome, and they were never issued in any great numbers.
They were indeed hazardous to a degree, as the grenade was lit seperate from the means to propel it, so if the propelling ignition source failed....
As of the late 1600's there were requests to have the dishcharge of the flintlock mechanism(example) also then light the fuse of the grenade, but this technology was never implemented.
The Tower of London has 2 examples.
I am still interested in a drawing depicting the internal configuration of the barrel.
