1864 40 pounder Armstrong Gun(cannon) projectile help needed.

[sasnz]

Hi Guys and galls.

I am hoping to get a hunting this weekend in a spot where they lobbed some 40 pounder Armstrong gun rounds into a fortified area. My question to anyone who may know something on the subject is what sort of rounds would they have used, or possibly used, Soild shot or HE, the distance they fired was about 2Km away and the date would have been 1864, Any help would be much appreciated.

Also Depending on the Solid/He question if it were possible that they were using He rounds what would be the best way to deal with it should we come accross one intact. I really would love to keep such an item but really still want to return home to kiss my wife and little girl. I am figuring that someone here would be able to help. Thanks for reading.

Cheers Sasnz

 

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[RevJoel]

Regarding the HE shot...Black Powder is not something to drop your guard on. It can and often will stay explosive for a long time and there are too many horror stories about "pros" that had a shell explode when they least expect it. My advice (FWIW) is if you find a shell, usually identifyable by a fuze in the nose or the rear of conical, or anywhere on a spherical shell, mark and note it's location and call you local militray EOD unit. Don't worry about moving the shell too much though. BP is not that sensitive to shock; a spark or open flame is what will cost you lunch!

Pax Christi
Rev. Joel+

 

[sasnz]

Hi rev, Thanks for the info

I could be way off track here but thought that someone told me once that BP turned into Nitroglicerin if it was old enough, any truth to this? secondly if i found an HE round would it be ok to transport it in a car for example?

Cheers For the help Sasnz

 

[RevJoel]

Rest at ease there! Nitroglycerin is a chemical compound made from nitrating glycerin in Nitric Acid. PP is a mixture (not a compound) of Charcoal, Potassium Nitrate and Sulfur. No way it can transmute to Nitro. I would still refer to a shell as "leaverite". Leave it right there, and call EOD. Life is too short to take chances.

God bless and keep you!
Joel+

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Evening my friend: El Rev is 100% correct. BP is a curious compound. It can become quite inert if damp or wet, such as is found underground, but once dry it regains all of it's desired characteristics, especially the 'going Boom one'. Most shells of that period were of the burning rate/time activated, not impact initiated. Stilllll.

Some times just unscewing a fuse will set it off if there was a grain of powder caught in the beginning threads, rare, but has happened.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[sasnz]

thanks Don Jose de La Mancha

I have Pm'ed you.

Cheers