The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1891-01-10
TREMENDOUS RAPID FIRING.
A Six Inch Gun Pours Out Shot After
Shot at Enormous Speed.


Shot at Enormous Speed.
Some important experiments were car
ried out at the artillery range of Sir w.
q. Armstrong, Mitchell s. Co. The
principal object of trial was six inch
quick firing gun of 40 caibers of length
on mounting of new design, specially
arranged to be suitable for either tho
upper decks or the between deck bat
teries of our new cruisers. Another
feature of this trial was the use of cord
ite, tho new smokeless gunpowder,
which has been tho subject of extensive
trial during tho last twelve months and
seems likely to make complete revolu-
tion in artillery warfare. Tho proof of
this gun was carried out by the Wool
wich authorities at Silloth, when the
remarkable velocity of 2,6C9 f. 8. was
obtained with q charge of cordite pow
der.
The programme began by firing five
rounds with q charge of z x L powder
and service projectile for rapidity Tho
total time of firing these five rounds was
sixty-one seconds. Tho same experiment
was then carried out with charge of
cordite, but after three rounds the firing
was stopped for a few minutes to remove
a burr in the threads of tho breech ac-
tion, caused by sand getting into the
gun. The first three rounds of this series
were fired in twenty-four seconds, and
the second two in fifteen seconds. Five
rounds were then fired with E X E
powder (non-smokeless) and service pro-
jectile at a target which consisted of two
casks lashed together with q flag above
them, at 900 yards range.
There being no wind the smoke hung
a great deal, and the firing was there
fore directed by an observer who stood
clear of tho smoke. The five rounds
were fired in sixty-one seconds, the tar
get being struck twice, the other three
shots just missing.
To show tho advantage of cordite over
the E X E powder five rounds were then
fired with the former at the same target,
the flag and staff of which still remained
upright, as the tide being low the target
rested ON sand. 1t was found quite feas-
ible to fire with the utmost rapidity, and
yet, on account of the smokeless quality
of the powder, to aim each shot deliber-
ately. The result was that out of the
five shots the target was actually struck
four times (Which completely destroyed
the casks and perforated the flag several
times), and the last shot was only five
yards short; and these five rounds with
the above remarkable accuracy were got
off in tho surprisingly short time of fifty
five seconds.
Five rounds with Il X E were now
fired, changing from one target to an
other, three targets being placed at
ranges 900, 1,400 and 1880 yards, and
spread out so that the gun had to be
traversed through u considerable arc of
training i'll going from one to the other.
Tho results were as follows: 1, 800 yards,
hit target; 2, 900 yards, hit target; 8,
1,4OO yards, fifty yards over; 4, 1,4OO
yards, hit target; 5, 1900 yards, hit tar
get, cutting flagstaff.
The total time of these five rounds
was 8 minutes and 43 seconds, but
few seconds delay was occasioned
by the cap of u cartridge case, which
was only temporarily secured for these
experiments, falling off in the gun
during loading, which necessitated re-
loading. Five rounds of cordite, under
similar conditions to the last series, were
now fired at the 900 and 1,40O yards tar
gets, the 300 yards one being no longer
visible. The results were as follows:
l, 800 yards, hit target; g, 900 yards, hit
target, cutting flagstaff; 8, 1,4OO yards,
ten yards over; 4, 1,4OO yards, five yards
over; 5, 1,4Oo yards, twenty yards over.
The total time for these five rounds was
minute 81 seconds.
The gun was then fired with degs.,
10 degs., 12 degs., IS degs. and go degs.
elevation, with charges of Exc and
cordite, to test the mounting, and except
for a little difficulty i'll running out when
at 30 degs. elevation everything went
perfectly.-London Times.