Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-04-09
UNCLE SANS BIG GUNS.


UNCLE SANS BIG GUNS. +
Mr.. d. Fl. Mathews, of the U. S. Navy
Department, sends us some specimens Of
copper bands around projectiles used by
the big guns he helps to make; piece /
of projectile shot through 10i inch steel. I
and a piece of nickle steel 10l inches /
thick that was shot through by inch
gun they can be seen at The HERALD
Office before we go to war in the fall
campaign, for we intend to use them on 4
Capt. Colsto. S artillery if he marches (
against our political Notifications.
The following description of guns and i
gun making by Mr.. Mathews. we know !
will be of interest to the younger read |
ers of The HERALD who have not yet
seen or heard much of war. The Older |
readers passed through such trying or
deals that their recollections and exper. |
fence will go with them to their graves. |
The inch B. L. R. marked /, breech
loading rife. is IS feet : inches long anu
weighs 1880 lbs; size of largest part is 10
inches : size at muzzle 6 in. length of
rifle feet 10 inches and 90 hundre lths
long No. rifles 80; length Of powder cham
ber2 feet in. is in. 80 hundreths in diam
eter, takes from 70 to IA of powder for
one charge, and the she'll as shot weighs
empty 80 lbs. loaded 80 pounds, takes
pounds of powder inside the shell to ex
plode it and will penetrate ms. IS hun
dredths of solid nickle steel at 500 or 600
feet from muzzle.
The 4 inch (R. FL rapid firing gun
weighs 3400 pounds. 10 feet7 ms. long
largest part Is ms. size at muzzle GIN
rifle feet in. 10 hundredths No. OF
rifles 80; length of powder chamber 25
ins. and IS hundredths and il takes from
4 in. and Q hundredths to Ain. and "A
bundredths same quantity OF powder
as the one above; shell the same AS the
one above and will pierce the same
thickness as in, marked /. The five
inch B. l.. R. marked /, the bore is IN;
weight is 6l90 lbs; total length is - leet
Sin. aud the largest part is III ins. and
at the muzzle is fins. 10 hrndredths and
the length of rifle is 10 feet ms. No. Of
rifles are 90, length of powder chamber
is % ms. and Z hundredths, and the
diam. of same is 81 ins. and the charge
of powder is from 81 to go lbs, weight of
projectile or shell is so lbs. empty and it
takes : lbs. powder to explode il and
will pierce 81 ins. solid nickle steel al
the regular testing distance which is
about 100 feet.
The inch rapid fire gun weighs 1000
lbs. total length II feet in. largest size
1871 ms; total length is 10 feet III ms.
and the lengths of rifles are ID feet Sins.
40 hundreths No. of rifles 80, each
charge of powder 2S to 80 lbs; weight Of
proJectile so lbs. empty charge of pow
der and all weighs 95 lbs; will pierce 0
in. solid nickle steel.
The in. B. l.. r marked 1 bore Q in.
weight 1915 lbs, total length Is #. Sin.
largest part 2la Tin. and at the muzzle is
OF ms. the length of rifles are II #. in.
65 hundredths No. of rifles "a; the
length of powder chamber is SO In. IS
hundredths, the diameter of same is Tin.
the charge of powder is so lbs; weight
of projectle 100 lbs. and will pierce 10
in. 81 hundredths solid nickle steel.
The in. B. L. r, marked II weight
10000 lbs; total length is IS IT. in. and
the largest diam. of rim basis is 25i in.
and greatest diam. gun body is 2li ms
total length of bore is 12 IS feet, and the
length of powder chamber is 80 20 ms.
diam. of same u in. and weight of
charge is As to As lbs. weight of proiec-
| tile 100 lbs. will pierce 1927 ms. solid
steel.
The in, marked III of 30 caliber
! weight 10000 lbs. total length l6 #. in.
greatest across rim bases "a in. and larg
est diam. gun body 204 in. size of muz-
zle o., total length of rifle bore IL fl. 81
26 in; No. of rifles "a length of powder
chamber is 80 90 in: diam. in; weight
of charge of powder A to47 lbs. Wright
of projectile is 100 lbs. and will pierce
10 81 in. solid nickle steel
The in. B. l.. R. marked III of 30
caliber weight 1854 lbs; total length
1Sft. SIM; greatest distance across rim
basis is "a in; largest part Of gun body
2O4 in; muzzle 9 in; rifle bore IA feet
0. 90 in; No. rifles, "a length of powder
chamber is 49, 80 in, diam. Tin; weight
of charge of powder Al to AZ lbs weight
of projectile 100 lbs; thickness Of steel
is 10f in.
There are 10 or II Of about the same weight
and sizes and force. for the description of
which space is wanting.
These guns are OF forged steel; some are got
ten from Mldvale-Steel Works and some from
Bethlehem Steel Works and are what we
call rough bored and turned when we get
the N that is, they have a hole bored through
them from IL TO 4 In. smaller than when I'm.
ished and from 10 in. larger on the outside
than when finished. leaving them so much
smaller on the inside and larger on the out
side is on account of them springing when be-
Ing annetled If they were not made that
way some would have 10 be condemned.
Aueu we boEe NHtfl out 70 = hnhilef thhh
when finished. Then they are put on center
and turned down TO near what they have to
be. There are large pieces which vary IN
length and thickness from TO 10 in. thick;
they are called jackets. the hoops also vary In
length from IS in. TO Is II. They are bored out
very smooth and TO a thousandth part of nm
Inch. The tube or gun is turned the size OF
the inside of these Jtckets; the jacket is heat
ed and the tube Is cooled and the jacket is put
on hot and then cooled of with water then
from the end Of the Jacket TO the muzzle Is
tlled with these hoops: they are cooled of
and the gun put back in the lathe and they
are turned down to different sizes and more
hoops put on over jacket and other hoops and
not out TO muzzle; this time the gun is put in
the machin again and then hoops and Jacket
roughed of near the size. about = in larger
than when finished; then the gun is put on
another machine and borsd out TO the finish
ed size. The reason II is not bored 10 the I'm
ish first is because in shrinking the Jackets
and hoops on them will close them some and
some times spring them little.
On top OF all there is a trunion band but this
Ic Init