The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-01-12
LIFE OF MODERN GUNS
Slight Deterioration In Ordnance Re-
sulting from War.
The Mistaken Idea That the Great
Cannon Are Worn Out After Be-
ing Discharged One Hun
area Times.

partment, who has considered all the
reports Of the ordnance officers on
board the vessels engaged in the re-
, cent war, spoke freely and in an in
teresting way when asked to say what
is "the life of a gun" as now understood
in the navy, and what points were in
dicated by the practice of the modern
guns in the course Of the months of the
Spanish war.
THE life of q gun," said he, sis a very
uncertain period to determine just now.
There never was any ground for assert
ing that guns life was limited TO 100
discharges from it, for at any time
there would be differences in the weight
of powder used in discharge, and, Of
course, differences in the effects OF
charges of different weights of powder.
From the experience of the last sum
mer in the navy, and in the use of our
modern guns, it may be said that an
inappreciable amount of deterioration
has been discovered in the pieces of ali
Calibers. There has been no thought OF
withdrawing any gun because it had
been fred a stated number of times and
should therefore be regarded as un-
safe to use. Trihing erosion has been
noticed in the rifing at the breech, but
not enough to impair the efficiency of
the piece, and no indication Of strain
to suggest that it would be unsafe long.
er to use it.
ITO show you how mistaken any
popular idea Is that the gun is worn
out or dangerous at the one hundredth
discharge l may say that some of the
largest guns, l3-inch, and 12-inch. have
been fired as many as 300 times, in prac-
tice and in action. yet they are just as
sound. practically, as they were when
they were brought out of the gun fac
tory. OF course the smaller pieces
many of them have fired two or three
times 300 rounds, and they are still
sound and free from serious impair
ment from erosion. This erosion is
caused by the effects of gas developed
in the powder chamber at the time OF
the discharge, and is shown in slight
scratches at first, then in deeper chan
nels about the rifing. and eventually it
might SO destroy the riding as to i'm.
pair the accuracy of the piece in action
without endangering life from bursting
OF the piece. That danger is very re-
mote with all the guns now in use in the
navy.
I'm the British navy, where cordite is
used, the destruction of the core of the
gun by erosion is much more rapid than
it is with the guns in the United States
navy, which have been using old pow.
der until now. The use of smokeless
powder may wear the guns more quick
ly, but that is to be ascertained. But
in the British navy the precaution is
taken to make the guns SO that their
life may be indefinitely prolonged.
This is done by building the guns with
a core that is to be bored out when the
erosion has been so great as to indicate
the necessity for replacing the core, and
a new core is put in to secure accuracy
and assure the proper resistance.
Lieut.. Col. Shaler, of the ordnance de.
partment Office of the war department,
said that 1t would be difficult to say
what the life of the modern guns of the
army will be, as the army has not had
the opportunity to put the new guns to
business tests to ascertain their long
evity.
"The old cast-iron guns, it was the
tradition, were unfit for further use
after about 100 discharges. Then it de.
pended upon the weight of powder
charges used whether the life was to be
shorter OF. longer. The guns now pro-
vided for the army are much more dura-
BILE and capable of resisting destructive
influences than the old ordnance. Iun.
derstand that in the British army the
calculationis that modern guns of large
calibers are only used for about 100
rounds as they are built. The rapid
erosion Of the piece by the cordite used
in that service deprives the gun of its
efficiency, without, l should say, max.
Ing it dangerous to those who might
use it. To protect the piece from the
erosion the core is made with the idea
that it shall be bored out when the
erosion is so great as to indicate the
need for a renewal of the part, and thus
suppose the life of the gun may be
prolonged indefinitely. With the eight.
inch gun the limit of usefulness is con.
sidered passed when 25O rounds have
been fired from it.
There is small danger Of accident
from the bursting Of guns from over
use. The strains are observed, and
when the channels Of erosion become
we'll marked the gun would be with
drawn. The probability is that most Of
the guns now in use or in position to be
used will be withdrawn because they
have become obsolete or out Of the
fashion, rather than because they have
become worn out by service. At the
close Of the war of the rebellion we con-
sidered our ordnance as good as any
thing in the world. Now it is compare
lively harmless, fit only to adorn grave
yards and to be set up here and there
to protect positions that can never be
reached by ships carrying heavy or