???s on breach pressure in cannons

[Will Bison]

Hey, has anyone ever hooked up a copper/lead crusher or a strain guage on a cannon? I have all these ordnance books in my library and I can tell you all about a 16 inch Naval gun or a 105 howitzer but I don't know squat about ML cannons.

I'd be particularly interested in seeing a pressure curve on a typical round ball, black powder cannon.

And while I'm thinking about it, have any of you put your gun over a "clock"? I never tried it because I see some potential for disaster and I'd rather not have my chrony hors 'd combat.

[Double D]

I believe if you contact Matthew Switlik you can get more information  on this topic. In his book the More complete Cannoneer Third edition he mentions just such test as you ask about.  He didn't publish the results in the book.

The bibliography in the book also refers to an article written by Switlik for the Vol 9, No. 4 of The Artilleryman titled Blackpowder Load Tests described as "Results of Comprehensive breech pressure tests conducted with currently available black powders"

[Will Bison]

Thanks DD, I'll have to go dig through my storage unit for that issue of the Artilleryman magazine.