We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:36:37 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification A Saxon wall-gun, circa 1680. It's a volley gun, i.e., all barrels fired simultaneously. For a closeup of the muzzles, click here. This sucker was rifled.... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html Fri, 07 Sep 2007 07:48:09 -0600 Been to the JM Davis, Rusty, back when I was stationed at Fort Sill. They have a tank, too, and an interesting collection of hangman's knots. Used ones. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64113 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64113 Sat, 08 Sep 2007 14:45:24 -0600 http://www.state.ok.us/~jmdavis/arms.html I went there several years back, and the collection of firearms is nothing short of staggering, IMO. Everything (IIRC) from matchlocks to Maw Deuce, bur just wandering around sent me into stimulous saturation, so I can't provide particulars by memory. Well worth the price of admission, IMO. Claremore is also the home of the Will Rogers museum, FWIW. Another interesting place, but i have a taste for museums. Feel free to contact me, if you'd like. Regards, Rusty the Bookman ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64107 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64107 Sat, 08 Sep 2007 00:10:51 -0600 http://www.state.ok.us/~jmdavis/arms.html I went there several years back, and the collection of firearms is nothing short of staggering, IMO. Everything (IIRC) from matchlocks to Maw Deuce, bur just wandering around sent me into stimulous saturation, so I can't provide particulars by memory. Well worth the price of admission, IMO. Claremore is also the home of the Will Rogers museum, FWIW. Another interesting place, but i have a taste for museums. Feel free to contact me, if you'd like. Regards, Rusty the Bookman ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64105 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64105 Sat, 08 Sep 2007 00:08:22 -0600 It would make sense to have rifled barrels so you could shoot down the length of the wall. Then any shot that didn't hit a someone coming over the wall would continue downrange more accurately and get some more invaders. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64088 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64088 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 16:20:51 -0600 Well, yes and no. As for *why* it was rifled, I dunno, the designer didn't consult with me. I suppose you could have used it against artillery crews advancing in a siege. As for a punt gun, that depends on the fortification you are defending. Since all the punt guns I've seen are essentially duckbills in that the barrels aren't parallel, you might prefer concentrated carnage alone the merlons vice spreading shot and potentially hitting your own troops. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64081 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64081 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:53:09 -0600 "This sucker was rifled" Why? Wouldn't a punt gun work better for its intended purpose? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64080 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64080 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:39:14 -0600 The Sassenach, Chuck? BTW - in response to a question on the post that was actually posed in meatworld... caliber of that monster is 13mm. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64077 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64077 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:19:19 -0600 It took a moment for me to realize that the name of the gun did NOT imply it was used to shoot at... well, you know. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64069 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64069 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:39:48 -0600 I don't think I'd want to be anywhere on the wall when that was fired. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64068 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64068 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:35:00 -0600 Jeff - there was a channel full of powder under the socket the barrels fit into. And... you didn't. Hence, they weren't all that popular, but they were really intended as one shot weapons to clear the top of the wall while reinforcements arrived. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64062 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64062 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 09:04:20 -0600 John, Very cool piece of history! Having used percussion lock weapons and posessing a working knowledge of the method of operation of the flint lock mechanism's principles of operation I still can't figure out how the flame was to travel to all the touch holes. Also, I wonder how you would know that one of the barrels did not fire and might go off due to a "hang fire" ? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64061 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/this_would_look.html#comment-64061 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 08:32:44 -0600