May 15, 2008
Taking down Barney.
Two Denizenne's of Argghhh! went shooting recently, resulting in the timely demise of this paragon of evil...
Well, there were obviously *some* problems here. So, use this GTA (milspeak for Graphical Training Aid) to help Brab out.
If that one is too hard for you to read, click here.
And, if she's left-handed... that would be this GTA.
I'm sure she'll tell us she was aiming for the bowtie.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �May 10, 2008
Let's have a whatziss!
What the heck, it's Saturday, I'm going to be busy, so are you, if the server logs are any indicators over time.
This is a Soviet-era aiming circle. They loved to make complicated aiming circles. They made pretty accurate instruments, too - with one artifact that made them less precise than western circles. The Russians based their circular measurement on a 6000 degree circle. Western armies initially used 360 degrees, like a standard compass (which is less accurate than the Russian measurement) but later shifted over to mils, of which there are 6400 in a circle. That being determined by the fact that a circle of 1 kilometer diameter has a circular measurement of 6400 meters - meaning that one mil of movement left or right describes a movement of 1 meter at 1 kilometer. This gives a nice easy way to determine all sorts of things when surveying, or aiming cannon. The Russian approach is slightly less accurate - but they tended to make up for that will volume of fire.
The aiming circle is essentially a simple theodolite - an instrument designed to measure angles, whether vertical or horizontal.
Orient the aiming circle on a known direction, whether using surveyed lines or a built-in compass to orient to north (applying that declination constant, of course - a measurement that accounts for the deviation of magnetic north from true north, as well as local and instrument variations, only good for the local region, but that's a long boring post I won't bother you with...).
Once you've done that, you can then apply the principle of "opposite interior angles are equal" and lay your guns so that all are pointed the same direction. Another somewhat boring post I probably won't write, but ya never know, I might get grumpy and decide to punish you with the gory details.
Anyway - this Russian aiming circle has an attachment on it, not normally used. Anyone want to hazard a guess as to its purpose? I will give a clue that should help out 'Murican artillerymen - the US approach to this problem was both simpler, yet periodically required depot-level services.
Here are two more pics, to help you in your pondering. A largish one.. And this one:
The item whose purpose you're trying to identify is the gizmo on the left side of the intstrument. What looks like a black knob is in fact an eyepiece. What looks like a silver knob on the right, is *also* an eyepiece - and the main one, that you look through when sighting the instrument. The gizmo we're concerned with is in fact hooked on to circle in such a way it blocks the main viewer completely - since for the purpose of the gizmo, it's simply a convenient place to mount it so that you can level the gizmo. The silver knob in the middle - *that's* a knob. They key clue here is... the plane of view of the gizmo is perpendicular to the plane of view of the basic instrument.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �April 25, 2008
This being ANZAC day... a little something else for the Gunnies who visit.
Staying alive in the trenches. While helping the "other guy" fail in that activity. This was the source of much ingenuity, such as these Aussies in an outpost in the trenches at Gallipoli.
The Digger on the right is using a periscope to spot for the Digger standing on the left who is using a trench mount to remotely aim and fire his rifle.
The other two are killing time, thinking of home and wishing they were elsewhere - but they're ready... three bayonets-mounted rifles lean against the trench wall in the center.
The Castle Armory counts in its holdings a slightly more polished version of that trench mount. While my personal opinion is that this is probably a reproduction that includes original parts, construction of these mounts varied widely, and it's possible that this is a true original. But the Castle Exchequer *paid* as if it was a repro, and it is represented here as such.
Simple enough - strap your rifle into the frame, insert the periscope, load and cock the rifle, slide up over the parapet... and then fiddle the 'scope until you can properly see the sights. Wedge the scope to hold the sight picture... and start looking for targets.
Downside is that you do have to pull it down or crawl up a bit to reload, which means you usually have to refiddle the periscope.
I've not had a chance to shoot it in this configuration, not yet having found or built a suitable place where I feel I could conduct that experiment safely, without danger of a shot going high and off-property. I have had a chance to get exasperated by the periscope, however!
For those of an interest - a larger format version of the SMLE Trench Mount can be had by clicking here.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �April 21, 2008
Since we're so full of God and Guns the last few days...
...might as well have a gun, I'm thinking. Just in case any varmints want to sneek around the demesne at night... we've got that covered. Romanian AK-clone, Czech night vision sight. I've got the battery pack, too, but haven't figured a battery source or work-around.
Larger version available here.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �April 16, 2008
Arms Room Update.
I think I owe the Gunnies something... and what the heck, there's an Easter Egg (in the computer software sense) in there, too.
And for those recoiling in shock and horror - anything you see in that picture is legal where I live, in the condition it's in - which means things that look like full-auto, aren't. They're either deactivated/dummies or semi-auto. Which means, for example, that Carl Gustav in there has a bore-sized hole in the barrel (thoughtfully cut so that the cheek pad covers it) and that PIAT was removed from the NFA list years ago, and transfers as a Class 1 firearm - just like a rifle. The recent scary story from Florida notwithstanding (last bit in this post here), your chances of finding shootable ammunition for a PIAT are effectively zero. The hosers in Florida who were "firing" their PIAT into the lake were probably thinking the firing pin (which is huge, and is *also* the recoil mechanism) was "spring-launching" whatever they were launching for projectiles. Which, based on my experiments with tennis balls, means about 50 feet. With something as light as a tennis ball. Heh. I've even asked around the people I know who have some idea of what's available on the international market for things like this... and live ammo for a PIAT isn't on the list. Hence why the Feds took it off the NFA list, lo those many years ago.
The artillery projectiles in the picture are all inert, too. Nothing at the Castle explodes. We live there for heavens sakes, and have cats! Aside from being illegal without some serious documentation, it's just dumb to have a risk like that. Want to guarantee the Fire Department will show up and roast marshmallows while your house burns? Tell 'em you've got live artillery rounds in there. Or hand grenades. Lose your home *and* go to jail. Good luck with the insurance company, too.
Want to spend a longer time in jail? *Don't* tell 'em. Then you'll really get to spend some quality time with scary men who see you as their Marilyn Monroe.
Same pic, larger format - click here.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �April 7, 2008
Some guys just don't have any class at all.
I mean, c'mon. Okay, I got this.
And he's got this:
Okay, I admit to a *leetle* bit of envy...
But the indoor rifle range is just... pretentious, yannowhutImean?
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �April 4, 2008
Princess Crabby Demands it.
Really. She did. In the comments of yesterday's H&I Fires.
Therefore, we must comply, right?
Well, in her multiverse, anyway.
A new whatziss.
Not a component. Complete. Not a demurely applied pasty or blur in sight (except for jpg artifacts, tough noogies). Okay - it *isn't* in its storage box, but hey, *that* has a pretty revealing label which would take away the fun. Well, my fun, anyway.
Just a Whatzis for your Friday-no-doubt-sequing-into-the-weekend pleasure.
Go for it. Amusemaze me!
Oh, if you think it will help - larger pic available here.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �March 28, 2008
The Whatziss, revealed!
Blake got it right.
Magazine loader, for the Bren gun.
You may all kiss his ring.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �March 26, 2008
Let's try an easier one.
Easier one what? Whatziss, after that poser Bill embarrassed me with...
The only clue I'll offer this early is that it is soooo last century.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �March 19, 2008
Tossing Javelins
Many of you have probably seen this video of a Javelin missile being fired at a fully combat-loaded T-72 tank.
One of the things to notice is the little object that flies into the air above the smoke cloud. That would be the turret - the part normally containing guys like MajMike (Sorry, dude, hadta say that).
Continuing that theme - at 28 seconds into it, you see the tank get hit from a rear angle... at 37 seconds, you see a small eruption of dirt on the right side of the frame. That would be the turret landing...
All in all, the thing looks like this when the smoke clears.
The rest of it is somewhat scattered about.
March 17, 2008
Tidying up.
On the lingering Whatzis's...
Yes, that last bolt, unidentified until shown in it's bolt carrier - belongs to the Castle's Desert Eagle Mk VII in .357 Magnum.
I got that pistol back in the late 80's, I was just tickled at the thought of a gas-operated handgun. You have to give it the right fodder, and grip it firmly, or it won't function reliably - I'll say that much! No light loads. I'll do a Gun Pr0n expose' on that pistol sometime in the future, if life will slow down just a touch.
Okay - the "sausage maker" whatziss...
It isn't a kitchen appliance. It's a "powderless machine gun".
During WWI, the Army needed lots of weapons, fast. So, the word was spread that anyone with a design for anything remotely like a machine gun should bundle it up and submit it to the Army for evaluation. Every garage tinkerer had an idea - none of which would best John Browning's design, to be sure, but there were some oddities!
Meet the “Lombard Centrifugal Gun”, the invention of a Mr. Levi W. Lombard of Mattapan, Massachusetts. An article from the Repository, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania reported in it's March 18, 1918 edition:
Powderless Machine Gun Tried
Boston March 8: A powderless machine gun that will fire from ten to fitly bullets a second, is the invention of Levi W. Lombard of Mattapan, and Earl E. Ovington, of Newton. The latter will be remembered as one of Boston's first aviators.
The gun is in effect nothing more than an enlarged slingshot. A company has been incorporated to manufacture them. The gun action is simple. It is a revolving disc, which emits bullets after they have traveled on its surface. The machine fires round bullets. Those used in the tests had steel bearings. The shot is fed into a hopper at the side of the gun and as the disk
revolves it throws the bullet at a terrific force through a slot.
The test was made at the Wakefield Police Range and the gun proved its effectiveness by piercing three-eighths-inch boiler plate at 200 yards, and cutting through a two-inch door from the same distance.
The first gun was operated by electricity. Its inventors, knowing that only a limited power can be obtained from this source, will operate it by steam at its next test.
More below the fold, in the Flash Traffic/Extended Entry.
Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows � Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �
March 14, 2008
Finishing up this week's Whatziss.
I know, I still owe an answer to Part 1 of last week's. Get over it. If you missed the beginning and part two, click those links. This one was just too geeky. Couldn't even get people to mock it!
So, while there was some talk of SKS's, artillery, tanks, and the M240 machine gun, the bolt on the left in the original post was that of a Romanian AK47 clone. So you got that - and credit is given for the PSL, once I knew what it was... Here it is in context, in it's bolt carrier.
Pretty much everybody got the one in the middle - it's the bolt from an M16-style rifle. Here it is in the context of it's bolt carrier.
Nobody got the twisty one.
Here it is in context of it's bolt carrier.
Larger picture can be had by clicking here.
Now the grognards ought to be able to nail it.
A simple example of setting an expectation and letting it drive your analysis. Kinda like the way politicians use intel...
March 13, 2008
Well, we had some good tries.
And we do seem to know our M-16/M-4/AR-15 bolts.
We're a little unclear on the the others.
Yes, they're bolts.
Here they are in profile.
Keep workin' it. You're one for three. Well, except for Pogue. He's two for three...
For a larger version: click here.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �March 12, 2008
Work gets in the way sometimes. So, a Whatziss!
Or email does. I was going to do a nice, longish post this morning, but a small blog-controversy got dropped in my lap this morning (blast and heat from something going on in comments over at Blackfive) and my response ate my blogtime today.
So, I'll go with something a little shorter, for the gunnies who still visit.
Heh. This post is, in a weird way, tangentially related to that derailing email this morning...
Simple enough, and both easy and hard. Hard depends on how much a geek on the topic you are, and which rabbit holes your geekiness takes you down.
1. Are they all the same thing? If so, what are they? If not - well, what are they? Careful how you decide your sets for the Venn diagram.
2. After you've figured out what they are - what are they components of?
There's sneakiness hiding in there. I am the Armorer after all, and that's a trait when it comes to the Whatziss'
And I know, I owe you an answer from last week's whatziss. Blame Cannoneer #4, he who sent me the blog-ambushing email this morning!
If you just *have* to have a larger version of the pic - click here.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �March 9, 2008
Partially answering the Whatziss...
Why? Because I'm going to be on the road this week, with daytime meetings followed by evening skull sessions to digest the results to take into the next days meetings. IOW, I'm gonna be busy, so I'm spending time today pre-building posts for the week! So my two-fer post is going to end up... two answer posts!
And to make it worse - in reverse order. Of course, thinking about it - I'll probably have faster access at the hotel. Just not the time.
Okay - the question was -
What's the first thing that pops into your mind when you see this picture?
The first thing that pops into my mind was a shorter version of what TmjUtah said:
The second pic? That boy is young and full of optimism. Let him hit forty or so and he'll remember well every single 'nade he fired from the shoulder.
For me, it was simply "Ouch."
Yep, it's a young soldier, in a clean uniform, in a staged photo from a training manual. He's demonstrating one of the ways to fire a Mills Bomb from a rifle. Given the little axiom of "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction" firing the not-terribly-light Mills Bomb from the shoulder like that is going to involve some serious recoil.
Never having fired a grenade of that weight (1 pound 11 ounces) from the shoulder (but having fired rifle grenades) I don't know if the kick will be enough to knock him over in that stance, as Ry suggested, but I do know I would probably have my feet positioned differently. Of course, one would hope they had done this before writing the manual, and perhaps that is the optimal stance. I dunno. I've got a SMLE, and I've got rodded Mills Bombs (better known as the "Rifle Grenade, .303, Mk 23", and I've got grenade-launching blanks... but sorry, I'm not going to test it for you. But I will go into more detail on the subject in the Flash Traffic/Extended Entry if you've the interest.
Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows � Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �
March 7, 2008
The Brit's new sniper rifles.
For a readable version of that graphic - click here.
The L96 sniper rifle and the L115A3 Long Range Rifle are used by military snipers in all the Brit Services.
Designed to achieve first-round hit at 600m and harassing fire out to 1100m, the Accuracy International L96 sniper rifle has been upgraded with a new 3-12 x 50 sight and spotting scope.
The L115A3 Long Range Rifle fires an 8.59mm bullet, heavier than the 7.62mm round of the L96, and less likely to be deflected over extremely long ranges.
Sniper Rifle L96
Calibre: 7.62mm
Weight: 6.5kg
Length: (adjustable) 1124-1194mm
Muzzle velocity: 838m/s
Feed: 10-round box
Effective range: 900m, harassing fire 1100m
Long Range Rifle L115A3
Calibre: 8.59mm
Weight: 6.8kg
Length: 1300mm
Muzzle velocity: 936m/s
Feed: 5-round box
Effective range: 1100m plus
Hmmm. Me want. H/t, Jim C.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �Let's have another obscure item for a Whatziss...
And it's not a close-up of a fromkitz gear, edge-on, that is only 2mm big but photo'd to appear ginormous, either.
Just in case Bill shows up.
Let's make it a two-fer. What's the first thing that pops into your mind when you see this picture? I'm guessing your answer will tell us something about you and your life to date.
