How to Load a Naval Cannon
From the 1500 to the 1860s, gunnery practices at sea were pretty much the same. Guns were muzzle-loaded and fired with black powder. There were some minor differences in the types of cannon balls used in the latter 1800s with the coming of rifled guns and high explosive ammunition, but for the most part the procedures did not change. The United States Navy once had as many as 16 men involved in loading a cannon. The minimum amount needed here is two men. The hardest part of loading and firing a muzzle-loading naval cannon is learning the vocabulary, because manuals are written in the language of a sailor.
Instructions
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1
Use a dry rammer to clean the inside of the muzzle for any dirt or debris that might have settled since the last firing.
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2
Fill the charger with a sack of powder. The charger is a container that holds a pre- measured amount of black gun powder.
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3
Load the charger into the gun without spilling any black powder on the ground. Any black powder around the gun can catch fire.
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4
Use a rammer to pound in the powder, giving two or three punches to pack it in. While this is done, another person must put his finger in the vent to keep the powder from leaking out the rear.
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5
Fill a second charger full of gunpowder and load this into the gun as before.
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6
Ram the second load of powder, too, giving it two strong thrusts with the rammer to push the powder well into the chamber of the gun.
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7
Ram a wad of straw or rags strongly into the gun so that the wad is tightly up against the powder.
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8
Swab the piece out with a wet sponge, cleaning out all excess wadding and powder.
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9
Gently, place a clean cannon ball on top of the wadding.
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10
Fire on command.
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Tips & Warnings
Never stand directly in front of the cannon; black powder is highly flammable and could ignite at any time.
Do not spill any black powder around a hot gun.
Do not smoke around black powder.
This should always be done under adult supervision. Check local laws for any firing of naval guns in your neighborhood.
