Mountain Gun Explosion

John and Ed proof-test a British 7-pounder cast steel rifled mountain gun. The target is a half-inch-thick steel plate backed by 3 heavy concrete blocks. 10 ounces of FG black powder were loaded behind an inert 12 pound Navy Mk 29, 3-inch diameter armor-piercing projectile. The cannon barrel weighs about 250 lbs; test carriage weighs about 200 lbs. The entire 450 lb. system recoiled about 8 feet after this shot. The charge and projectile weights were intentionally in excess of the weapons's original design specifications, to provide a proof load to ensure the weapon is sound for further firing. Prior to this shot, the weapon had not been fired in over a century. The shot was planned so the transfer of momentum would remove all energy from the projectile and deposit it at the target, for safety reasons. Careful inspection after the shot revealed no damage to the weapon. The projectile's thin steel windshield was vaporized, but otherwise the projectile was intact. The target did not survive. Nothing really "exploded" in this test, the cannon discharged normally, but the "e" word looked better in the title.

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YouTube | November 27, 2006

Tags:. .test. .word. .system. .nothing. .design