types of barrels

cannon barrels at a glance (in progress)

Cannon barrels are just cannon barrels...?
No! There are several different types, many with unique features and designs for specific purposes.

A rifled barrel has spiral shaped groves inside the bore.  (Rifled barrels date back to the 17th century)

The projectile for these barrels had the same spiral groves on it's outside, or the groves were created when the shell was fired. The base of the shell was a soft metal (lead or brass) and when forced through the barrel by the explosion, the base expanded to the shape of the spiral shape in the barrel.   When the projectile was fired, the groves caused it to rotate as it traveled down the barrel. When it left the barrel, it was spinning at a high speed. This greatly improved the accuracy and distance it could travel. It is similar to throwing a football. A smooth bore is just that, it has no marks inside the bore, just like the inside of a pipe.

What's "6 Pounder" mean?
Pounder was the term given to cannons firing a given weight projectile. Hence a 6 pounder cannon fired a 6 lb ball, a 24 pounder cannon, a 24 lb ball. (This is just general information, as some guns fired "short" shells which could be lighter, but still have a larger diameter).

6 pounder = 3.67 inch diameter
12 pounder = 4.62 inch diameter
24 pounder = 5.82 inch diameter
32 pounder = 6.4 inch diameter
200 pounder = 8 inch diameter

What does caliber mean?
Caliber is a name for a unit of measurement. It is mostly used for diameters less than 1 inch. It can be expressed in inches or millimeters and refer to the diameter of the ball (projectile), or the bore. A 50 caliber cannon has a bore of .50 inches. A 9mm handgun has a bore caliber of 9mm.

The length of a cannon barrel is typically 25 times greater than its caliber (bore diameter).

Cannon barrels were made from bronze, brass, cast iron and steel.

Most cannon barrels can be identified by their shape at a distance.
Many barrels are known by the name of the inventor.
A few examples are shown below, many more will be added.

	Napoleon (Smooth bore) Popular barrels used during the Civil War, also the last bronze barrel to be used by the US Army. (Federal version shown, the Confederate version didn't have the flare at the muzzle).
	Dahlgren (Smooth bore) John Dahlgren Soda bottle shape Primarily used as a Naval cannon
	Parrott (Rifled bore) Robert Parker Parrott Large cannon used to shoot heavy shells great distances. One of the most famous guns of the Civil War was an 8" Parrott rifle nicknamed the Swamp Angel. Using a compass sighting of St. Michaels Episcopal Church of Charleston, it became the first gun to use the indirect fire technique. Guns like this were also used to pound Battery Wagner and Ft. Sumter.
	Mortar (Smooth bore) The "Dictator" was a large, 13 inch bore Civil War mortar. It could shoot a 200lb projectile over 2 miles. Mortars have very short barrels and were made with many different bore diameters. The 13" Union Seacoast Mortar saw action in almost every theater of the Civil War. General Grant used it in naval and land based batteries during the siege of Vicksburg. McClellan placed seven of them in Battery #4 at Yorktown. Twenty were mounted on schooners during the action against Fort Jackson and Fort Saint Philip below New Orleans.
	Howitzer (Rifled bore) Smaller barrel used primarily in the field as it was lighter and more maneuverable.
	Rodman (20 inch diameter smooth bore) Thomas J. Rodman This cannon could fire a round shot weighing 1000 lbs almost 5 miles!
	Armstrong (Breech loading) Larger cannon. Designed to shoot larger shells greater distances.
	ORDNANCE RIFLE (Rifled bore) 3 inch bore was typical Could shoot smaller shells great distances, very accurately.
	Lantaka (Smooth bore) (17th & 18th century A name given to a family of small ornate cast bronze cannon. They were popular in Southeast Asia where they were mounted on small ships, and also considered a form of currency. Originally these were cast in Holland for export, but later were also cast in Indonesia by Dutch Colonists.

1	Muzzle - Refers to the forward part of a cannon barrel Most all black powder cannon are referred to as muzzle loaders, as the powder is loaded in at the muzzle.
2	Trunnion - There are two trunnions used to support the barrel in a carriage (the barrel should be balanced at this point)
3	Cascable - The ball on the end of a barrel, used during manufacture to "turn" the barrel, and later to lash it down.
4	Breech - Refers to the back portion of the barrel All cartridge cannon (both small and large caliber) are referred to as "breech loaders" as the breech opens in some fashion so that a shell can be inserted, and the breech is then closed and secured.
Bore	The cavity of the barrel. In a black powder cannon it's depth is to the fuse hole. In a breech cannon, it goes completely through.