Zulu War Artillery

Good evening

This is the kind of information I found for the 9 PDRS RML gun in theThe South African Military History Society.

Military History Journal
Vol 3 No 5 - June 1976
AMMUNITION — PART II 9-PR 8 cwt RML
by MAJOR DD HALL

Shell, RML, shrapnel, 9 pr.
It is possible that the fairly extensive use of shrapnel by the Royal Artillery resulted from the number issued to each gun. There were 96 shrapnel shells per gun, compared with 48 common smells and 4 case shot. The shrapnel shell had its interior filled with 63 bullets embedded in resin.
Shrapnel was used against scattered troops and skirmishers in open, fairly level ground, beyond the effective range of case. It was considered to be merely case adapted to long ranges. Although the shell could be fired to 3200 m (3500 yds) at 11deg 27min elevation, the time fuze was effective only to 9 seconds which meant a shrapnel range of only 2 650 m (2 900 yds).


Shot, RML, case, 9 pr
According to the Gun Drill, case was to be used against infantry or cavalry at very close quarters. It consisted of a tin cylinder filled with 110 bullets of lead, hardened with antimony, packed in clay and sand. On being fired, the cylinder broke up in the bore and the bullets scattered at the muzzle. It was used when the situation was desperate and there was a possibility that the guns would be overrun. Case had a spread of about 45deg with the density of bullets greatest in the centre. This spread gave a lateral coverage of about 115 m (125 yds) at 137 m (150 yds), but thereafter bullets on the fringes fell off sharply in velocity. Coverage was about 27 m (30 yds) at 320 m (350 yds) which was the maximum effective range.

As the overrunning of a gun position was not considered to be a common occurrence, only four rounds per gun were carried. These were carried in the axletree boxes on the gun.


Please have someone there that kind of information for the PDRS 7 RML gun?

And anyone know the surface of the letha area for the common shell of theses of Two Guns ?

Hi Pascal. Welcome to the forum.

Military History Journal
Vol 4 No 4 - Zulu War Centenary Issue - January 1979
ARTILLERY IN THE ZULU WAR - 1879
by Major D.D. Hall

http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol044dh.html

Hi John and pascalMAHE,

Thanks for your inputs on artillery.
What would be very useful to all who are studying this battle are similar technical specs on the 7 pounders as used by Chelmsford. He had 6 of them attached to his column. We need an artillary man amongst us to comment on ;

effectives of this 7 pdr shell, grapeshot and HE, as used over the ranges in the actual battle.
the wiseness of Chelmsford's deployment of the guns, ie 4 going walkabout with him, basically doing
nothing and only 2 left to "defend" the camp.

If pictures of the actual equipment could be posted it would help the understanding.

Rockets,
Chelmsford was also equipped with rocket batteries., much of which was destroyed or captured by the enemy. Can someone comment on the effectives of this equipment too.

barry

Hi all

What I look for the 7 PDRS RML Gun is information on its ammunition as I found the 9 PDRS RML Gun ...

And this is nowhere?

It's amazing because it is the most famous gun of the war ...

Cheers

Pascal

Hi all

Thank youJohn but I know and in the Military History Journal the answer at the following questions, does not exist:

What I look for the 7 PDRS RML Gun is information on its ammunition as I found the 9 PDRS RML Gun ...



The 7-PDRS RML Gun had its shrapnel shell interior filled withHow Many bullets ?

- What was the maximun range of the 7 PDRS RML Gun shrapnel shell?

The 7-PDRS RML Gun, shot, case, had its interior filled with withHow bullets ?

- What was the maximun range of the7 PDRS RML Gun shot, case?

- What was the actual firing rate for each type of ammunition in a battle?

And the same misery for Gatling ...

- Where is her maximun range and actual firing rate in a battle...


And the same misery for rocket trough and Tubes,rate of fire,maximun and minimun range ...

And for types of ammunition used by rocket trough and Tubes, it's even worse ...

Cheers

Pascal

Pascal
I listed the ammunition in a post a while back, by 1879 Case shot was bone meal packed, as Rifled guns and sand is not a good combo.

http://1879zuluwar.forumotion.com/t3249-what-was-the-expected-time-to-load-and-fire#15234

This you should find helpful, for more information it is worth acquiring the Imperial War museum facsimile of
"A treatise on Ammunition 1877" which all the technical data about the ammuntion of all service artillery and small arms can re gleaned.
Here is on link where it may be obtained, but there are others
http://www.naval-military-press.com/treatise-on-ammunition-1877.html

The use of case shot as a direct shot gun effect is often miss understood, yes it is direct, however, the preferred method is to bounce the case shot as it then effects a far wider spread than direct fire, the result of Russian case at the Redan, in the Crimea makes grisly reading. Likewise, shrapnel in 7 & 9 pdr RML was very effective in the 400-600 yard range, again the results can be gleaned from test results in the TOA 1877. I will post this reports findings shortly.

For the Gatling, look at the youtube footage I did of an original 1874 Armstrong Gatling that we had to play with a Audley End, this was firing special made brass No2 Musket blank rounds, (very close the the original Garner Gatling .450 round). It had a smaller charge than the service Mk111 Martini round, but the same 480 grain bullet, but in Henry Rifled barrels lethal range would be in excess of 1000 yards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piMrYMq6bkA

Hello Neil

Thank you for your help, I have an instand of respite, I see it and you have a precise answer...

Cheers

Pascal

Neil

So I just ordered the book you mentioned me and I hope it's a good buy ...

Cheers

Pascal