Quote:
Originally Posted by Slipdigit  I understood that the size of a gun in "pounds" derived it's name from the weight of a spherical iron ball that would fit into the gun and was a holdover from the days of sail, when the actually projectile did weigh a given amount. In modern times, it actually had nothing to do with weight of the actual projectile used. Thusly, a round solid ball of iron, 57mm in diameter would weigh approximately 6 pounds and a 40mm, 2 pounds, etc.
Am I incorrect in this assumption? Math and I are not good friends. |
No, not correct! The long, pointy APCBC that the 57mm 6 pdr was originally designed to fire really did weigh 6 lb.! A 57mm roundshot really would weigh 1.66 lb .! The 13 pdr, 18 pdr, 17 pdr, 20 pdr guns really were so called after the actual (approx) weight of their actual projectiles. I don't know how to make it any clearer...
and I'm not gonna work out all their roundshot weights. I can do the maths, but it hurts for me too...
Regards,
MikB