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BIG rifles, loading and firing.....
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One broadside from them 16" guns will slide a battleship sideways one city block, just from the recoil!:wink: 
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Wow, just WOW!
Seems like years ago somebody told me those propellant bags hold something like 90 or 100 lbs of black powder, and I counted six bags! That's one humongous handload right there. I wonder how many grains that is....
Seems like years ago somebody told me those propellant bags hold something like 90 or 100 lbs of black powder, and I counted six bags! That's one humongous handload right there. I wonder how many grains that is....
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hmm... Alfalfa...
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I've been told that it is 4" to 18" depending on load, No. barrels fired, etc.One broadside from them 16" guns will slide a battleship sideways one city block, just from the recoil!:wink:
Nine-gun broadsides are not fired with full power loads, too much stress on the framework. Notice that the barrels fired in a staggered manner in each turret.
Still, they were impressive, yes!!!
Tommy
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These folk say the bags hold (held) either 110 or 55 pounds...Wow, just WOW!
Seems like years ago somebody told me those propellant bags hold something like 90 or 100 lbs of black powder, and I counted six bags! That's one humongous handload right there. I wonder how many grains that is....
http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/battleships-forum/41871-largest-iowa-ammo-load.html
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That's still about a case and a half of whoopazz right there.
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Just so you'll know, that's my training field, I began in big guns, and wound up a sniper. The big heavy ships during WWII are the kind I'm speaking of, they fired them all[guns] broadside and thats how far they told us them ships went before they stopped. I'm gonna defer to your findings on the off chance that they lied to us:wink: P/S....I saw a film of a broadside fired by; I think it was the Arizona....and the ship rolled nearly 40 degrees and pushed quite a good wave on the off side!
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I could see it shaking the ship some, but if you look real close at the film, it shows the rear of the cannon when it fires. There is some kind of hydraulic recoil absorbing mechanism. The camera's on the deck hardly move when those big guns are fired.
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Well, first my thanks for your service to this great country.
Now, folk in the military.... particularly sailors... would never EVER tell tales, would they???
I've read through a couple essays on just this, and agree......the numbers just don't work to move that big a critter sideways in the water much at all.
Tommy (TMT2, USN/USNR, '87-'95)
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I loves that photo.... always have.
She (can't tell which BB she was) was moving slowly, not much wake.
Note the patterns from the muzzles too, barrels were fired in a staggered manner.... just as in the vid. clip the first post.
Still, thanks for posting that.
I recall being moored beside... I think it was the Wisconsin. I could've swore them guys swaggered more than other sailors!
Tommy
She (can't tell which BB she was) was moving slowly, not much wake.
Note the patterns from the muzzles too, barrels were fired in a staggered manner.... just as in the vid. clip the first post.
Still, thanks for posting that.
I recall being moored beside... I think it was the Wisconsin. I could've swore them guys swaggered more than other sailors!
Tommy
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Now THAT is what I call muzzle blast!! :biggrin:![]()
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Not knowledgable in this field, but in the heat of the battle, did they alternate firings? Based on the urgency of the loading, I would assume that this wasn't filmed during any type of "drill." I just can't see where during WWII that in the Coral Sea, there was any discussion about firing a gun and then correcting the heading before the next shot.
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The training film I watched was likely just done for effect or study, the ship had just been commissioned if my memory serves me, and was likely filmed before WWII.....I know it went like a "newsreel" with a narrator that sounded ever so much like he was bragging. But after the film, not questions were asked about how far the ship slid, it was dead in the water at a firing range and rolled/slid enough to push up a wave that was very easily seen. I'm sure there are many that saw the film, just like I did. Maybe somebody can locate the film, I tried but gave up after about an hour looking and getting griped at by a young turkey hunter! P/S I think that's the film where it told that firing a 16incher was like $hooting a cadillac out the barrel! I guess I should have just stayed out of this thread...old memories die hard when not appreciated
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