Tell me more! Artillery question

[bankerpapaw]

What purpose does the tear drop shaped thing on the end of a cannon barrel serve?

 

[redbob]

If it is on the top of the tube at the muzzle end (like the illustration), it is a front sight which few Civil War era tubes had like these. Some tubes had them cast on when the tube was cast and the majority had screw on blade sights. .Photo from Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War by Hazlett,Olmstead and Parks.

 

[Belfoured]

If it is on the top of the tube at the muzzle end, it is a front sight. Some tubes had them cast on when the tube was cast and others screwed on like a Parrott Tube's.

To follow up, the James 14 lb ("Type II") rifle had a prominent front blade that was part of the tube. There were also 3" Ordnance Rifles with a small front blade

 

[Lampasas Bill]

Perhaps you're referring to the "tear drop shaped thing" on the back end of a cannon barrel. If so, it's called the "cascabel." on naval guns it was used to attach arresting ropes to deal with the recoil of firing the cannon. Also, on naval and non-naval guns it was used for lifting a cannon barrel from its carriage: a rope was attached to the cascabel and the muzzle, and it was lifted using a block and tackle hanging from a large tripod.

 

[redbob]

Not the perfect illustration, but a cascabel never the less. Photo LoC

 

[Belfoured]

Perhaps you're referring to the "tear drop shaped thing" on the back end of a cannon barrel. If so, it's called the "cascabel." on naval guns it was used to attach arresting ropes to deal with the recoil of firing the cannon. Also, on naval and non-naval guns it was used for lifting a cannon barrel from its carriage: a rope was attached to the cascabel and the muzzle, and it was lifted using a block and tackle hanging from a large tripod.

As an aside, on field guns in the 18th and early 19th centuries it was also used for aiming. A manufacturer can sometimes be id'd by the specific design. And the two correct options of spelling - "cascabel" and "cascable" - can drive you nuts.

 

[Lampasas Bill]

Cascabel comes from medieval Latin - cascabellus - meaning little bell. Cascabel in Spanish means bell or rattle. In English it can end in either "el" or "le."

 

[bankerpapaw]

Perhaps you're referring to the "tear drop shaped thing" on the back end of a cannon barrel. If so, it's called the "cascabel." on naval guns it was used to attach arresting ropes to deal with the recoil of firing the cannon. Also, on naval and non-naval guns it was used for lifting a cannon barrel from its carriage: a rope was attached to the cascabel and the muzzle, and it was lifted using a block and tackle hanging from a large tripod.

Thanks so much.