Range

[Rwsunaf]

Can anyone tell me the effective range for a smoothbore 12 pounder was about? thanks

 

[ole]

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500 yards. If you want a closer guess, wait for the response of someone who really knows.

 

[Pvt_McIntire]

It depended on the type of ammunition used. Here's a handy chart that might help.

http://www.civilwarartillery.com/tables.htm

 

[Rwsunaf]

Thanks fellas!

 

[Southron Sr.]

You have to realize that during "The War of Northern Aggression" the artillery branch was pretty much welded to the concept of "Direct Fire" whereas the target could be visually seen by the gunner that aimed the cannon.

So for all "Practical Purposes" the "Range" of an artillery piece was essentially limited to the distance from which the target could be seen.

Thanks to improvements in communications, i.e., the invention of the telephone and later the radio, the techniques of "Indirect Fire" were developed in the decades following the war..

Basically, with "Indirect Fire" the artillery crew never sees the target, but simply "aims" their gun based on azimuths, coordinates, charges, etc given to them by the Battery's "Fire Direction Center" (or now,the FDC has been supplemented/replaced by computers)

Of course, even though the gun crew cannot see the target (usually because it is so far away or hidden by foliage or terrain) an "Artillery Observer" has the target in sight and can radio or telephone back where the shells fired by the battery land, and in necessary, correct the fire so it lands "On Target."

From a historical point of view, Professor Lowe and his balloon probably deserve credit for making the first steps towards the development of Indirect Fire Techniques in 1862 because he had a telegraph in his balloon and occasionally send down advice on how artillery fire could be changed to hit Confederate positions or camps.

A friend of mine that served in the ETO during World War II told me that the Germans were convinced that the U.S. Army had developed a "fully automatic cannon." This was because American batteries would put so many rounds on a target in such a short amount of time. This was due to superior American logistic-in other words, American batteries all utilized "single shot" cannon but they had enough ammo, they could afford to fire a lot of rounds on a target.

I have to admit, the concept of a "Belt Fed 155 mm Field Gun" is somewhat tantalizing though.

 

[ole]

Today's artillery can almost put a shell in your back pocket. Your choice ... left or right.