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Brookes, Dahlgrens, and Torpedoes

Brookes

Lieutenant John M. Brooke, concentrated on rifled pieces rather than on smoothbores. The naval Brookes were available in 6.4" and 7" calibers. They were considered to be among the most accurate of all Civil War era naval artillery. Nearly all Southern ironclads carried Brookes in their batteries.

In addition to the pieces listed below, Brooke also produced double- and triple-banded versions of the 7" rifle which could fire with a greater powder charge, an 8" rifle, and 10" and 11" smoothbores, but these were fairly rare. It is difficult to determine how many of each type were cast; perhaps 143 Brooke rifles of all calibers were cast by the Tredegar and Selma foundries.

 

The following table is from the Navy's 1866 Ordnance Manual:

 

Civil War Naval Ordnance
Type Bore diameter, inches Material Weight of tube, pounds Length of bore, inches Maximum diameter, inches Type of projectile Weight of projectile, pounds Weight of charge, pounds Range, yards at 5° elevation Time of flight, seconds Height above plane, feet
Shell Guns
15-inch 15 Iron 41,576 130 48 Shell 350 35 1,700 5.7 ------
11-inch 11 Iron 15,700 131.2 32 Shell
Shell		 136
136		 15
20		 1,712
1,975		 5.81
------		 10
10
10-inch 10 Iron 12,000 119.25 29.1 Shell 103 12.5 1,740 5.8 11
9-inch 9 Iron 9,000 107.3 27.2 Shell
Shrapnel		 72.5
75		 10
10		 1,710
1,690		 5.96
5.9		 10.75
------
8-inch of 6,500 lbs. 8 Iron 6,500 96 23.2 Shell 51.5 7 1,657 5.82 7.5
8-inch of 63 cwt. 8 Iron 7,000 100.3 24.04 Shell 51.5 9 1,770 6.32 8
8-inch of 55 cwt. 8 Iron 6,100 95.4 ------ Shell 51.5 7 1,657 5.82 7.5
Shot Guns
10-inch Cannon 10 Iron 16,000 117.75 33.25 Shot 124 40 ------ ------ ------
8-inch Cannon 8 Iron 10,100 107.32 27.2 Shot 65 20 ------ ------ ------
32-pdr.of 57 cwt. 6.4 Iron 6,400 107.9 22.36 Shot
Shell		 32
26		 9
6		 1,930
1,850		 6.6
6.4		 8
------
32-pdr.of 42 cwt. 6.4 Iron 4,700 92.05 20.6 Shot
Shell		 32
26		 6
6		 1,756
1,710		 6
6.5		 ------
------
32-pdr.of 32 cwt. 6.4 Iron 3,600 75.1 20 Shot
Shell		 32
26		 4.5
4.5		 1,598
1,648		 ------
6		 7.5
7.5
32-pdr.of 27 cwt. 6.4 Iron 3,000 68.4 19.2 Shot
Shell		 32
26		 4
4		 1,469
1,460		 5.4
5.75		 7
------
Rifle Guns
150-pdr. Parrott 8 Iron 16,550 136 32 Long shell 155 16 2,100 6.25 ------
100-pdr. Parrott 6.4 Iron 9,750 130 25.9 Solid shot
Long shell		 100
100		 10
10		 2,200
2,150		 6.5
6.5		 ------
------
60-pdr. Parrott 5.3 Iron 5,360 105 21.3 Shot 60 6 ------ ------ ------
30-pdr. Parrott 4.2 Iron 3,550 96.8 18.3 Shell 29 3.25 2,200 6.87 ------
20-pdr. Parrott 3.67 Iron 1,750 79 14.5 Shell 19 2 2,100 6.5 ------
James Rifle 7 Iron 8,465 110 24.4 Shot 81.5 8 2,221 ------ ------
80-pdr. Dahlgren 6 Iron 7,900 108 26.12 Shot 80 6 ------ ------ ------
50-pdr. Dahlgren 5.1 Iron 6,000 89 22.25 Shot 50 3.25 ------ ------ ------
6.4-inch Brooke 6.4 Iron 10,675 117 29.3 Shot 95 8 - 10 ------ ------ ------
7-inch Brooke 7 Iron 15,300 121 32.2 Shot 110 10 - 13 ------ ------ ------

 

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