Chapter 98 Test firing of short and heavy artillery (please follow up!)

The next day, in the barren mountains on the northeastern outskirts of Dongning Mansion.

On the gravel ground in the valley, Su Laocheng and Zhu Tiangui have been waiting here for a long time.

Early this morning, the brand-new short and heavy artillery was packed onto an ox cart and transported here.

Su Laocheng and other craftsmen had already set up the artillery positions before Zheng Kezang arrived.

Everything is ready, just waiting for Zheng Kezang to come!

In order to prepare for the artillery test, the craftsmen in the War Bureau who are responsible for the production of artillery shells have already cast fifteen 32-pound artillery shells in advance according to Su Laocheng's requirements for the preliminary test.

If the test firing of the short and heavy artillery goes well, the War Bureau will then start mass-producing artillery shells suitable for the short and heavy artillery.

Today's test firing is very important to determine whether the short and heavy gun can be used as the main naval gun.

First, a pressure test must be conducted to test the recoil of the short and heavy guns and whether the decks of the Ming and Zheng Navy ships can withstand it.

Therefore, Zheng Kezang did not use the old method to test the short and heavy artillery directly on the ground.

The thickness of this deck is average, and there are some cracks. It can be seen that it cannot be used on the shuttle boat without modification and reinforcement.

"Father-in-law, this is the characteristic of a short and heavy cannon. It is suitable for small and fast ships to fire a salvo when approaching a large ship. The power is extraordinary. I believe that your subordinates will like this cannon."

"Close hand-to-hand combat is the romance of the navy. Your Majesty, with this weapon, the navy is invincible!" Zhu Tiangui said excitedly. He just wanted to quickly install new naval guns.

If a Tatar ship were to be hit by such a thirty-two-pounder cannon shell, no need to think too much, even the strongest Guangzhou ship made of iron and wood would not be able to withstand four or five hits and would definitely be smashed.

But beyond 150 meters, the accuracy is very poor.

Zheng Kezang stepped forward and peeled off the white cotton cloth covering the barrel, and a black and shiny barrel appeared in front of everyone.

Zheng Kezang arrived late today. He got off his horse, exchanged a few words with everyone, and the group went straight to the simulated fort.

The problem is not that big, just strengthen the gun mount.

Just a roar was heard, and the cannonballs rose into the air amid the flames and smoke, flying out of the gun barrel. The hot cannonballs made a soul-shaking sound and smashed into the distance.

"Qinshe, this cannon is very powerful, but its range is a bit short." Chen Yonghua concluded.

Under Zhu Tiangui's order, the craftsmen quickly weighed the gunpowder of the first shell.

"The commander or the gunners are not used to the new guns and don't know how to aim. Just try more." Zhu Tiangui was worried about Zheng Kezang. Chen Yonghua and others thought that his men were not good enough, so they hurriedly explained.

By slightly increasing the muzzle elevation angle, the shooting distance can reach 120 to 150 meters.

It is estimated that the average bird ship can only be hit by three or four bombs at most. Even if it does not sink into the sea, it will lose its combat effectiveness.

"Qin She, I feel that the navy's gunners are not shooting accurately." Chen Yonghua said.

"Father-in-law, it's a small matter. Let the gunner try it more. Anyway, the shells prepared today are enough!" Zheng Kezang expressed his understanding.

The rumbling sound of artillery fire suddenly began to ring out on the barren mountain. Fortunately, there was no one nearby, otherwise they would have been frightened to death. It was really deafening.

But the trajectory is flatter than that of a mortar. At least it has a flat shooting distance of tens of meters. A mortar or mortar can only shoot in a curve.

Everyone was stunned by such power.

The term "smashing" is appropriate to describe this kind of shell. The shell of a short heavy gun is heavy, has a short barrel, and a small charge. The trajectory is naturally not straight, and it is very similar to the trajectory of a mortar.

After firing a few rounds, Zheng Kezang and others came over from a distance to check the situation of the simulated fort.

"Is everything ready?" Zheng Kezang asked in a deep voice.

There is no problem with the manufacturing quality of this short heavy gun.

Zheng Kezang and others all wore cotton plugs for the safety of their eardrums.

However, during the actual firing, Zheng Kezang and others found that there was some problem with the accuracy of the short heavy gun.

He used a special long rod wrapped in silk and inserted it into the cannon bore to check the cannon bore again.

"Inspection completed, prepare for test firing!" Zhu Tiangui yelled.

After several test firings, the gun body was intact as before, a perfect naval gun.

Under the sun, the smooth cannon body reflects a dark halo, giving people an inexplicable sense of intimidation and awe.

Zhu Tiangui personally stepped forward and pulled out the silk-wrapped cork muzzle plug from the muzzle.

A simulated artillery fort with a masonry structure that was built as a bombardment target was luckily hit by a naval gunner.

Soon, someone weighed out three kilograms of gunpowder and loaded it into the barrel of the gun. Then the two gunners worked together to use a special clip to pick up a shell and load it into the barrel. Then they followed the normal operation.

In gun mode, the cannonball is fed into the bottom of the barrel.

However, the range of more than 100 meters cannot be used in land combat, as it can easily be defeated by the opponent.

The short and heavy guns will be mounted on this simulated fort for test firing to test whether the smallest escort ship can withstand its recoil.

After more than a dozen test firings of artillery shells, the gunner knew how to shoot more accurately, and everyone also basically understood the performance of the short and heavy cannon.

After learning that Zheng Kezang was going to test the navy's new cannon, Chen Yonghua also rushed to the barren hills in the suburbs to observe the test.

Zheng Kezang nodded and said: "Proceed as planned."

But at sea, it doesn't matter.

The gun barrel in front of you presents a graceful arc that is thick at the back and thin at the front. The gun barrel is polished smooth and flat without any burrs or flaws.

The direct sighting distance of the 32-pound short heavy gun is about one hundred meters.

Although the shells of short heavy artillery are very heavy, their powder charge is not large. The actual charge of a thirty-two-pound shell only requires three kilograms of gunpowder.

Although it was only a test firing of solid bullets, the fort was demolished on the spot, causing gray stones to fly everywhere.

Because it is so powerful, the firepower of the thirty-two-pound cannon shell is terrifying.

The craftsmen of the Ming and Zheng War Bureaus, after such a long period of exploration, have become quite mature in cannon casting technology. Coupled with the use of horizontal bore machines, they are even more powerful.

Zhu Tiangui saluted again with a bang, turned around and said loudly: "Come here, prepare the shells."

Originally, Zheng Kezang was worried that the skills of the newly built artillery factory were not up to standard, but Zheng Kezang overthought it. Basically, the craftsmen in the artillery factory were transferred from the War Bureau.

If this cannon is used to attack the city, as long as it gets close to the city, it is estimated that dozens of cannons can knock down the city wall.

He specifically ordered the navy to go to the barren mountain first and build a simulated fort based on the structural strength of the ship's deck.

At the same time, more than a dozen craftsmen came forward quickly. They carried a basket of large, black, round iron balls and a large wooden barrel filled with sweet gunpowder.

"Report to the King, everything is ready, please give instructions." Zhu Tiangui saluted with a sense of ceremony.

This kind of gun was born for naval battles. With its heavy shells, it can accurately bombard enemy ships at close range, ensuring hits and effective destruction!

"Your Majesty, try to completely change the navy's uniforms before the end of July!" Zheng Kezang said.

"No hurry, Your Majesty!" Zhu Tiangui was not in a hurry. He worked slowly and carefully, and the quality of the cannon was more important.

"Don't worry, Shi Lang will be here in July!" Zheng Kezang smiled mysteriously.
Chapter completed!