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From: lance@kodak.com (Dan Lance)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: What is a 6-pounder gun?
Message-ID: <7195@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 7 Jun 89 03:34:46 GMT
References: <7030@cbnews.ATT.COM> <7127@cbnews.ATT.COM>
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Organization: Eastman Kodak Co, Rochester, NY
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From: lance@kodak.com (Dan Lance)

Our fearless moderator writes:
>[mod.note:  I believe that the term "carronade" refers to a gun mounted
>on the ship's gunwales via a pintle mount, as opposed to being mounted
>on a carriage.   As they couldn't recoil, the powder charge had to be
>small, reducing the effective range of the gun.   Correct me if I'm
>wrong...  In any case, the name derives from the town of Carron, Scotland,
>which apparently had a fine ironworks. - Bill ]

The term "carronade" refers to a short-barreled, large-caliber gun
mounted on a more-or-less conventional naval carriage.  They posessed
shorter range and lower muzzle velocity than the long-barrelled
guns they replaced, and were quite devastating at short range.
The name does come from Carron, Scotland;  they were first used in the
late eighteenth century.   US frigates of the Revolutionary period
typically carried a high proportion of these weapons.

If I remember correctly, conventional naval guns of the period
ranged from 6 or 8-pdrs for sloops and the top decks of larger ships
to 24 and 32 pdrs for ships of the line.  Carronades could be much
lighter per pound of ball thrown;  these guns typically were rated
as (approx.) 77 pdrs.  They were quite effective when loaded with grape
or shell, though you had to get close to the enemy to use them.

The little swivel guns on the gunwales were much smaller -- sort of like
large shotguns -- and were used to repel boarders.  They were also
sometimes mounted in the tops.

--drl 		
Daniel R. Lance / Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester NY / drl@kodak.com