Also known as: cannon gun.
| Trajectory | Flat, direct fire |
|---|---|
| Charge | Relatively heavy |
| Role | Range and battering |
| Contrast | Longer barrel and heavier charge than the howitzer |
The long gun
Among cannon, the gun proper is the long-barreled piece designed for direct fire with a flat trajectory and a comparatively heavy powder charge. Its length and charge gave it range and striking force, suiting it to battering, to reaching distant targets, and to firing solid shot.
The gun stood in contrast to the shorter howitzer, which threw a heavier projectile at a higher angle with a lighter charge, and to the mortar, which fired at a very high angle.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- United States Army, Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Manual for the Use of the Officers of the United States Army. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1862.
- Benton, James G. A Course of Instruction in Ordnance and Gunnery. 2nd ed. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1862.