Also known as: proving a gun.
| Test | Firing with a charge heavier than service |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Prove the gun will stand its strains |
| Follows | Casting and machining; precedes acceptance |
Proving the gun
Before a new gun was accepted it was proved by firing, usually with a proof charge heavier than any it would use in service, and often several rounds. A gun that survived proof without cracking or enlarging had shown it could stand the strains of use.
Proof firing, together with inspection and gauging of the bore, was the test that stood between the foundry and service, and guns that failed were condemned.
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.
- CivilWarArtillery.com research archive: manuals, reports, and manufacturing references.