Also known as: wad hook, worm.
| Type | Extracting tool |
|---|---|
| Form | A double iron spiral on a staff |
| Use | Withdrawing a charge or fouling from the bore |
Clearing the bore
The worm was a double spiral of iron, like a large corkscrew, fixed to a wooden staff. Run down the bore and twisted, it caught and drew out a cartridge, a charge that had to be unloaded, or the remnants of bag and wad left after firing.
With the sponge, rammer, and handspike, the worm was part of the standard set of implements carried with every gun, used to keep the bore clear and to unload safely.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- United States War Department. Instruction for Field Artillery, Prepared by a Board of Artillery Officers. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1863.
- 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.