Gunnery

Gunnery, the science of the construction and usage of guns, and especially of the loading, elevation, sighting, and firing of these weapons; of their ballistics, trajectories, velocities, energies, and penetrations; of ammunition and explosives, and, to some extent, of the chemistry of gases. It may now also be said to include the science of the construction of armour, of the properties of iron and steel, and -of the resistance offered by earth, air, water, wood, masonry, etc. It will be readily seen, therefore, that the subject is too wide a one to be dealt with adequately here, and that reference concerning it should be made to special works. Of these the best are those which have been officially prepared for the British Government and printed for H.M. Stationery Office. They include the Text Book of Gunnery, the special handbooks for each of the various service guns, the Gunnery Tables, etc. For obsolete gunnery the student may consult The Practical Sen-Gunner's Companion (1747), and Thomson's translation of D'Antoni's treatises on gunpowder, firearms, and artillery (1789).