Chapter 93: The Power of the Tiger Sword!
(0093)
[Today's fourth update is delivered, ask for collection, ask for recommendation~~~~]
With the current craftsmanship of Fushan's craftsman's workshop, it is still unknown when a barrel that meets the design needs will be produced. At the same time, since the barrel is a matter of rolling, in terms of range and accuracy, it is certainly inferior to a mechanically made barrel. At the same time, the chance of exploding is still relatively high. It doesn't matter, though. The historical Mini rifle has a maximum range of 918 meters, and can basically accurately hit the target within 550 meters. Even if all indicators are completely halved, and the maximum firing range is only 500 meters, accurate shooting within a range of 300 meters is an epoch-making weapon.
After explaining the principle of rifling and the characteristics of Mini bullets, the rest of the process is not complicated. The flintlock pistol was owned by the Ming Dynasty itself, and the difficulty of the process was not complicated, the key was to give up the cost. Flint is not a scarce item, as long as you look for it, you can still find it. It's the same with lead ore. If it doesn't work, use cork or graphite instead.
The problem of the bayonet was much easier to solve. The existing triangular thorn can be used on the barrel after modification. The processing of the card seat is a little difficult, but it is not very large. The butt and handguard are not difficult at all. What is the most important thing in Laoshan? Timber! Elm, catalpa, oak, fir and walnut with excellent texture, as many as you want.
"In that case, this Mini rifle is really viable."
After Zhou Shiwen and Luo Dashan carefully discussed the manufacture of rifling with their own hands, they made a model of the Mini bullet, and finally they were convinced that Zhang Zhun's suggestion was theoretically feasible. As for the process, it's the business scope of the two of them.
The other craftsmen also questioned the Mini rifle sufficiently, questioning every detail, and then discussing the solution to the problem together. Everyone thought of a lot of detailed problems, and all of them were solved. However, this is still theoretical. Whether it can be made or not has to be tested yourself.
"Let's get to work now!"
Zhang Zhun did what he said.
There is not a single minute to be delayed.
In the complicated environment of the late Ming Dynasty, the Mini rifle was naturally equipped as early as possible.
Brigadier Zhang named the domestically produced Mini rifle "Tiger Ben Gun".
Lend me 3,000 tigers and restore my mighty China!
Zhang Zhun finally determined the specifications of the Tiger Ben Gun: the barrel length is 36 inches (about 1200 mm), the barrel caliber is 0.36 inches (about 12 mm), and the weight of the Mini bullet is 6 Qian (about 20 grams). The matching bayonet has a total length of 380 mm and is modified from a triangular stab. The Tiger Gun is 1520 mm without a bayonet and 1900 mm with a bayonet. The length of the Tiger is basically similar to that of the famous British smoothbore gun "Brown Bes".
In order to coordinate the various elements of the production of tiger and ben, Zhang Zhun set up an equipment department, with Zhou Shiwen and Luo Dashan as managers. Zhang Zhun gave Zhou Shiwen and Luo Dashan 1,500 taels of silver as the start-up capital for the tiger. If the funds are not enough, you can continue to ask Zhang Zhunyao. According to the calculations of the three of them, under the premise of relatively mature technology, the cost of each tiger gun should be about twenty taels of silver, which is about the same as the price of a pure steel spear. At the same price, the power is much more powerful than that of a spear, which shows the importance of technological invention.
After the production of tiger ben was determined, the first batch of high-quality steel produced by Li Fenglai and others was quickly sent to the craftsman's workshop. Zhou Shiwen, Luo Dashan and others immediately got busy and made the first batch of barrels. The other craftsmen also gathered together to overcome the obstacle of rifling first. Even after repeated arguments, there are still few people who have confidence in rifling.
Sure enough, even if they understood the principle of rifling and Zhang Zhun personally instructed them, the craftsmen still felt very strong resistance when making rifling. Theoretically, it is possible, but in practice, as long as there is a slight error, the rifling cannot be connected. And the rifling that cannot be connected will not work at all. The dozens of catties of steel pieces sent by Li Fenglai were basically destroyed. Fortunately, as the technology continues to become proficient, the error is getting smaller and smaller, and the hope is getting bigger and bigger. Otherwise, everyone's confidence will really be seriously hit.
Almost five days later, the first rifled barrel was finally produced. The rifling is indeed perfectly aligned. Zhang Zhun used this barrel to test, and its strength was still enough for hand-to-hand combat. However, whether such a barrel can be used in actual combat or not must be tested many times.
At the same time, the production of Mini bullets was also underway. Compared with rifling, the manufacture of mini bullets is much simpler. As for the firing of flint, there are also craftsmen who solve technical problems. Originally, the Ming Dynasty itself had flintlock pistols, and some craftsmen knew the principle of firing and just copied them. The production of granular gunpowder was a little troublesome at first, but it was later solved by clever craftsmen, and it is recorded in both the "Ji Xiao Xinshu" and the "Wubei Zhi". In addition, some elderly craftsmen also knew the general method of making it, and after careful recall and trial and error, granular gunpowder came out.
The butt, handguard, harness, crosshair, and door are also not technically difficult. In fact, many of the Ming army's firearms, even artillery, are based on the front sight and the door, as well as a detailed scale, according to which the firing angle can be adjusted. These are all improved by Xu Guangqi. Unfortunately, he passed away last year. When it comes to Xu Guangqi, later generations have admitted that this person is the first scientist of the Ming Dynasty, but unfortunately he has not been used much and is depressed. Otherwise, the firearms and equipment of the Ming army will definitely be even more powerful.
Soon, all the parts needed for the first Tiger Gun were available.
Zhou Shiwen carefully assembled all the parts to form the first tiger in history. After repeated inspections, Zhou Shiwen fed the Mini bullet into the barrel with a bullet lever, and then sprinkled granular gunpowder into the powder pool. The flint is also ready. At this point, the launch work is complete.
"Let's get started!"
Zhang Zhun said in a deep voice.
Zhou Shiwen and others used ropes to fix the tiger and tie it to the trigger with a rope. The purpose of this is, of course, to prevent the bore. After all, this is the first prototype gun, and all the components are produced for the first time. No one can guarantee that it will not blow up the chamber and give everyone a dismount. In case of a bore, it's not a joke, and of course there's no need to take risks.
About 100 meters in front of the tiger pine, a huge cedar plank was planted. The thickness of the cedar planks is a full three inches (about 100 mm). According to calculations, if the Tiger Ben Gun is shot in a straight line, it should be hit on the wooden plank. There is a circle in the center of the plank, and a red heart in the middle of the circle. Hitting the heart of the red indicates that the accuracy is extremely high. Hit it inside the circle, indicating that the accuracy is okay. If you hit outside the circle, or even hit the plank, it means that the accuracy is really terrible. The thickness of the plank is used to measure the power of the mini bullet.
"Put!"
Zhang Zhun personally pulled the rope.
"Bang!"
A loud bang was heard.
Everyone's eardrums shook slightly.
A puff of black smoke came out, and the air was immediately filled with the choking smell of gunpowder.
After the gunshot, Zhang Zhun immediately ran to the front of the cedar board to check.
Good guys, right in the heart.
Only a small hole was left in the heart, but the Mini bullet was gone.
The delighted craftsmen hurriedly cut open the cedar planks. It turned out that the Mini bullet was hidden on the back of the cedar plank, less than half an inch (about 17 mm) from the piercing. The bullet itself has been completely deformed, like a twisted twist. It's so powerful, it's really appalling. The craftsmen couldn't find any words to describe what they saw in front of them for a while, and they could only gasp in their hearts. In everyone's mind, a terrible thought involuntarily popped up: What will be the consequences if this shot hits a person?
"Keep experimenting."
Zhang Zhun had the same surprise in his heart, but he was silent on the surface.
The craftsmen now admired Zhang Zhun so much that they naturally didn't listen to it, and they didn't follow it, so everyone immediately ran back and continued the experiment. Skillfully push the projectile into the chamber and put in the propellant. Everything is ready.
"Bang!"
The Tiger Ben Gun was launched for the second time.
The results of the second time were as good as the first. The Mini bullet continued to hit the heart while sinking two and a half inches deep into the cedar plank. This result continues to delight everyone. If every shot had such a level, the Tiger Gun would be mass-produced and equipped with the Guard.
However, it was disappointing that from the third shot, the Mini bullet began to deviate significantly, not hitting the heart, only inside the outer circle. The further back, the greater the deviation, and the distance into the plank becomes shallower and shallower, indicating that the power is getting weaker and weaker. By the time of the tenth shot, the Mini bullet had already missed the plank, and I didn't know where it had gone. Zhang Zhun and others checked and summarized and found that the rifling in the barrel had been almost smoothed.
Eventually, the problem came to the barrel.
Tests have proved that there is no problem with the principle, there is no problem with rifling, and the key is quality.
After only ten shots, the rifled gun turned into a smoothbore gun, and such a quality, of course, could not be mass-produced. Even if Zhang Zhun is not demanding, at least he has to meet the needs of a battle, right? Coupled with the usual training, if a gun barrel cannot be accurately fired fifty times, it will not be able to be put into use on a large scale at all. Twenty taels of silver is not much, but it is money!
"Keep testing!"
Zhang Zhun said expressionlessly.
So, everyone continued to reload the tiger and continued to shoot.
"Bang bang bang!"
The gunfire continued, and the smoke of gunfire filled the air.
You can't see exactly where the bullet hit. What Zhang Zhun wanted to test was the probability of the barrel exploding. For musketeers, the borechamber is always a huge psychological shadow. Novices fear the musket itself even more than the enemy. Aside from anything else, as long as the problem of exploding the chamber can be better solved, the resistance to the popularization of the use of muskets should be reduced by half.
Surprisingly, this barrel has not been blown up. It was fiftieth round, and the barrel was still not exploding. In that respect, it's definitely a miracle. Of course, this is related to the advanced principle of the Mini rifle, the chamber pressure is greatly reduced, and the possibility of exploding the chamber is naturally greatly reduced. In the end, the barrel was completely scrapped at the eighty-ninth shot.
Later tests, for the surname of the barrel, were sufficient. The key is how to ensure the quality of the rifling, which cannot be smoothed out in such a short time. The craftsmen agreed that to solve this problem, it is necessary to start from three aspects: one is the quality of steel; One is the depth of rifling; One is the craft of the Mini bullet. Only by considering the three aspects comprehensively and working together to improve can we quickly improve the life of the barrel.
From ten to fifty, there's still a lot of room for improvement.
It would be even more perfect if it could be promoted more than a hundred times.
Of course, if the quality is even better, and the barrel life reaches more than two hundred times, Zhang Zhun will laugh in his dreams.
[Today's fourth update is delivered, ask for collection, ask for recommendation~~~~]
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