Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: donmeaker
Grape shot! Darn!

Actually grape shot was linked together with a chain, raised he** with a troop formation. What you are referring to is called canister. Canister was still in use back in the 1950s-'60s when I was in the army. It was used extensively in the Pacific against the Japanese during WWII, usually out of 37MM cannon.

45 posted on 11/15/2013 8:24:29 PM PST by calex59
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies ]


To: calex59
Actually grape shot was linked together with a chain, raised he** with a troop formation.

That's "chain shot". Used a lot on sailing ships to tear up rigging, but also used on land. Grape shot were just bags of oversized musket balls. Later, they started putting it into metal canisters which blew apart when they left the barrel. About the same time a British artillery officer named Henry Shrapnel came up with a way to make a shell lined with grapeshot that exploded over the enemy's heads.

48 posted on 11/15/2013 11:20:25 PM PST by Hugin ( More firepower1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson