Image:Early breech loaders.jpg

Early examples of breech loading artillery from the 15th to the 16th century on display at the Army Museum in Stockholm. A translation of the main caption is as follows:

BREECH LOADERS FROM THE EARLY HISTORY OF ARTILLERY

Until the middle of the 19th century almost all cannons were loaded from the front, but during the 15th and 16th century, breech loaders were fairly common. Most were made of welded iron bars fitted with reinforcing iron rings that have been shrunk around the bore, though breech loaders cast in iron or bronze were also produced. A name [in Swedish] for breech loading cannons were "föglare", a Swedish rendition of the German term "Vögler".

Gunpowder chamber Wedge

In the back of the bore a gun powder chamber was wedged shut. After the cannon had been fired, the wedge was knocked loose [by the crew], the chamber was removed, a new one inserted and wedged shut. With several prepared chambers, the fire rate could be quite high. However, the seal between the chamber and the bore was not good and the cannons could not withstand powerful charges.

July 4, 2007

Peter Isotalo

see below