Cannon

A cannon is any large tubular firearm designed to fire a heavy projectile over a considerable distance. The term can apply to a modern day rifled machine gun with a calibre of 20 mm or more (see autocannon).

Projectiles fired from cannon

; Round shot : A solid projectile made, in early times, from dressed stone but, by the 17th century, from iron. The most accurate projectile that could be fired by a smooth-bore cannon, used to batter the wooden hulls of opposing ships, forts, or fixed emplacements, and as a long-range anti-personnel weapon.

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; Chain shot or bar shot : Two sub-calibre round shot (a good deal smaller than the bore of the barrel) linked by a length of chain or a solid bar, and used to slash through the rigging and sails of an enemy ship so that it could no longer manoeuvre. Inaccurate and only used at close range.

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; Canister shot (or case shot) : An anti-personnel weapon which included several small round shot or lead musket bullets in a metal can, which broke up when fired, scattering the shot throughout the enemy personnel, like a large shotgun.

Related Topics:
Canister shot - Lead - Musket - Bullet - Shotgun

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; Shell : An anti-personnel weapon, similar to canister shot, but with a can that was much more robust and which also contained a fused explosive charge, trimmed to explode above the heads of the enemy, spreading shot and can fragments in the form of shrapnel over the enemy. First used in the 16th century as a siege weapon fired from mortars, and later as a battlefield weapon.

Related Topics:
Shell - Fused - Explosive - Shrapnel - 16th century - Siege weapon - Mortars

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; Grapeshot : An anti-personnel weapon, similar to canister shot, but with the shot being contained in a canvas bag, and generally of a smaller calibre.

Related Topics:
Grapeshot - Canvas

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; Carcass : An incendiary/antipersonnel projectile designed to burn fiercely and produce poisonous fumes. It was constructed of an iron frame bound with sack cloth and filled with various ingredients such as pitch, antimony, sulphur, saltpeter, tallow and venetian turpentine. It was ignited by the cannon's propellant charge, bursting on impact with the target and releasing noxious fumes while setting fire to its surroundings. It was effectively an early chemical weapon as well as an incendiary and area denial weapon.

Related Topics:
Carcass - Sack cloth - Pitch - Antimony - Sulphur - Saltpeter - Tallow - Turpentine - Chemical weapon - Incendiary - Area denial weapon

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