Heavy Rifled Ordnance, Cast Iron and Wrought Iron. Review of the Report of the Ordnance Select Committee Publ. by the War Office

Heavy Rifled Ordnance, Cast Iron And Wrought Iron. Review Of The Report Of The Ordnance Select Committee Publ. By The War Office by Bashley Britten. This work provides a critical, data?driven examination of the 1863 War Office Ordnance Select Committee report on rifling cast?iron service guns. Britten argues that cast?iron guns, when rifled under his system, can be safely used with modest charges and lead?enveloped projectiles, challenging the Committee’s stated “risk” and advocating a cheaper, more expansive approach than the introduced Palliser or Armstrong alternatives. He presents experimental results, tables, and reasoned argument to show that cheaper, large?bore, high?expansion designs may yield equal or greater overall effectiveness, with less wear and cost. The text also discusses powder types (RLG vs pebble), durability issues, and the broader financial and strategic implications for Britain’s artillery program, urging openness in inquiry and a reallocation of resources toward economical yet powerful ordnance. It is a technical, historical, polemical survey of 19th?century artillery design and defense policy.