How Much Did Weapons Change After 1850?

Question 1

How did rifling become further advanced ?

Answer 1

Rifling had been used since the 1830’s but now was possible in artillery giving them a far greater range of up to 10km by 1900
But it was only possible due to other technical innovations

Question 2

How where rifles improved ?

Answer 2

An increase rate of fire was achieved via the innovation of guns that could be Breech loading
This meant it could be loaded a lot faster and made the rare of fire increase

Question 3

Steel ? How did it improve artillery and weapons

Answer 3

1. It was the reason artillery was possible to rifle due to the developments in casting steel
2. From the 1860’s artillery prices where made out of stolid steel due to new manufacturing methods and reduced the cost
3. They where stronger and more capable of being rifled than cast iron
4. It was due to Henry Bessemer therefor the process is known as the Bessemer process

Question 4

Brass cartridge ? Think how it improved breech loading guns

Answer 4

Breech loading guns only became possible due to developments in ammunition cartridges
Brass carriages contained one bullet and gunpowder inside a brass case
They where quicker and less dangerous to reload
And enabled for breach loading which and not been possible before when shot and powder where loaded separately

Question 5

Smokeless powder? Think communication and visual

Answer 5

It massively improved the visibility on the battlefield

Question 6

Mass production ? Think cost and amount

Answer 6

Increasing use of factories for production from 1850 had the important result of weapons being produced quicker
Weapons and ammunition began to be available in larger quantities bigger than ever before

Question 7

What’s the acronym to help remember all the changes from 1850

Answer 7

Breech loading
Rifling
Ammunition
Steel casting
Smokeless power

Acronym: BRASS

Question 8

Was change immediate ?

Answer 8

No, governments where reluctant to invest in new technologies due to it taking a lot of both money and time and the changes taking a lot of both money and time

However with increase tensions in 1870’s the British government increased spending as did other European governments as a sort of arms race

No one knew how this would impact tactics