8" Rifled Rodman Gun - Fort Pickens - Pensacola, FL
N 30° 19.656 W 087° 17.460
16R E 472026 N 3355122
8" Rifled Rodman Gun on a wrought-iron, front pintle barbette mount on the rampart of Fort Pickens.
Waymark Code: WMVJ2Y
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 04/23/2017
Views: 1
"Rodman gun" refers to a series of American Civil War–era cannon designed by Union artilleryman Thomas Jackson Rodman. The guns were designed to fire both shot and shell. These heavy guns were intended to be mounted in seacoast fortifications. They were built in 8-inch, 10-inch, 13-inch, 15-inch, and 20-inch bores. Other than size, the guns were all nearly identical in design, with a curving bottle shape, large flat areas with ratchets or sockets for the elevating mechanism. Rodman guns differed from all previous artillery because they were hollow cast using a water cooled core, a new technology that Rodman developed that resulted in cast iron guns that were much stronger than their predecessors.
Like the gun tube displayed in the center of the fort, this was gun was originally a 10" smoothbore. To keep up with the technology of the time, in 1884 the Army inserted an 8" rifled sleeve. This would have increased the range and accuracy of the piece.
As a point of reference, an 8" smoothbore Rodman could fire a 50 lb. shell 3873 yards, 2.2 miles, at 30º elevation.
What type of artillery is this?: Seacoast Defense Cannon
Where is this artillery located?: Monument grounds
What military of the world used this device?: USA, CSA
Artillery is no longer operational: no
Still may work: no
Date artillery was in use: Not listed
Date artillery was placed on display: Not listed
Parking location to view this Waymark: Not Listed
Cost?: Not Listed
Are there any geocaches at this location?: Not listed
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