Armament

Last update: 9/1/02

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This section provides detailed information related to guns, gun building or related systems engineering.

Schematic of a three gun installation. The part numbers are Clippard unless indicated.

Traversing

This is the stern gun in Jim Spear's HMCS Haida. The gun is our standard Clippard fixed gun with a rotating barrel modification. Elevation is accomplished using a pivoting mount.

The stern gun in Paul Fleming's USS Orleck. The gun is our standard Clippard fixed gun on a rotating mount. Only one barrel in a twin turret is armed. The barrel swings in a arc .75 inches off centerline and .60 inches aft of the center of the barbett. Elevation is fixed.

This is the Stern gun of Jason Quinn's German Z Boat. The gun uses three position traversing and mechanical elavation.

Amunition

Ammunition is available in various ammounts from the following vendor:
Royal Steel Ball Products
304 E 29th St.
P.O. Box 901
Sterling, Il 61081

815 626-2539

The two common grades of bearings used by the QO are chrome steel Grade 100 and carbon steel Grade 1000. The grade number determines the precision of the bearing. The number 100 or 1000 tells you how many millionths of an inch a bearing is ground to. As you can see Grade 100 is considerably finer than grade 1000 by a factor of ten. Grade 1000 bearings can be as much as one thousandths of an inch larger than ordered. If you use steel barrels this is not a problem. However people using brass or machined barrels need to take this into account.
Grade 100 bearings are a chrome steel alloy. Grade 1000 are a polished carbon steel.
Prices for chrome steel Grade 100 are generally $9 per 1000 3/16 bearings (about a pound). Carbon Steel Grade 1000 is $2.50 per 1000 3/16 bearings.
Prices for 1/4 bearings grade 100 are generally $13 per 1000 . Grade 1000 is $3 per 1000 1/4 bearings.
Guys buying 1/4 inch it is cheaper to buy direct from the factory Sterling Ball Bearing Company 815 625-3715. The kicker here is they have a 100 pound minimum.

CO2 Regulators

Regulators are available from the following vendor:

Williams Balloons & Helium

2320 Thompson Way, Suite F.

Santa Maria, CA 93455

800 235-4112

805 922-0564

The standard regulator used used by the club members is the Williams Number 103 with a 150 pound spring. Cost is $21.35 ( July 98 price). This regulator is used in conjunction with the Clippard MAR-1P Regulator. The Clippard regulator is used to give precise pressure regulation to enable guns to pass the penetration test.

The Clippard Regulator is available at your local Clippard dealer, or Shaw, Fleming or Cozart can get one for you.

Building Loaders

Fleming's Barrel holding Piston loader

I can not cut threads. So I use half of a 1/4 inch (1/8 27 thread) pipe union to screw the loader into the valve.

1. Cut a piece of 3/8 hex brass to about 2.5 inches.
2. Cut 1/8th 27 union in half.
3. Place hex brass in lathe. Reduce one end of brass hex so the half union will slide on about 1/4 inch.
4. Drill #11 hole all the way through the brass.
5. Drill the magazine port about 3/4inch from the bottom (union end), drill a 1/4 inch hole at an angle of 80 degrees. This gives a 10 degree magazine angle.
6. Drill a #12 hole down from the top and intersect the magazine port.
7. Measure the distance from the top down to where the magazine port intersects.
8. Using the dimension in step 7 drill a 1/4 (this assumes you are using 1/4 ID steel break line for your vertical and turn) hole .375 of an inch less than the dimension. This will let you install the barrel steel into the loader.
9. Solder the threads on the hex and a one inch magazine tube.
10. From 1/4 inch brass stock make a piston. Drill a #9 hole through the center.
11. Place piston stock in lathe. Reduce one end to fit loosely in the #11 hole in the loader. This part of piston when topped out must bock enough of the magazine to prevent shot from entering. It should be slightly less than half of the shot diameter. If the piston is too tall it can be jammed and held in the up position.
12. Cut bottom of piston off even with the bottom of the threads.
13. Screw into valve roll a ball in. Ball should not rest on piston, it should drop into the #11 hole.

The photo below shows the two forward guns of the HRMS Isaac Sweers that use this type of loader.

Shaw/Harter's Method ...No Piston

1. Silver solder a ten degree magazine tube about 3/4 inches from the end.
2. Run a drill bit through to open the hole. Run the bit up the vertical tube also.
3. Cut 1/4inch pipe union (1/8th 27 threads) in half and silver solder on the lower end.
4. Slide a small piece of brass tubing inside for the ball to sit on. Adjust so the second ball in the magazine will not get over center on the fisrt ball. Glue or solder tubing in place.
An alternate method of preventing the ball from dropping down the tube is center punch a small dimple in the tube opposite the magazine tube. Be careful here, with this method is you must get it exactly right. Too high and it won't load, too low an it will fire multiples.
It should be noted these two different types loaders can not be matched up on the same ship. They use different firing pressures. One or the other will not pass the peneteration test. Either one will have too much pressure or the other not enough.

The piston loader pictured above is designed to attach to the barrel with flexible tubing for adjustable elevation or can be used in the Single Traversing Gun Method in the drawing above.
The dimensions and drill sizes shown here are for 3/16 shot. The same designs are used for 1/4 inch shot.
These are two variations on making loaders. The best design is one that works for you.

Guns in general

Jon Charbonneaux came up with this variation of a trunion mounted gun.

This is the stern turret of HMS Exeter belonging to the Honorable Sir Ralph Gibbons MBS, MSB VDL. Bob Cozart designed and built the guns using Lexan and PVC. The only commercial parts are the Clippard Actuators. Paul Fleming mounted the gun on an aluminum bar which bolts into the ship. The gears are molded using casting resin.

Cliff Shaw built three ship sets of this gun. This is the stern turret of his DKM Lutzow. This is a radically different design from other large caliber guns. It uses a single large valve to fire all three barrels. It features a vacuformed magazine and is the first gun to use the rolling barrel bar for elevation.

Mike Harter built these guns for British Battle class Destroyer HMS Solebay. True enough the Solebay is a 724 class vessel and is only allowed to operate three guns at any one time. Depending on the mission Mike activates the guns that will function most effectively, or so he says.
I believe the real reason is if his ships are not just packed tight with lots of complicated stuff he is not happy. At this rate his USS Wyoming will not need lead balast Mike will use STUFF.

Mike Harter built this gun for X Turret in his USS Louisville. The gun is our standard Clippard fixed gun mounted on a traversing unit. The barrel depression assembly was specially built by Gary Powell. This gun has an extream amount of depression. It is intended to discourage Destroyers from trying to run in under the main guns.

B turret on the USS Houston is a two gun unit that fires through the outboard barrels. The magazine holds 140 rounds. Both barrels are fired by the simgle internal valve. The trasverse is 240 degrees and the barrel elevation allows broadside engagement ranges from 10 feet forward to 75 feet.

This is the forward turrets drive for the Battleship Prince of Wales. Both turrets are driven by a 12vdc motor attached to reduction gearbox with an output of 60 rpm.