Note.—Recent experiments have shown the superiority of a wider and heavier band. This new band will in all probability soon be adopted.
Q. Give some instructions for filling shell.
A. Unscrew and remove the plug from the shell. Place the filling-rod in the bag and fold the latter round the rod; insert it through the plug-hole, taking care not to force the end of the rod through the bottom of the bag; carefully push in the bag until the neck only is in the plug-hole, a portion being kept outside, as the whole bag must not be allowed to slip into the shell during the operation of filling; then withdraw the rod and insert the funnel into the neck of the bag, pressing the funnel well down into the plug-hole; pass the filling-rod through the funnel and gradually pour in a small quantity of the powder (say about half the charge); take out the funnel and rod, lift up the bag and jerk it, so as to "set" the powder well down to the bottom and to open the bag; then reinsert the funnel and rod as before, and continue the filling; choke the bag and cut off the superfluous choke. The filling-rod should be moved up and down while pouring in the powder, to facilitate its passage through the funnel, the powder in the shell being tamped on at the same time. The use of a large mallet against the side of the shell (any piece of wood will answer the same purpose) will materially assist in getting the maximum amount of powder into the shell.
When the shell is quite full withdraw the funnel and filling-rod, and tie the neck of the bag with two hitches of twine close to the top of the plug-hole. Cut off the superfluous choke, and push the neck of the bag well down the plug-hole into the shell, then screw in the plug as required.
Lead rings are supplied for the armor-piercing shell. The ring is hammered into the recess round the head of the plug, and the superfluous metal removed.
No preparation of the bag by pricking or otherwise is necessary.
Q. Suppose a projectile when weighed on a scale comes to 1044 lbs. and that it has a blue-gray head and a blue-gray band around its center of gravity, and below the copper band it is painted yellow; state what gun it is for, what kind of a projectile it is (whether a shell or solid shot), what it is made of, and if a shell, what is inside of it.
A. It is an armor-piercing shell for a 12-inch gun; it is made of forged steel, and is filled with explosive "D."
Q. What are shell and cored shot filled with?
A. Maximite, explosive "D," and rarely gunpowder.