Well before the new forums were even talked about, I'd mailed the entire thread to myself. Great insurance, I thought. However, I lost the harddrive on that machine... and now we are on the new forums and the old thread no longer exists.

It would be impossible to ask everyone to remember exactly what they posted, but it was good stuff and I'd like to finish the paper I started writing a while back.

Can those of you who helped me out before post your references again? They were really good but they're lost now.

To refresh everyone's memory, this is a military paper on how the development of rifling in barrels made a big impact on warfare, specifically on tactics in the field. I'm interested in everything pertaining to "rifling" -- when it first appeared on the scene, who came up with it, battles where having rifled barrels really made the difference in who won and who lost, and so on.

I feel just sick losing that thread.

Thanks to any of you who can help out -- "again."

Russ

Ron Morse saved my life!!!

I have the old thread again!

THANKS, RON!!!!!!!!!!!

Russ

I believe rifling first appeared in the 30 Years War when the bronze cannons that Gustavus Adolphus used had it.
It was originally designed to trap all the fouling in grooves so their cannons would not foul out.
I believe the technology laid low for a while and really appeared again in the Civil War.
With the introduction of the Minie Ball, a conical bullet with a hollow base, rifles became much more accurate.

Thats about it I guess, someone else feel free to correct me or add to it.

-Spencer