146th Gettysburg Confederate Artillery Rules and Regulations
General Regulations
1.
No Mountain
Howitzers or any type of fractional scale guns. Only guns employing 57” wheel
carriages as a standard mount (i.e. #1 and #2 carriages)
2.
Upon arrival, all
guns must be reported to the Artillery Corps HQ to receive further inspection
information and gun park placement.
3.
Absolutely no
rolling of rounds on site.
All rounds are to be pre-rolled and placed in a secure ammunition box.
The ammunition box must have a working lock and will be checked by the
Safety Officer.
4.
All rounds are to be
made of only black power contained within a properly formed aluminum foil
casing. Absolutely no flour or
other foreign materials are to be added to or in addition to any round (only
black powder). No plastic bags or
wrap will be allowed. The Safety Officer will inspect round construction.
5.
Up to four (4)
ounces of gun powder for each inch of bore will be allowed.
(Example: 3” bore allows 12 oz. or less of gunpowder).
6.
A three-minute rule
will be in effect. This means you
must wait three minutes before a round is seated to the breach after firing the
previous round.
7.
All guns, limbers,
and ammunition boxes will be inspected and approved by appointed Safety Officer
before being allowed to participate.
Safety Officer must witness crew participation in drill, including a miss
fire, before the crew will be allowed to participate in any battles.
Positions 1 through 4 must be at least 16 years of age. Proof of age
may be requested!
8.
All vents must meet
safety regulation measurement requirements and must be brushed after each
firing.
9.
Flags will be
limited to one (1) flag per four-gun battery.
Flags can be rotated for each battle.
Battalion Commanders will assign the flag rotations.
10.
Absolutely no rank
higher than Captain unless approved by Chief of Artillery.
This is to make our battalions more historically correct and to follow
the proper chain of command.
11.
No accoutrements
(canteen, haversack, etc.) will be worn by cannoneers on positions one (1)
through four (4). Store such items
at the limber for easy access. The Gunner may have an unloaded side arm, which
must be inspected by the Safety Officer prior to taking the field. Commanders
and gunners are expected to give the gun crews ample opportunity to form at the
limber for water and rest during the battle or drills. Use common sense but do
not endanger the health of the participants.
12.
Handling misfires:
After the third misfire the vent and barrel must be properly flushed and
unloaded through the muzzle (no fourth attempts). If any misfired primer tube
(first or second attempts) cannot be accounted for, the barrel must be flushed
and unloaded through the muzzle. No re-ramming misfired rounds. The only time a
round can be re-rammed is when #3 discovers the round is not properly seated
BEFORE it is fired the first time. If it becomes necessary that you must unload
through the muzzle for any reason, a safety officer must be present during the
procedure. Misfired primers must be removed from the field in a safe receptacle.
13.
All firearms (long
guns or side arms) are to be inspected by the Safety Officer prior to each
engagement.
14.
Failure to comply
with rules may result in removal from the field and subsequent loss of bounty.
1.
Bore and vent must
be clean and clear of all foreign matter before the event.
2.
Check and tighten
all bolts on gun carriage, especially the cheek and chin bolts.
3.
Make sure the
trunnion caps and pins are tight and held properly in place by cotter pins or
other acceptable fastener.
4.
Use a strong vent
brush with new bronze, brass, or copper bristles.
5.
Vent pick should
have a sharp point to assure a good puncture of the round to prevent a misfire
and also should be clean of all gunpowder.
6.
Use a period type
lanyard that is in good condition and constructed of a non-elastic material.
It is highly recommended there be at least one spare lanyard available in
the limber.
7.
The ammunition box
should be clean and free of all loose gunpowder and primers are to be stored in
a separate container securely away from the rounds.
8.
Make sure you have a
workable and strong lock to secure the ammunition box.
A period lock would be preferable.
9.
Heavy leather
“welder style” gauntlets (gloves) in good condition and period uniform jackets
for use by #1 and #2 positions are required.
Doeskin or thin leather gloves are not acceptable at this event.
10.
Period thumb-stall
for #3 position should be in good clean condition capable of securing the vent
as required.
11.
Proper sponge head
material should be in good condition and secured to the sponge head securely.
The sponge head should fit the bore in a manner that creates a proper
vacuum when extracted (not too loose, nor too tight).
12.
Check and sharpen
your worm to make sure it can remove the spent tin foil.
The worm head should be securely tightened to the wooden shaft and the
prongs properly angled out beyond the surface of the worm coil.
13.
All
leather accoutrements are to be free of gunpowder and in good working condition.
14.
Vent
flushing apparatus (syringe, pressurized extinguisher, etc.) should be available
in the event a round needs to be flushed in the barrel.
15.
Acceptable drill
styles are NCWAA or USFAA.
Helpful Hints:
1.
Bring necessary tow
bars or other apparatus to tow your gun and limber from the
2.
Always use fresh and
professionally made primers to prevent misfires.
3.
Have an extra water
container available to aid you if there is a situation that requires extra
water. Extra water may be necessary
for the “unloading through the muzzle drill” and may also be useful for cleaning
the piece after the battle is over. If visible, the container needs to be period
correct on the field (Wood, metal or canvas) or must be properly covered during
the event.
4.
Long needle nose
pliers should be available in your limber for use during the misfire drill.
5.
Have the necessary
chocks to chock both your gun wheels and limber wheels.
6.
It is suggested that
you bring an extra worm, sponge, rammers and other items in case of equipment
failure.
7.
Rank for a gun crew
should be assigned historically. A
Corporal or Sergeant should be the Gunner.
All other positions should be privates.
8.
If you have a
physical condition that may require special attention or may affect the outcome
of possible emergency treatment during the event, it is recommended you notify
your commanding officer or someone who would be with you on the field of such
condition in advance of taking the field.
Unit name _______________________________________________
Commander’s name (print) __________________________________
Commander’s signature _____________________________________ Date __________