31488 - M1841 6 Pound Bronze Field Gun

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M1841 6 Pound Bronze Field Gun

The M1841 6 Pound Gun was a smoothbore muzzle-loading cannon, adopted by the United States Army in 1841. It was produced in two different types of metal: iron or bronze. Bronze guns, if fired too rapidly, would overheat and warp. Iron cannons did not warp from overheating but cast iron was more brittle and heavier than bronze. These guns were first used in the Mexican-American War and could fire a 6.1 pound round shot up to a distance of 1,523 yards at 5 degrees elevation and could also fire canister shot or spherical case shot. The M1841 gun continued its service through the Civil War, primarily in the Western Theater. Both sides in this conflict fielded these guns to deadly effect.