The article describes what a ramrod is, why it is needed, and how it is used in modern small arms.
Weapons
Gunpowder is known to people for several millennia,the first mention of this substance is found in Chinese treatises dating from 1044 AD. Initially, it was used as a fuel for fireworks, and even a medicine. Of course, such a value is doubtful, but for a long time it was considered a reliable remedy for joint disease.
Significantly later, since the XII century, inchronicles there are references to the first firearm. They were heavy bronze cannons firing stone shot or cast-iron cores. And since the Middle Ages, the first samples of personal small arms were invented. So, what is a ramrod? To answer this question, it is necessary to tell a little about the ways of charging muskets, fittings and other devices for shooting.
At first, gunpowder was poured into the barrel bore,then inserted felt, leather or woolen wool, which prevented the rash of the explosive. And for reliability he was driven by a ramrod - a long wooden or metal rod. Then a bullet was inserted, which also was protected from falling out with a dust. So now we know what a ramrod is.
For a long time it remained an obligatory attributeweapons, since without a ramrod it was simply impossible to properly load a gun or a pistol. In addition, the fire chamber was at the very end of the barrel, and the powder had to be pushed to the limit, otherwise the spark from the flint or the capsule will not ignite the powder.
The meaning of the word "ramrod"
If you analyze the meaning of the word and its origin, then it came to the Russian language from German. Stempel - pestle, tolkun, stopfen - to hammer, caulk.
Modern weapons
With the invention of a unitary cartridge, in whichthe powder charge, the capsule and the bullet were combined into a single structure by means of a sleeve, the need for a ramrod disappeared, since it became unnecessary to push gunpowder and bullets into the barrel bore, but only at first glance. The rampart was still supplied with all kinds of small arms, but it was no longer used for charging, but for cleaning the trunk, because in the process of shooting it formed a deposit.
The ramrod is an important part of any weapon, be ithunting double-barreled gun, machine gun or machine gun. Some samples are initially supplied with a brush at the end, and others - with a special flat end, which is convenient to unscrew some parts of the weapon or screws. They are also obligatory included in the army weapons kit, and for civilians are not always supplied, and in this case they must be purchased separately.
Punishment
In a number of armies in the past, the ramrod has also been usedto punish the guilty soldiers. They were beaten with ramrods, and at times, depending on the severity of the offense, could have killed to death. Also, the punishment with ramrods is often confused with the spitzbuttons - in this case the offender was driven through the formation of soldiers, where everyone beat him with a special rod or stick.
So we understand what a ramrod is, why it is needed and how it is used in modern small arms.
