"Color of Austrian Artillery Barrels" Topic

What was the color the barrels? I thought they were painted black?

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Dave
ABQ

I'm looking at the old Artillery Equipments Osprey, and they're of the opinion that brass barrels were left bare and polished in peacetime, and dull in war. Iron barrels were indeed painted black to prevent rust (and constantly repainted in the field).

Brass was favored because they were lighter, but apparently everybody fielded a mix of brass and iron.

brass

I've always gone with black unlike the other nations I where I use brass. Don't remember the source why I did it though. I know Osprey Napoleonic Artillery book shows black.

I painted mine black too….

They were ORDERED to be painted black. So…do what you want.

I've always gone with black unlike the other nations I where I use brass. Don't remember the source why I did it though.

Because you had a choice, and it looked better with the carriage colors.

Or Clay is right, and somebody decided that the brass should be painted, too, even though they don't need it. Austrians are not remotely my specialty.

If the Osprey book is right, the only nation that had a different color at all was the British (of course), who mixed red with black to get sort of a chocolate color.

I paint my 3pdrs black since they were typically older equipment maintained under the older order to paint black, was most likely iron anyway and helps differentiate from the 6pdrs at 15mm and smaller scales.

Captured brass cannon could be melted down and recast into a barrel size that would hold the new owner's ammo. Iron cannon could not be resized.

I read a few accounts many years ago, that stated that 'rewards' for capturing brass guns was more than iron guns.

If we only still had a Austrian Artillery expert on staff.

Dave Hollins may be gone but his ghost lives on in this link:

TMP link

I'm pretty sure he is the contributor going under the name of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. I suspect he gives about as definitive an answer as you are going to get on the subject (and to paraphrase the answer it is 'you pays your money and you takes your choice')

It is also discussed here:

TMP link

Great, so one or both will work…

Thanks I feel better. :-)

No need for an Austrian artillery expert, Summerfield explained it nicely in the second thread and Klein shows especailly the change of shiney bronze during a campaign developing in a more darker "greenish" colour.
It can be clearly seen on this print, compare to the black of the iron parts of the guns and you will see the difference.

My comment was not about any other persons, many who give answers perfectly suited to the subject. It was only a sad reflection on the people no longer (but still living) with us.