Clodshot found in Kufstein Austria

Marcus den toom · 15th October 2015, 11:26 AM

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http://www.bezirksbegleiter.at/de/pa...-von-purlepaus

Emperor Maximilian I, The last knight and first gunner (nicknames of the Emperor) loved his guns, including the weird names. Here is an abridged version of the poem "Max at Kufstein" by Anastasius Grün.

Pinzenauer looked from Kufstein on the Giant Wall
With scorn, defiance and mighty pride on down on Max's army

As an alpine vulture carefree facing his persecutors,
Far away in the deep valley the guns are aimed at him

From a hundred mortars flew thundering cannonballs
Rebounding without a trace from the heavy walls

There you saw Pinzenauern high on the wall,
A large reed bundle he held in his hand.

Where Max's cannonballs flew he cowers down
And swept the ruble scornfully with his broom.

King Maxen thoughed it took to long
But the throbbing already sounded his heartbeat

Because he called for Innsbruck, his armoury
"Sends but once the “wakeup Purlepaus!"

The walls of Kufstein waver, where his bullet struck,
The wakeup instead made some sleep forever

The Purlepaus hit the fortress hard
Hurrah! The giant walls thundering down in a loud rush!

fernando · 17th October 2015, 01:10 PM

Great work, great research, Marcus.
Max the gunner was terrible.
I hope the clodshot ball keeps round enough to roll over my little corner. Just write my address in it, may it get lost during its course

Andi · 17th October 2015, 09:21 PM

Nice pieces Marcus...

Marcus den toom · 9th November 2015, 02:51 PM

More interesting pictures of Kufstein.

Pukka Bundook · 9th November 2015, 03:39 PM

Very interesting read, Marcus, And very interesting ball!

I am not at all sure that the rammer would mark the ball in such a manner though. To me, it looks like a square-ended object had struck it, Possibly (and I do mean Possibly!) the ball being used in the hand as a hammer??

Again, a very interesting window into the past.

Richard.

Andi · 9th November 2015, 07:27 PM

Hello Marcus

A really nice illustration. From which manuscript is it?

Raf · 11th November 2015, 01:31 PM

I am sure someone will have made this observation before, but one interpretation of clod shot is that it is an early, and probably quite instinctual, appreciation of the principle of armour piercing munitions. When a lead ball hits a steel plate its first instinct is to flatten, therefore its kinetic energy is distributed over a wider area. Thus if it does succeed in penetrating the plate the hole is usually rather larger than the ball itself. With clod shot the iron core presumably doesn’t significantly deform, the same energy is concentrated on a smaller area, therefore more likely to penetrate the plate. The same principle was used in more modern armour piercing munitions where a hardened steel projectile is encased in a softer sabot one function of the sabot being to help stop the projectile being deflected when hitting an oblique target which was a problem with early armour piercing projectiles. The same principle would seem to apply to clod shot. The angular core might have been found to, or believed to, increase its armour piercing potential, if this interpretation is sound then it ought to be a useful dating guide for early battle sites where the presence of clod shot would imply a date where armour was still considered a viable defensive option. With the demise of armour and better gunpowder clod shot became redundant,

15th October 2015, 11:26 AM	#1
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 534	. http://www.bezirksbegleiter.at/de/pa...-von-purlepaus Emperor Maximilian I, The last knight and first gunner (nicknames of the Emperor) loved his guns, including the weird names. Here is an abridged version of the poem "Max at Kufstein" by Anastasius Grün. Pinzenauer looked from Kufstein on the Giant Wall With scorn, defiance and mighty pride on down on Max's army As an alpine vulture carefree facing his persecutors, Far away in the deep valley the guns are aimed at him From a hundred mortars flew thundering cannonballs Rebounding without a trace from the heavy walls There you saw Pinzenauern high on the wall, A large reed bundle he held in his hand. Where Max's cannonballs flew he cowers down And swept the ruble scornfully with his broom. King Maxen thoughed it took to long But the throbbing already sounded his heartbeat Because he called for Innsbruck, his armoury "Sends but once the “wakeup Purlepaus!" The walls of Kufstein waver, where his bullet struck, The wakeup instead made some sleep forever The Purlepaus hit the fortress hard Hurrah! The giant walls thundering down in a loud rush! Attached Images Last edited by fernando; 18th October 2015 at 12:17 PM. Reason: Uploading attachments with forum features

9th November 2015, 02:51 PM	#4
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 534	More interesting pictures of Kufstein. Attached Images

17th October 2015, 01:10 PM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Great work, great research, Marcus. Max the gunner was terrible. I hope the clodshot ball keeps round enough to roll over my little corner. Just write my address in it, may it get lost during its course

17th October 2015, 09:21 PM	#3
Andi Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Halstenbek, Germany Posts: 203	Nice pieces Marcus...

9th November 2015, 03:39 PM	#5
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Very interesting read, Marcus, And very interesting ball! I am not at all sure that the rammer would mark the ball in such a manner though. To me, it looks like a square-ended object had struck it, Possibly (and I do mean Possibly!) the ball being used in the hand as a hammer?? Again, a very interesting window into the past. Richard.

9th November 2015, 07:27 PM	#6
Andi Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Halstenbek, Germany Posts: 203	Hello Marcus A really nice illustration. From which manuscript is it?

11th November 2015, 01:31 PM	#7
Raf Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 252	I am sure someone will have made this observation before, but one interpretation of clod shot is that it is an early, and probably quite instinctual, appreciation of the principle of armour piercing munitions. When a lead ball hits a steel plate its first instinct is to flatten, therefore its kinetic energy is distributed over a wider area. Thus if it does succeed in penetrating the plate the hole is usually rather larger than the ball itself. With clod shot the iron core presumably doesn’t significantly deform, the same energy is concentrated on a smaller area, therefore more likely to penetrate the plate. The same principle was used in more modern armour piercing munitions where a hardened steel projectile is encased in a softer sabot one function of the sabot being to help stop the projectile being deflected when hitting an oblique target which was a problem with early armour piercing projectiles. The same principle would seem to apply to clod shot. The angular core might have been found to, or believed to, increase its armour piercing potential, if this interpretation is sound then it ought to be a useful dating guide for early battle sites where the presence of clod shot would imply a date where armour was still considered a viable defensive option. With the demise of armour and better gunpowder clod shot became redundant,