Talk:High–low system

High-Low System. France, 18th century, Mortar (weapon).

— Preceding unsigned comment added by 123.24.91.134 (talk) 12:09, 7 July 2011 (UTC)

Untitled

Dear Member, Thanks for posting the drawing. The above technically is a high-low system. Although it does not reduce the pressure as much as the 20th century systems. The reason for some kind of high-low system with those big mortars is because they fire a thing casting shell filled with gunpowder. That is why most mortar system fired a much reduced charge. But you can only reduce it so much. Black powder unlike modern propellents used in small arms and artillery, goes of immediately with a massive expansion over a short period. That is why most heavy black powder artillery had a heavy re-enforced breach and not the barrel. If that mortar operated like modern high-low systems with just a smaller opening to the main chamber the re-enforcement of the back end would have had to be massive. JackJackehammond (talk) 04:40, 9 July 2011 (UTC)