Chronographs In 1900...?
 

How were ammunition velocity readings taken in the early 1900's during the various Luger trails before our modern chronographs were developed ?

Re: Chronographs In 1900...?
 

A ballistic pendulum was one device that was used. This consisted of a weighted block with a wooden target, suspended from a wire. Hitting the blocked moved it backward and upward on the arc and you could calculate the velocity from the bullet weight and the block weight and the displacement of the pendulum on the arc. Ballistic pendulums go way back.

In 1900...
 

They used to hang cadavers and measure the 'swing' upon impact to measure 'knockdown power'. Can you imagine if they did that today? They also went to the stockyard, shot cattle, and abserved the time it took to fall down,...or die. My God, they would be crucified today? Can you imagine our media going nuts over that?


Orv Reichert