![]() ![]() If a gunner didn’t do his job properly then the whole enterprise was a failure if he did do his job properly it would mean success and riches for all. They were treated with the greatest respect and easily earned far more than any of the other crew in the whaling fleet. Gunners were the top rank of all whale men. ![]() The real key to the successful use of this gun was the gunners skill and experience. A long metal rod positioned on top functioned as the gun sight. The gun itself is a crude but effective instrument it could be swivelled easily by the gunner and tilted either up or down. The gun has a bore of 3 inches (76mm) and used a 14 oz (390g) charge of gunpowder. The harpoon is approximately 6 feet long (1.8m) and weighs 120 pounds (54.5 kg) made of high quality steel. The barbs of the harpoon are held back by wires which break when the harpoon has hit its target and the explosive charge detonates. The shaft is not solid but has an open groove running it’s whole length, a rope is fixed into this groove, when the harpoon is in the gun, the rope is slid to the front and here is seen hanging down ready for firing. After use, the harpoon is recovered, straightened out and re–used with a new explosive head being fixed to the front. In front of the barbs is a large threaded boss onto which screws the (in this case) pointed and explosive harpoon head. The harpoon itself is re–usable and consists of a long shaft that fits in the barrel that ends in four large hinged barbs. The harpoon used for killing and catching baleen whales was (is) a formidable and heavy weapon (many would say it is barbaric). ![]()
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