Chapter 75 Subversive Weapons

Joseph briefly introduced: "This gun will adopt a new firing method. The loading speed and power are greatly improved compared to the current flintlock gun, and the rain resistance and misfire rate are also significantly improved."

Louis XVI's eyes brightened even more. Even people who don't understand military matters can tell that this new gun will have a subversive impact on war!

In fact, he knew very well that everyone in France was talking about his "incompetence" and "not doing his job properly" behind his back.

He also wants to be a king who is respected and worshiped by his people like the Sun King, but running a country sometimes really depends on talent.

But he just doesn't have the talent in this area.

But gunmaking is his area of expertise - because of his familiarity with precision machinery, many gunsmiths in this era were born as watchmakers.

He is a master craftsman certified by the Locksmiths Guild and the Watchmakers Guild.

In the past, no matter how exquisite the lock he made, no one would sincerely praise him for it.

But guns are different! This is the military pillar of a country!

If the new gun he developed could help French soldiers sweep away the enemy, who would say that he was a useless king? !

Joseph asked the guard outside the door to get a flintlock gun and pointed it at the firing mechanism at the back of the gun: "Today's flintlock gun uses the flint on the gun to hit the iron piece to produce sparks, which ignites the gunpowder in the powder chamber. This then ignites the percussion powder in the gun chamber and ejects the bullet."

Louis XVI nodded. He often hunts and is very familiar with this.

Joseph removed the flint on the bolt and continued: "The British synthesized a thing called 'mercury' a few years ago, which will explode when it encounters an impact. If the mercury is fixed on the side and rear of the gun barrel, use the bolt If you hit the mercury fulminate, you can directly ignite the propellant."

Louis XVI frowned and said: "But how to fix the mercury fulminate? Moreover, this thing will explode on impact. It is not safe for soldiers to hold it. For example, if they accidentally fall, they may die."

Joseph smiled slightly: "This is also the reason why the British have not been able to use mercury fulminate to make weapons."

Louis XVI looked at him expectantly, knowing that his son must have come up with a solution.

"I call it a 'fire hat.'" Joseph picked up the printing paper, tore off a small piece, and folded it into a bowl shape about the size of a mung bean. "This represents a shell made of copper."

He squeezed some paraffin: "This is mercury fulminate."

He stuffed the paraffin into a paper bowl and compacted it: "A flash cap is enough. The copper shell can block the impact of the outside world and prevent the mercury from exploding easily.

"It will be safer if you put the flash cap into an ammunition bag lined with cotton."

Louis XVI said in surprise: "How do you fire that gun?"

"Because copper is malleable." Joseph picked up a small hammer and struck it on the bottom of the paper bowl. "Make the bolt into a hammer shape. As long as the spring force is strong enough, the bolt can flatten the bottom of the flash cap and detonate the gun inside. Mercury fulminate."

Louis XVI picked up the flintlock gun and thought: "So, the primer chamber can be eliminated. Make a hole in the barrel of the gun, insert the flash cap in, pull the trigger, and fire. "

Joseph was surprised. He was indeed a master, and he was able to answer the question!

He nodded and said: "Opening the hole is not conducive to taking out the flash cap after firing. It is best to install a hollow cylinder behind the side of the gun barrel and press the flash cap on the cylinder. When firing, the flame will enter the gun bore from the hollow. And firing It's easy to take off the flash cap later."

Louis XVI's expression became more and more excited.

When firing a flintlock gun, the second half of the operation is: take out the gunpowder bag, pour the gunpowder into the ignition chamber, compact it, pull the gun, and fire.

If you use a flash cap instead, you only need to pull the trigger, plug in the flash cap, and fire.

At least two or three seconds faster than a flintlock gun!

Don't underestimate these two or three seconds. Half a second can determine life or death on the battlefield. A veteran who has been training for several years may only reload three seconds faster than a new recruit.

In addition, the flash cap gun does not have a leakage hole in the powder chamber. The thrust of the gunpowder can fully act on the projectile, and the power is definitely much higher than that of the flintlock gun.

He looked at Joseph, his eyes full of pride and doting: "My dear son, how did you come up with such a wonderful idea? Oh, I guess God must have kissed your head."

Joseph thought to himself that of course he saw it in the military forum. He smiled and said: "Thank God."

He took a pen and paper, drew the structure of the flash cap gun in his memory, and handed it to Louis XVI: "This is roughly what it looks like, but the specific size proportions, as well as parts and craftsmanship and other issues, have to depend on our great king. Your Majesty is here to solve it."

Louis XVI puffed up his chest with great pride: "Don't worry! Together, father and son, we will definitely be able to create a good gun that will shock the whole of Europe!"

After coming out of the royal workshop, Joseph couldn't help but sigh secretly. Why didn't he think of asking the king to help develop weapons?

In terms of equipment, this has the most complete and best-quality tools and materials in France.

In terms of technology, Louis XVI and his assistants were the best.

More importantly, when the king engages in research and development, he does not have to worry about technology leaks. This would be an arsenal for research and development, and at least a hundred people would have to keep an eye on it to prevent secrets from being leaked.

He then thought that there would be more and more matters involving technology confidentiality in the future, and the introduction of patent law must be put on the agenda as soon as possible.

In addition, when the flash cap gun is developed, the supporting mercury processing and firearms manufacturing must keep up to quickly form batches.

This new gun will not only be a simple weapon, but also a weapon for you to exert influence on the army, so it is better to have it produced by the arsenal you control...

While Joseph was thinking, he had returned to his bedroom. He unbuttoned his coat tiredly, but his hand touched the envelope that Mrs. Eric gave him that night.

He easily pulled out the theater tickets and saw that the play would be performed at the Comédie-France in four days.

When he turned to the other side of the ticket, he was stunned - the name of the play was actually "Refining the Sky"!

He remembered that De Nico came to report yesterday that a theater wanted to move novels from newspapers into the theater. He didn't pay much attention at the time and let De Nico handle it all. Unexpectedly, the show would start in four days!

This novel has only been serialized for three days in total. How impatient must those theater troupes be?

​​And the total time for screenwriting and rehearsal is only a week at most. How did they do it?

In the next few days, Joseph first went to Lamarck's pharmaceutical workshop and told the latter about the processing of ferrous sulfate.

The next step was to arrange the promotion and sales of Paris Angel Company's new product "Guifeile Oral Liquid", and occasionally go to the Royal Workshop to see the progress of His Majesty the King.

Four days passed quickly, and at noon that day, the carriage Joseph was riding stopped at the corner of Rue Richelieu. There were already crowds of people outside the Comedie Française, and it was packed to the brim.