Zhu Xingfa did not expect that the cavalry pistol he strongly supported would not only solve the problem of the weak combat effectiveness of the Chu army's cavalry, but also promote the development of Suifa rifles, and even further promote the development of queuing to shoot.
In fact, the formal research and development institution for the research on flintlock muskets in the Da Chu Empire was the Firearms Research Institute under the Ministry of Industry. This firearms research predecessor was also the flintlock research group under the Xiangyang Arsenal, and it has always been responsible for the research and development of flintlock muskets. .
However, I did not expect that the Firearms Research Institute did not come up with a mature and usable product. Instead, it was the independent cavalry pistol project team within the Hantian Arsenal that came up with it.
At the same time, the cavalry pistol project team within the Hantian Arsenal was improved based on the original spring wheel pistol. The name of this project has always been the spring wheel pistol... Even after it was developed, it was also called the improved spring wheel pistol... ...It is not directly called a Suifa pistol.
The firearms research laboratory did not even know that Hantian Factory had already produced a pistol.
This actually exposed the problem of poor information communication and inadequate management among the research and development institutions and arsenals under the Ministry of Industry.
Luo Zhixue summoned Yuan Gaofeng, Minister of Industry and Counselor, Ding Gangyi, Supervisor of Hantian Arsenal, Lieutenant General Hu Hongzhuo, Minister of Ordnance Department, Wu Wenhua, Director of the Firearms Research Institute in Wuchang and others arrived.
A special study was conducted on the issue of muskets.
However, a large group of people participating in the meeting were either generals or officials, and the only ones who were technical were Ding Gangyi and Wu Wenhua.
So this meeting is still centered on these two people.
At the beginning of the meeting, Wu Wenhua from the Firearms Research Institute carefully looked at the Suifa cavalry pistol. While looking at it, he muttered: "So that's it. The design of this bolt is quite simple. Why did dozens of us have it before?" I didn’t expect to do this..."
Zhu Xingfa said: "Research and development, sometimes what matters is a little bit of inspiration and some luck."
"Otherwise, we wouldn't have thought of using impact ignition. When we first said that we were going to use impact ignition, I didn't even believe it. Just hit it directly and create sparks. How powerful it is. It's hard to say more. Ten pounds!”
"But we tested it several times later and found that it is really feasible. The firing rate can reach about 85%, but the processing accuracy of the bolt is a bit higher, and the requirements for the spring are also relatively high!"
"However, we have contacted the Hantian Iron Works before. Although the spring they helped us to come up with is still a little bad, it can still be used."
When Zhu Xingfa said it, it was half truth and half lie...
He would not say that the reason why they were able to produce this pistol so quickly was simply because someone from the Military Intelligence Department just passed the Military Intelligence Department last month and spent a lot of money to buy a new impact-type pistol from the barbarians along the coast. Then he fired a pistol, which is said to have come from a barbarian country called France in the West.
After getting it back, Zhu Xingfa didn't hesitate to have someone copy the gun's design!
But there is no need to say such things.
Even if he said it, Zhu Xingfa could still say shamelessly: Although we borrowed a little bit, most of it is our own, and the Suifa pistol we made is better than the barbarian Suifa pistol...
The spring pistol they bought had a bad spring. It looked rough in workmanship and smelled of ignorant and backward craftsmanship... Because of the poor workmanship, the firing rate was only 70%. However, through improvements, they Afterwards, the firing rate was directly increased to over 85%.
In this way, a Suifa pistol was made that was easy to fire, waterproof, and had a firing rate that could barely reach the standard of a matchlock gun. It was perfect for cavalry.
Wu Wenhua ignored Zhu Xingfa, but continued to look at himself. While looking at it, he said: "This design is already relatively complete. We can also slightly change the details of the gun later to make it more perfect." Be more reasonable.”
"Give me half a month, and I will be able to come up with the final gun design. As for the design of the entire gun, we can directly use the existing matchlock gun, and the overall change will not be too big."
At this point, Wu Wenhua looked around and said: "However, the final cost may not be low. After all, the processing technology of the flintlock gun is higher and there are more parts. Of course, these still depend on the opinions of the arsenal."
At this time, Luo Zhixue turned his attention to Ding Gangyi, the supervisor of the Hantian Arsenal. Ding Gangyi immediately said: "Your Majesty, our Hantian Factory has previously conducted production tests on the Suifa pistol for cavalry, because there are more parts and processing. The accuracy is higher, because the production cost is also higher, our initial quotation is twenty taels of silver!"
"This is mainly because the output is relatively low. It costs us a lot to modify the production line and train workers..."
At this time, Ding Gangyi looked at everyone, especially Xu Zhixian, the powerful general of the Army, and said: "Now we need to buy flintlock guns for infantry. The final price depends on how much the Army purchases!"
At this time, Xu Zhixian smiled: "As long as you can make it, the first batch of orders will be 50,000 pieces!"
Hearing the order of 50,000 pieces, Ding Gangyi immediately smiled: "If there are 50,000 pieces, then the problem will be simple. Once the output is increased, some of the costs of R&D and production lines can be diluted. If it is 50,000 pieces, we will It can be given to the Army at a price of about sixteen taels."
Xu Zhixian shook his head slightly: "The fifty thousand I mentioned are the first batch of orders!"
"In other words, there will be a second and third batch later..."
"We now have an army of more than 200,000 people, and we are preparing to have one per person for the Suifa rifle. By then, this will be an order for more than 200,000 pieces."
"So, you don't have to worry about not having orders. There are at least 200,000 pieces, provided you bring the price down. The price now is more than three times that of a matchlock gun. It's too expensive!"
Ding Gangyi pondered for a moment after hearing this: "If the Army is determined to completely change its equipment, our arsenal will cooperate no matter what, and the greater the output, the cheaper the price. However, I still want to know how much the specific price can be achieved. We need to go back and discuss it with the factory before we can give the Army an answer!"
Xu Zhixian said: "This is the best!"
Xu Zhixian is not worried about Ding Gangyi's big talk. Otherwise, even if Ding Gangyi opens his mouth, His Majesty will not agree.
In the final analysis, the arsenal and even the entire Ministry of Industry exist to supply weapons to the military.
Although it has now taken on fiscal budget, independent finance and other positions, the relationship between the military and several arsenals is still close.
Luo Zhixue said at this time: "In this case, without further delay, the Firearms Research Institute and Hantian Factory will cooperate more and strive to produce infantry flintlock rifles as soon as possible. Hantian Factory can start the production of Suifa pistols. First, Accumulate experience, train workers, and put it into production quickly after the infantry version is ready."
"The Eastward Campaign is about to begin, so the Suifa rifles will probably not be used for a while, but we will try to get a batch of Suifa pistols first and equip them with the cavalry."
Xu Zhixian, Yuan Gaofeng, Ding Gangyi, Wu Wenhua and others immediately said in unison: "I obey the order!"
After the meeting ended, Luo Zhixue took away the sample pistol.
He wants to keep this gun.
Although the workmanship of this gun is actually very average and far less exquisite than the two spring wheel pistols he collected before, this gun has greater practical and historical significance.
This is the first impact-fired gun that can be mass-produced in Chinese history. It is much more important than the flashy spring wheel pistol that can only be used as a collectible and cannot be widely promoted as an equipment.
In the following days, Luo Zhixue continued to discuss the equipment of flintlock muskets with Xu Zhixian and other generals.
The equipment of the flintlock musket not only means that the musketeers have changed their rifles, but even their tactics have changed.
Once flintlock guns are equipped on a large scale, it means that the Chu army must establish a brand new organization and tactical system from beginning to end, so that it can maximize the tactical effect of this new weapon.
In this regard, Xu Zhixian and others proposed the establishment of an experimental force to test new tactics and methods.
Luo Zhixue quickly approved this, and the Army quickly transferred elites from various units to establish the temporary fifth mixed battalion.
The purpose of this temporary fifth mixed battalion is very simple, that is, to explore and test the new organization and tactics after the replacement of flintlock muskets, and to lay the foundation for the large-scale replacement of subsequent units.
To this end, the Hantian Arsenal will use a group of senior craftsmen in advance to produce a batch of muskets for the mixed battalion using manual production methods to meet the requirements of the battalion's live ammunition drills.
The preliminary establishment of the temporary fifth mixed battalion is also different from that of all other Chu army units.
First of all, the infantry in this mixed battalion are all musketeers. There are no infantry units such as sword and shield bearers, spearmen, and archers.
There were initially six musket posts, each with one hundred and twenty line infantry!
These one hundred and twenty line musketeers did not come randomly, but were made according to the needs of the queue.
If it is a three-column formation, there are forty people in each column. If you want to increase the thickness of the formation, you can also adopt a four-column formation, with thirty people in each column.
When necessary, two columns of formations can be formed to enhance firepower, so each column has sixty people.
If you want to prevent cavalry from forming a phalanx, you can form a four-sided hollow phalanx, with thirty soldiers on each side, and a standard three-row formation on each side to resist cavalry attacks.
With these 120 people, more changes in formation can be made to adapt to different needs.
In addition to the one hundred and twenty line musketeers, there will also be officers and messengers, cooks, grooms and others, which add up to about one hundred and thirty people per sentry.
Six musket posts, plus battalion officers, messengers, medical soldiers, transport troops, repairmen, grooms, coachmen, cooks and other personnel, there are about 880 people.
This number is about 200 more than the current number of main infantry battalions.
In addition, this mixed battalion also incorporated an additional field artillery post, which was responsible for two two-and-a-half-pound field cannons, two five-pound field cannons, and a cavalry post with a strength of 120 people.
However, this artillery and cavalry are purely to cooperate with this brand new infantry battalion in conducting various tactical drills.
The fifth mixed battalion was temporarily formed. From the time it was formed, it was just for lining up to be shot!
