The number of rounds you get per oz of CO2 depends on the type of cannon you use. If you're using Fast Gun style, you can get up to 50 rounds from a 16-gram cartridge. For Big Gun cannons, you get a much wider range. Different designs of cannons have different general efficiencies, and the precision of machining between different cannons of a same design affect your efficiency, as well. For example, Indiana cannons are less efficient than MJV-2 cannons, but you may find one particular Indiana cannon that has tight enough tolerances to be more efficient than a sloppily-built MJV-2 cannon. As for the precise number of shots, that I cannot say because I have never really counted. Most of my ships use a mix of cannon types, and I lose count after the first few broadsides, anyway.
My three triple 1/4 cannon carry about 150 rounds per gun. I usually empty the 20 oz co2 bottle about halfway after the second reload. So, about 125 shots, each of nine 1/4" balls = 1,125 individual rounds. This is a VERY rough guesstimate, BTW.
I’ve seen a lot of schematics and layouts on how to plumb you guns, and they all seem to confuse me, so will this work? You have your accumulator, then a solenoid, and then after the solenoid there are some sort of splitters to divide the air for the guns. One more question, if you have a ship with a single armed turret with two guns do you need an accumulator?
Probably not. Best stick to the tried and tested when dealing with pressurisied gas systems. The basic big-gun system uses co2 from the bottle regulator, thru an adjustable regulator to charge the accumulators to a set pressure. The firing circuit uses co2 from the bottle regulator, thru a valve (solenoid or servo actuated) to a small piston-type actuator which opens the accumulator, dumping it's contents into the cannon. Bang. ***This is only a basic description. There are other components in a warship's gas system that are required for safety's sake, and should not be omitted.*** I've never dealt with fast-gun systems, so won't even try to explain them to you.
Thanks Darren, I was aware of the fact that you need a co2 tank and a regulator, but then can the air go straight to the accumulator/s? and form the accumulator to the solenoid, and from the solenoid to the guns? Is that approxamatly right. I'm a biggunner too, whats australia like?
More like Bottle - regulator - on/off valve - adjustable regulator - accumulator - gun. The accumulator is physically part of the big-gun indiana type cannon. The gas supply to the firing piston is: Bottle - regulator - on/off valve - firing valve or solenoid - firing piston. Both sides of the system run off the same bottle - regulator - on/off valve.
