The Gunner's Examiner

A practical guide for anyone studying the demanding artillery exams of the early twentieth‑century U.S. Coast Artillery, this manual brings together the scattered orders, pamphlets and technical notes that recruits once struggled to locate. It walks the listener through the essential subjects outlined in the War Department’s General Orders—ranging from breech‑block mechanics and recoil systems to the precise use of range‑boards, azimuth instruments and plotting tools—all explained in clear language aimed at enlisted men.

Beyond the basics of gun and mortar service, the work dedicates whole sections to the evolving art of submarine mining, torpedo gunnery and the care of high‑explosive materials, reflecting the rapid technological changes of the era. Updated through three editions, the text showcases contemporaneous diagrams and real‑world firing results, making it a vivid snapshot of coastal defense training just before the First World War. Listeners will gain both historical insight and a solid grounding in the fundamentals of early modern gunnery.