@Oleander Ardens


The best I could do was for the 24 lb.ers

It came from here.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...l-armament.htm


Cannon
In ships of war, the cannon of the lower-decks are usually drawn into the ship during the course of an expedition at sea, unless when they are used in battle. They are secured by lowering the breech so as that the muzzle shall bear against the upper-edge of the port, after which the two parts of the breeching are firmly braced together by a rope which crosses them between the front of the carriage and the port; which operation is called frapping the breeching. The tackles are then securely fastened about it with several turns of the rope extended from the tackle and breeching, over the chase of the cannon.
The advantage of large cannon over those of a smaller bore is so generally acknowledged, that a particular discussion of it might perhaps be spared. The most important advantage of heavy bullets is this, that with the same velocity they break holes out in all solid bodies in a greater proportion than their weight that is, for instance, a twenty-four pound shot will, with the same velocity, break out a hole in any wall, rampart, or solid beam, in which it lodges, above eight times larger than will be made by a three pound shot; for it's diameter being double, it will make a superficial fracture above four times as great as the three-pounder, (more of a smaller hole being closed up by the springing of the solid body than of a great one) and it will penetrate to more than twice the depth; by this means the firmest walls of masonry are easily cut through their whole substance by heavy shot, which could never be affected by those of a smaller caliber; and in ships the strongest beams and masts are hereby fractured, which a very great number of small bullets would scarcely injure.
To this last advantage of large cannon, which is indeed a capital one, there must be that of carrying the weight of their bullet in grape or lead shot, and thereby annoying the enemy more effectually than could be done by ten times the number of small pieces.
These are the principal advantages of large cannon, and hence it is no wonder that those entrusted with the care of the British navy have always endeavoured to arm all ships with the largest cannon they could with safety bear; and indeed, great improvements were made on this head, by reducing the weight of many of the species of cannon, and thereby enabling the same ships to carry guns of a larger bore: and, very lately, the six-pounders in some of the smaller ships have been changed for nine-pounders of a larger fabric than usual, which hath been justly esteemed a very great addition to the strength of those ships.
The importance then of allotting to all ships the largest cannon they can with safety bear being granted, it remains to show on what foundation a change is proposed to be made in the fabric of all pieces from eighteen pounders downwards, so that they may be changed for others of the same, or less weight, but of a larger bore.

The 24-pound guns each required a gun team of 6-14 men to operate and weighed about 5600 pounds. They are called 24-pounders because they fired a cannonball that weighed 24 pounds. Although the solid 24 pound shot is what was commonly used, the guns could be loaded with a combination of projectiles. The long gun possessed one great advantage: it could far outrange the carronade, and if well operated had a chance of crippling the enemy before coming to close quarters.
The normal gunpowder charge used for these guns was six pounds and their maximum range was about one mile at maximum elevation, but due to inaccuracy at that range this was literally a "long shot." The maximum effective range of a 24-pounder was about 1200 yards. The usual engagement range, however, was much closer. CONSTITUTION engaged HMS Guerriere in 1812 at about 25 to 50 yards. At this range CONSTITUTION's guns could do terrible damage, with her cannonballs penetrating over two feet of oak planking.
The 32-pounder Navy gun [length 112 inches, 57 hundredweight] was intended service was on first class frigates and ships of the line. A total of 744 smoothbore guns of this type were manufactured at five different foundries from 1846 to 1852.
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I can not find the site again but it said that point blank range (0° elevation) was just short of 300 yards with an 8lb charge. It listed max range at 10° elevation (the max) at about 2700 yards and went on to say that because of inaccuracy guns were seldom fired above 4° elevation.