[stormlion1]

Originally Posted by Olefin

Yes there was but it was fixed

From the NY TImes

WASHINGTON, June 2— As part of an effort to bring its recommissioned World War II battleships into the modern era, the Navy has begun an extensive program to improve the accuracy of their guns.

A recent study by the General Accounting Office, an investigative arm of Congress, concluded that although the battleship New Jersey accomplished her 1983 mission off Lebanon by silencing the fire of the Syrian-backed forces near Beirut, the accuracy of her 16-inch guns was less than desired. A researcher for the Congressional agency, speaking on condition that he not be identified, said the problem arose largely from the use of powder dating to the Korean War.

The Navy said some of the money from its gunnery program would be used to improve the bags of powder that propel the 2,000-pound shells.

Powder Bags Being Refilled

For many decades powder bags were made of silk. But silk bags are no longer in the military inventory and the rayon bags that replaced them have not been approved for use at sea. The Navy is to remove the powder from the silk bags and refill them with powder judged to be in superior condition.

The superior powder was manufactured from 1932 to 1946, the Navy said, and the powder currently used was made from 1941 to 1956. Both powders consist almost entirely of the explosive nitrocellulose.

A Congressional source who received the General Accounting Office's briefing said the New Jersey's crew improved accuracy off Lebanon by selecting powder charges that had not chemically deteriorated. After the powder change, the gunfire was 10 times closer to the target, he said.

In Congressional testimony last year, Navy officials said the New Jersey had attained accuracy of within 250 yards or so of a target from a range of 10 to 12 miles. $15 Million Asked for Gunnery For the fiscal year 1986, beginning Oct. 1, the Navy seeks $15.9 million for research and development to improve gunnery. Congress approved a total of $9.7 million for 1984 and 1985. Pentagon budget documents show that the Navy plans to seek $21.9 million for this purpose for 1987.

Thanks, I knew I had read this somewhere before. I was also reading that they experimented and produced Nuclear shells for Iowa class Battleships. And while I could see that being an issue with landing forces, nuclear shells would be devastating if used against Russian warships. Particular thin skinned ones.