The Gun Pit

The Gun Pit is the technical and educational section of the Ordnance Development Division dedicated to mortars, indirect fire systems, gunnery, fire direction, live-fire operations, and the realities of working with crew-served weapons outside of Hollywood and internet mythology.

Part technical reference, part field notebook, and part shop-floor conversation, The Gun Pit is where ODD shares lessons learned, operational philosophy, field observations, historical discussion, safety considerations, and practical knowledge drawn from real-world experience with mortar systems and indirect fire operations.

The articles found here aren’t written from a corporate marketing desk or copied out of manuals. They’re written the same way these conversations usually happen in the shop or on the gun line, plain language, technical where it matters, and focused on the “why” behind the process.

Whether you’re a civilian mortar owner, military history enthusiast, contractor, or simply somebody curious about how indirect fire systems actually work, The Gun Pit exists to bridge the gap between theory, doctrine, and practical field application.