Greetings my deer friends. By this time I was hoping to be writing to you from our new home near Knoxville TN. However, since the house, business, building and boat just wont sell I have taken a liking to humble pie and have signed up for the next class of gunsmithing where I plan on making, what else?, cannons. To date everything I have built has a fuse. I want to try a cap firing system. Since there is no place better on the planet to get the best info, I ask you all for suggestions. I think the pull string concept looks fun and may be within my skill set. What do these look like and how do they work? How deep of a hole will a cap work? What diameter of a hole should I consider? Is there a difference in caps? Great to be back, even if I never got anywhere but packed. PS, does anyone know if Officers'Wife ever made green BP from her windmill?
Can't get moved. So...
- Thread starter CANNONMAN
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rcmodel
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snidervolley
Member
I am a big fan of pull primers ( fuze is bad juju light the fuze and prey nothing goes on in front of cannon i.e dog neighbor etc ) pull primer and cannon goes off when you want IT TO .
I have toyed with idea to make a firing mech and I would probably use 22 shorts and pull bullets ? might do this on Hotchkiss project
I have toyed with idea to make a firing mech and I would probably use 22 shorts and pull bullets ? might do this on Hotchkiss project
45 Dragoon
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Malachi Leviticus Blue
Member
I would think the cheapest and easiest ignition would be 209 shotgun primers.
Officers'Wife
Member
That would be the cheapest, the most fun would be to beg, borrow or steal a couple of practice hand grenades then drill out the striker for rifle primers. Then you could rethread the unit and tap the cannon breech. Since there is no fuse the heat from the primer would go directly to the charge.
However, since thanks to Cannonman I have not just one but three wind turbines in my back yard he may want to think carefully before considering any of my suggestions.
D. Buck Stopshere
Member
For anyone wanting additional assistance, besides the fine folks here, go and post inquiries to the muzzleloading cannon fans at:http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showforum.php?fid/2/ and scroll down to "Cannon". Many are members of the N-SSA artillery units that shoot full-size field pieces.
You will see how serious they are with the strict supervision there:
Discussions about Traditional muzzleloading cannons. No pipes with end caps, no PVC, no "potato guns". Historic cannon design only.
For anyone wanting to see the effectiveness of Civil War artillery, go to Youtube and paste in: Live Firing of Civil War Siege Artillery, Part 1, 30 Pounder Parrott Rifle. This 6,500 lb piece throws a 27 lb shell about 2,000 yards, using 3lbs of powder.
In addition, paste in:Live Firing Civil War Siege Artillery, Part 2, Mortars.
Finally, watch: Canister Shot From Civil War Cannon.wmv
You will see how serious they are with the strict supervision there:
Discussions about Traditional muzzleloading cannons. No pipes with end caps, no PVC, no "potato guns". Historic cannon design only.
For anyone wanting to see the effectiveness of Civil War artillery, go to Youtube and paste in: Live Firing of Civil War Siege Artillery, Part 1, 30 Pounder Parrott Rifle. This 6,500 lb piece throws a 27 lb shell about 2,000 yards, using 3lbs of powder.
In addition, paste in:Live Firing Civil War Siege Artillery, Part 2, Mortars.
Finally, watch: Canister Shot From Civil War Cannon.wmv
Berkley
Member
vagunmonkey
Member
Have you considered using a friction primer with a lanyard? I have used them with my Coehorn mortar but prefer a fuse. They can be purchased from http://www.blackpowderva.com For $11 per 10.
You can also get a cannon caplock from Dixie Gunworks for $23.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_106_666&products_id=1642
You can also get a cannon caplock from Dixie Gunworks for $23.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_106_666&products_id=1642
Have not visited all the sites posted as of yet. Very, very muddy here for quite some time. Not to slight a post if this info is here but... how do the civil war cannons fire? I was thinking a large version of a cap and ball system but my larger cannon has a wall thickness of near 1 3/4". Will the systems or primers noted herein have enough oomph for this distance?
vagunmonkey
Member
As far as the friction primers the answer is yes. My mortar has a 1 1/2 inch wall and I've had no problems. Most civil war cannons I've seen have used either a fast fuse or quill.
Curator
Member
Dixie cannon lock with musket caps. I have installed this exact lock on several cannons. Drill a 3/16 hole into the breech/chamber area and then drill and tap 1/4X28 and install an AMPCO musket nipple with the flash hole drilled out to 1/8". That way you can use a wire to "prick" the charge bag prior to priming and firing the piece. Cheaper, easier to supply and nearly sure fire if done properly. Musket caps are easy to find. Friction fuses not nearly so.
Officers'Wife
Member
I tried to research it for you but got distracted by a copy of Dungrun's Naval artillery.
Perhaps this will help?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_artillery_in_the_Age_of_Sail
driver243
Member
The cannons our ACW re-enactment group have are fired by .22 blanks and a hammer attached to a lanyard
Probably gotta attach the guy with the hammer to something also... snicker. Thanks. I got one more semester of milling at the local collage before they terminate the program. Sad! We're told it's the only gun shop course on a collage campus in the US. Don't know, but more sad! Will try to finish the milling and turning projects then use all of your big brain ideas to finish these post course. Thanks All!
Officers'Wife
Member
OK, I managed to find a ref in one of my uncle's old military manuals,field artillery was fired by a "friction fuse" attached to a lanyard. Quite frankly from the illustration (I'm trying to find it online) the thing looks like a very thin quick match. I suspect a drinking straw with loose powder meal powder (as in straight out of the ball mill) the same size of your touch hole with a "strike anywhere" matchhead inserted covered with sandpaper tied to a string would work just as well.
Something like a the offspring of the marriage of a cannon quill and a road flare. But we all know that mixed marriages are notoriously temporary.
Something like a the offspring of the marriage of a cannon quill and a road flare. But we all know that mixed marriages are notoriously temporary.
I am thick as a brick! I was thinking the civil war cannon was liken to a very large cap and ball system. I kept wondering why the sudden and harsh yank on the lanyard. I knew of friction fuses from fireworks. Let's see... friction fuse? How would be the best way to ignite one of these? OK, as mentioned, thick as a brick! I guess you folks are wondering if when I am asking about converting my flinter into a friction fuse you'll kindly block all further threads. [it would be well deserved!] I also get why all sorts of primer systems would work as the BP I now make can easily be milled to 4F. Prick the pouch, fill touch hole with 4F, add primer, make spring loaded device from advice above, pull safety, stand back, yank lanyard and enjoy results! It's cold and wet here so I'm as slow as the weather. Thanks for putting up with me!
Ephraim Kibbey
Member
When I used to take our High School group on a bus tour of Civil War battlefields, the park rangers showed the kids how to do cannon drill and then they (the ranger, not the kids) fired the cannon. It was really cool. Sorry I can't remember for sure how they ignited it as its been a while but maybe there are some Park Rangers out there who can enlighten us.
Also I found this on THR from 2011:
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-588706.html
Also I found this on THR from 2011:
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-588706.html
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Friction primers? I'd ask about the cannon fuse hole around the NSSA website. They have members who recreate artillery units.
BTW, I love the area around Knoxville. Union General Sanders was killed there from a shot fired from cupola of the Bleak House (still standing). The historical society has Davy Crockett's first rifle as well as a musket that was carried at King's Mountain.
BTW, I love the area around Knoxville. Union General Sanders was killed there from a shot fired from cupola of the Bleak House (still standing). The historical society has Davy Crockett's first rifle as well as a musket that was carried at King's Mountain.
and the winner is... "THE CANNON CAP LOCK!!!" I got everything coming except the caps. Not that there's much rolling around in my noggin but ya might think I wudda ordered some. Don't hold yur breath, but I'm looking forward to showing this thing off if... I mean when I get it done. For this amount of $$$ it's well worth not making. [Um... any ideas of where you might get these?]
ofitg
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Just for fun - homemade friction primer
A strike-anywhere kitchen match, with a small spring (from a ballpoint pen) slid over the wooden stem. The spring holds the match-tip snug against the abrasive.
A short length of 7/32 brass tubing (0.014 wall) from the hardware store. One end of the tube is crimped to contain the spring. A small hole is drilled crossways through the tube, about 0.7 inches away from the crimped end.
The abrasive which strikes the match is a thin sliver from my wife's old emery board.
Here it is assembled -
Naturally, one would want to fill up the other end of the brass tube with BP.
A strike-anywhere kitchen match, with a small spring (from a ballpoint pen) slid over the wooden stem. The spring holds the match-tip snug against the abrasive.
A short length of 7/32 brass tubing (0.014 wall) from the hardware store. One end of the tube is crimped to contain the spring. A small hole is drilled crossways through the tube, about 0.7 inches away from the crimped end.
The abrasive which strikes the match is a thin sliver from my wife's old emery board.
Here it is assembled -
Naturally, one would want to fill up the other end of the brass tube with BP.
Officers'Wife
Member
Ouch! That was rude, crude and completely out of line to the entire concept of OMB! In truth, he describes an interesting device that would work quite well in your situation... Ofitg, my regards, just keep your OMB nightmares out of Jasper County Indiana. Thank you in advance for the consideration.
BTW- you would fill the other end with 4f then make a thin wafer of power for the very end and slightly crimp the wafer in place to ease handling.
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