Glock19Fan
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- Nov 13, 2004
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- 372
Just curious if anyone here owns any cannons? I figure with as many lifelong firearm collectors here there must be a few cannon owners around here as well.
Any cannon owners here?
- Thread starter Glock19Fan
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Crosswire3
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- Jul 26, 2008
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- 52
I have been building custom cannons of all sizes for some time now and finally made it an official business. I can say with certainty that there are quite a few happy cannon owners out there.
Patocazador
Member
I've got a small cannon on a carriage that I bought unassembled years ago. The kits were all over the ads about 30 years ago. It's only about .80 cal. (smoothbore). I've only shot it twice.
Note: I measured the ball size after I guessed at the caliber. It shoots a .790 ball.
Note: I measured the ball size after I guessed at the caliber. It shoots a .790 ball.
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forward observer
Member
I have a sizable collection of small scale cannon--from static models to black powder shooters along with a few vintage toy models.
I got my first static model at the museum shop at Ft Sill, OK when I was going to artillery school--and built my first shooter from a Dixie gun works kit sometime later. I guess I have around 40 to 50 now (some still packed away from my last move), but at least 20 of them are shooters.
First 50 caliber shooter I built from a Dixie kit--1/8th scale--penny in the picture for scale
Brass and Walnut 50. cal USS Constitution model from another kit. (Rhodes, I think)
Another Dixie kit--a noon day or sundial cannon
A couple of small .45 cal rifled barrel 24 pounders from CVA
A Napoleon III built from a CVA kit--69 caliber along with a little non firing static garrison model
18th century howitzer and limber I found on EBay--.75 cal
Some more on a table mixed in with vintage toy cannons from the 1930's and 1950's
I've got more, but just have to find the pictures and get them organized
Cheers
I got my first static model at the museum shop at Ft Sill, OK when I was going to artillery school--and built my first shooter from a Dixie gun works kit sometime later. I guess I have around 40 to 50 now (some still packed away from my last move), but at least 20 of them are shooters.
First 50 caliber shooter I built from a Dixie kit--1/8th scale--penny in the picture for scale
Brass and Walnut 50. cal USS Constitution model from another kit. (Rhodes, I think)
Another Dixie kit--a noon day or sundial cannon
A couple of small .45 cal rifled barrel 24 pounders from CVA
A Napoleon III built from a CVA kit--69 caliber along with a little non firing static garrison model
18th century howitzer and limber I found on EBay--.75 cal
Some more on a table mixed in with vintage toy cannons from the 1930's and 1950's
I've got more, but just have to find the pictures and get them organized
Cheers
PokeyOkie
Member
I have a 1/4 & 1/2 scale that are literally a blast! I've shot roundball and grape shot on occasion but mainly just blanks at historical events and Fourth of July events. If you're going to get one, beware! They are addictive, fun, and another money hole. NSSA has some very good training as well.
Milkmaster
Member
My homemade boom maker! 300 grains of pyrodex makes for a nice pop.
tpelle
Member
I have ALWAYS wanted one of those mountain howitzers that Dixie Gun Works sells. The cool thing is that they're full size! I think the hardest part would be building the carriage - the wheels would be tough.
Wonder if an Amish carriage maker would take on the job if he knew it was for a cannon carriage?
Wonder if an Amish carriage maker would take on the job if he knew it was for a cannon carriage?
230RN
2A was "political" when it was first adopted.
forward observer:
Niiiiice collection! And gorgeous pix!
I've only got three.
One's one I built from scratch from some round stock I found by the railroad tracks. Half-inch bore.
Another I "got" (don't remember how) which was from a model ship kit and I built a carriage for it. Quarter inch bore.
The third is a toy pistol cap-firing model I picked up at a garage sale or someplace a long time ago. Was all corroded in the cap-firing mechanism from the cap corrosives. Tested it, it worked OK, then cleaned it up.
Sorry, no pics right now.
Terry, 230RN
ETA: Well, I did find one pic but it's muzzle views. cap firing one is low and left.
Niiiiice collection! And gorgeous pix!
I've only got three.
One's one I built from scratch from some round stock I found by the railroad tracks. Half-inch bore.
Another I "got" (don't remember how) which was from a model ship kit and I built a carriage for it. Quarter inch bore.
The third is a toy pistol cap-firing model I picked up at a garage sale or someplace a long time ago. Was all corroded in the cap-firing mechanism from the cap corrosives. Tested it, it worked OK, then cleaned it up.
Sorry, no pics right now.
Terry, 230RN
ETA: Well, I did find one pic but it's muzzle views. cap firing one is low and left.
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CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Not yet but I've been thinking about it. If I did, it would have to be a big one. 
There was one i thought was cool on pawn stars last week me and my dad were talking about it.
You put this glue stuff in it from a tube mixed with water and it made and explosive gas then use a spark i believe to fire it. It was a small thin walled little green GI Joe looking thing.
You put this glue stuff in it from a tube mixed with water and it made and explosive gas then use a spark i believe to fire it. It was a small thin walled little green GI Joe looking thing.
forward observer
Member
Found a couple of more pictures--1/5th to 1/6th scale
The one on the left is an steel barreled M1841 and on right is another Napoleon III made in Spain (like the old CVA kit only pre-made and nickeled)
On the left a 1/6th scale Napoleonic Gribeauval 12 pounder and limber (non-firing) and on the right, a revolutionary war type with spit trail and brass/bronze barrel--70 cal
Another Sundial cannon--flea market find
A couple of small brass models--a Spanish pedrero and a Dahlgren (shootable)
and the best for last---a museum quality scale model of a British light 6 Pdr. of 1770. The trails appear to be curly maple. It's a .308 caliber (being a Brit model, what else?), but I have never dared to fire it. These were made in a limited run back in the 60's or 70's for some historical society, but I got it real cheap on Ebay because the seller listed in with the toys. That's a US quarter on the base in the second picture
Cheers
The one on the left is an steel barreled M1841 and on right is another Napoleon III made in Spain (like the old CVA kit only pre-made and nickeled)
On the left a 1/6th scale Napoleonic Gribeauval 12 pounder and limber (non-firing) and on the right, a revolutionary war type with spit trail and brass/bronze barrel--70 cal
Another Sundial cannon--flea market find
A couple of small brass models--a Spanish pedrero and a Dahlgren (shootable)
and the best for last---a museum quality scale model of a British light 6 Pdr. of 1770. The trails appear to be curly maple. It's a .308 caliber (being a Brit model, what else?), but I have never dared to fire it. These were made in a limited run back in the 60's or 70's for some historical society, but I got it real cheap on Ebay because the seller listed in with the toys. That's a US quarter on the base in the second picture
Cheers
forward observer
Member
Those are called "Big Bang" cannons made by the Conestoga company and the stuff in the tubes is a form of carbide called "Bangsite" When mixed with water, it puts off a flammable gas. They are just noise makers though and cannot shoot projectiles. I have a couple and they are still fun though.
They've been around since the early 1900's, so some of their older models are very collectable. Here's their web site
http://www.bigbangcannons.com/
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zimmerstutzen
Member
I had a Big Bang when I was 12 yrs old. The little one. Cost $6 at FW Woolworth Co. My Uncle had the huge model with the giant long barrel. That thin would rattle windows for a mile. Carbide mixed with water gives off Acetylene gas. Same thing that was used by the coon hunter's lanterns and the first carriage lights.
I have a collection of scale cannons, including a 1.5 inch bronze tube 30 inches long. Also a Winchester 10 ga blank cannon. Last time I fired a blank load from the 1/5 bore cannon, the concussion broke windows iin a house a third of a mile away. My first cannon was an antique muzzleloading cast iron/steel cannon used to start sail boat races up in the great lakes. I have fired blanks and live loads in the antique. The 3/4 inch ball bearing really rattled through the woods behind the backstop.
I have a collection of scale cannons, including a 1.5 inch bronze tube 30 inches long. Also a Winchester 10 ga blank cannon. Last time I fired a blank load from the 1/5 bore cannon, the concussion broke windows iin a house a third of a mile away. My first cannon was an antique muzzleloading cast iron/steel cannon used to start sail boat races up in the great lakes. I have fired blanks and live loads in the antique. The 3/4 inch ball bearing really rattled through the woods behind the backstop.
Thanks! i found a few websites selling some.
One site has a PVC pistol setup that shoots ping pong balls.
The part i thought was cool was that you mixed the stuff with water to create the charge. First ive heard of this stuff and i like this kinda stuff.
forward observer
Member
When I was a kid, those big bang cannons used to always be advertised in the back of comic books along with sea monkeys and x-ray glasses.
As zimmerstutzen mentioned, carbide was pretty common for use in lanterns back in the day. It was also used in the first half of the 20th century for miner's lamps among other things.
Back in the 1950's, one could still find it in old country stores and it cost next to nothing by then.
When we were kids, we would take any kind of empty cardboard canister that had a press fit metal lid like Hersey's cocoa or baking powder and first pierce a small hole in the side of the canister.
Then we'd put a rock of the carbide in, drop some water in or even just spit on it, and then press the lid in place. Next we set the canister on a stump with the lid side down.
Then you waited a second or two for the gas to form and held a match or lighter next to the hole. The canister would make a big bang and usually go flying high into the air having blown out the press fit cap. Of course the person who was elected to set it off had to lay low to avoid getting whacked by the flying canister, but we thought it even funnier if they did.
Cheers
Glock19Fan
Member
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2004
- Messages
- 372
Awesome looking cannons here! I didn't expect there to be so many collectors here!
I have a few cannons myself and I had a question about one of them they I acquired back in August. I was wondering if I posted pictures if anyone here would know enough about them to possibly give me some info on it and possibly how old it was? The previous owner told me it fired just fine, and although I don't intend on firing it (at least not any time soon) I have been trying to find out what, when, and where it was made for the last 4-5 months.
I have a few cannons myself and I had a question about one of them they I acquired back in August. I was wondering if I posted pictures if anyone here would know enough about them to possibly give me some info on it and possibly how old it was? The previous owner told me it fired just fine, and although I don't intend on firing it (at least not any time soon) I have been trying to find out what, when, and where it was made for the last 4-5 months.
kBob
Member
FO,
When I was at Sill there was no gift shop at the Museum, but they had some non firing models in the book store at Snow Hall. The museum had not been modernized with interpretive displays and was a collection of stuff piled here and there. When I arrived as a casual, (got a regular commission and so orders were soonest transport from commissioning, while my class, mostly West pointers got a bunch of leave) I checked in at the school, managed to get off post housing, and spent three weeks following the advice of the school Company Commander "Find something to do so they don't put you on post details" Did manage to over see a few four hour long police calls but spent a lot of time at the old museum and in the library at Snow Hall. Also took my private vehicle and some maps out to various spots indicated on a big map in the library and became very comfortable with the perimeter roads around the East range and learned what the exact center of the universe (Blockhouse Signal Mountain) looked like from various angles and times of day. Even checked out an aiming circle and shot really good azmiths from spots marked by the school to various piles of trash on the range.
As I was a student in the basic and cannon battery courses they would not let me join the Saucy Cans re enactment crew, much sadness.
Any how spent a number of days as a guide at the museum and just bummed around a bit helping there. Then everyone else in my class showed up and it was work, work, work, except weekends.
Saw a "Cannon" at Petersberg Welcome station that featured a spring loaded mousetrap like system that used musket caps. I suspect it was a model made after the Late Great Hate was over for 4th of July and such.
-kBob
When I was at Sill there was no gift shop at the Museum, but they had some non firing models in the book store at Snow Hall. The museum had not been modernized with interpretive displays and was a collection of stuff piled here and there. When I arrived as a casual, (got a regular commission and so orders were soonest transport from commissioning, while my class, mostly West pointers got a bunch of leave) I checked in at the school, managed to get off post housing, and spent three weeks following the advice of the school Company Commander "Find something to do so they don't put you on post details" Did manage to over see a few four hour long police calls but spent a lot of time at the old museum and in the library at Snow Hall. Also took my private vehicle and some maps out to various spots indicated on a big map in the library and became very comfortable with the perimeter roads around the East range and learned what the exact center of the universe (Blockhouse Signal Mountain) looked like from various angles and times of day. Even checked out an aiming circle and shot really good azmiths from spots marked by the school to various piles of trash on the range.
As I was a student in the basic and cannon battery courses they would not let me join the Saucy Cans re enactment crew, much sadness.
Any how spent a number of days as a guide at the museum and just bummed around a bit helping there. Then everyone else in my class showed up and it was work, work, work, except weekends.
Saw a "Cannon" at Petersberg Welcome station that featured a spring loaded mousetrap like system that used musket caps. I suspect it was a model made after the Late Great Hate was over for 4th of July and such.
-kBob
elhombreconnonombre
Member
At the last local gun show I came across a feller that had a couple of approximate 1/2 size cannon mounted on a wheeled gun carriage. The barrels were about 3 feet long with a 2 3/4" bore made from heavy wall field drill stem pipe. He was asking $600 for each.
Mike1234567
member
I've been wanting a golf ball cannon but decided against it after pricing them.
forward observer
Member
Kbob,
What year were you at Sill?
I got my commission through ROTC, so Sill was our boot camp in the summer of 1966, and then I went back there for 4 months of artillery school in 1968 after graduating from college--then on to Vietnam. Since that's over 45 years ago, my memory is a bit fuzzy as to where I bought the cannon kit. It was on post, and I remember having visited the museum the same day, but now that you mention it, it probably was the book store.
Anyway, it was a small static all metal model of an M1841 and limber made by company called Model Shipways.
I still have it---and being made of "Britannia" metal, I can't believe it's survived all these years. These 1/16th scale kits are still sold by a company called "Model Shipways"
Since it's just a smaller non-firing version of the shooter that Dixie still sells, I used it
as a prototype to help fabricate all the chains, hooks, pointing rings, and other stuff that the Dixie model doesn't come with.
When got back from oversea, I was assigned to an artillery battalion at Ft Hood in Texas. I had decided by that time to get out when my two years reserve duty was up, so I never got back to Sill.
Cheers
What year were you at Sill?
I got my commission through ROTC, so Sill was our boot camp in the summer of 1966, and then I went back there for 4 months of artillery school in 1968 after graduating from college--then on to Vietnam. Since that's over 45 years ago, my memory is a bit fuzzy as to where I bought the cannon kit. It was on post, and I remember having visited the museum the same day, but now that you mention it, it probably was the book store.
Anyway, it was a small static all metal model of an M1841 and limber made by company called Model Shipways.
I still have it---and being made of "Britannia" metal, I can't believe it's survived all these years. These 1/16th scale kits are still sold by a company called "Model Shipways"
Since it's just a smaller non-firing version of the shooter that Dixie still sells, I used it
as a prototype to help fabricate all the chains, hooks, pointing rings, and other stuff that the Dixie model doesn't come with.
When got back from oversea, I was assigned to an artillery battalion at Ft Hood in Texas. I had decided by that time to get out when my two years reserve duty was up, so I never got back to Sill.
Cheers
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230RN
2A was "political" when it was first adopted.
I understand that up until recently, they used BP signal cannons for dangerous waters instead of the lighthouses when fog or whatever blocked the view of the lighthouse. Supposed to be fired at regular intervals so ships would be aware of the hazard to navigation. As far as I know, there's still one out at Montauk Point on Long Island.
They also apparently still use signal cannons for starting yacht races and golf tournaments --hence the term "shotgun start."
Some of these were breech loaders and some were propane cannons.
I still wouldn't mind getting a breech loading BP cannon. I gave up my machine shop before I got around to building one.
Terry
Here's some transparent blank BP shells. Pretty, huh?
They also apparently still use signal cannons for starting yacht races and golf tournaments --hence the term "shotgun start."
Some of these were breech loaders and some were propane cannons.
I still wouldn't mind getting a breech loading BP cannon. I gave up my machine shop before I got around to building one.
Terry
Here's some transparent blank BP shells. Pretty, huh?
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Don't own one but there are two I can play with whenever I want. My neighbor has a signal gun that shoots 10 gauge blanks. The other is a Mexican war/Civil War era 6 pounder. The second I've shot both blanks and live.
For anyone interested in July (normally last weekend) there is an antique artillery compitition in Grayling Michigan. They do smoothbore, rifle, and mortar shoots. Its fun to be a part of and cool as hell to watch. We get people from all over the country haulin guns up.
If anyone wants more info pm me and ill let you know the exact date when I'm made aware.
For anyone interested in July (normally last weekend) there is an antique artillery compitition in Grayling Michigan. They do smoothbore, rifle, and mortar shoots. Its fun to be a part of and cool as hell to watch. We get people from all over the country haulin guns up.
If anyone wants more info pm me and ill let you know the exact date when I'm made aware.
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