If not a cannon ball... ?

[CANNONMAN]

I just learned a new molding technique for lead. My initial issue was to create 1" balls for my ball mill and 1" cannon. Prior to my cannon craze I did a bit of work on my wood lathe. I am now in search of an ordinance that would be more advanced than a ball for my 3" cannon. I think I can form up about anything in wood and then reverse it into a lead mold. Oh wise ones of the great BP world. Please send me your thoughts!

 

[BHP FAN]

A giant hollow base Minie ''ball'', like the Williams Gun? Cannister shot using .440 round ball?

 

[Pete D.]

Is the bore rifled? If not, then you had better stay with round ball>
Pete

 

[WestKentucky]

Even if not rifled you could mimic shotgun slugs which impart spin due to the shape of the leading edge. Or you could attempt to tail stabilize but using a heavy duty ribbon and loading that over a card. I kinda like option 2. For the simple fact that a brightly colored ribbon would be easy to track visually so you know your trajectory, impact point, and you can dig your lead out easier because you know where it's at.

 

[Officers'Wife]

If you really want to be inventive you can always try hollow shot using the lost wax process…

Just kidding of course, however using your wood replicas to make wax molds to cast elongated shell would make it possible to cast the rifling grooves like a shotgun's rifled slug.

 

[swopjan]

If I recall, canister shot was basically a stack of smaller lead balls with wooden disks between each layer. Would probably be pretty easy to whip up a few rounds and shoot at, idk, a stack of TV's or something. A 3" bore could probably get seven almost 1" projectiles per layer, and three layers would give you 21 lead balls flying downrange

I think I need to get a cannon and make some youtube videos...

I'm picturing something like the shell on the left, but maybe use glue instead of a rod through the middle