Now for something other than handguns

[dave951]

A couple of pix from our most recent artillery competition. Gun is a replica of a 6lb rifled howitzer aka a "pack parrot". It was designed for rough terrain use by cavalry and with the advent of breech loading artillery didn't remain in service for very long.


My oldest son touching off a round. This particular shot was a X ring hit.



Serving the piece is hard work. My son and I manned the worm, sponge and rammers for the entire course of fire.



And our intrepid "forward observer". Yes, it's entirely possible to see cannon balls in flight.

 

[JeffG]

That's great! Thanks for sharing!

 

[TarDevil]

Thanks, that's cool stuff!!

It's a tad large for conceal carry, but sensational home defense gun!!

 

[dave951]

Thanks, that's cool stuff!!

It's a tad large for conceal carry, but sensational home defense gun!!

Let's see..... home invasion? No worries, givem a whiff of grape or double cannister.

 

[hawg]

COOL BEANS!!!!!

 

[JCooperfan1911]

KERPOWWWW!!!!

Gof bless America, I see the words KYLE RITTENHOUSE in that smoke and the names of all patriots in this great land!!

 

[drobs]

Very cool thanks for sharing!

 

[Slamfire]

That looks like too much fun!

How far is the target from the gun, and what size is the target frame?

These guys were about five hundred yards from each other.

 

[bannockburn]

Very cool! Now that's what I would call reaching out and touching someone, in a black powder sort of way!

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Let's see..... home invasion? No worries, givem a whiff of grape or double cannister.

Yep, still wish I had a field piece to set in front of my house at the end of my driveway...loaded heavy with grape.

 

[hawg]

Yep, still wish I had a field piece to set in front of my house at the end of my driveway...loaded heavy with grape.

I'd like to have a 12 pound napoleon loaded with a double charge of cannister.

 

[dave951]

That looks like too much fun!

How far is the target from the gun, and what size is the target frame?

These guys were about five hundred yards from each other.

Our max range is about 1800yds tops. After all, it's a 6lber. We shoot for accuracy at 100 and 200yd. Our "X" ring is about 4in and the "bull" is about 6in. To count, we don't score from the edge of a hit. We look at where the center of the hit is. To count as a bullseye, the center of the hole from our shot has be inside the ring.

The other limiting factor on our gun is barrel length which limits the amount of useful charge we can burn AND a short barrel makes for short sight radius. My 1842 Macon smoothbore has a longer sight radius than the howitzer. FWIW, 1842 Macon was a Confederate arsenal repair of an 1842 Springfield. They took damaged guns and cut the barrels as short as 30in and reissued them back into service. So my competition smoothbore is nearly a carbine.

If we're on our game, 500yd is no issue and those fellas would be in big trouble.

 

[Slamfire]

If we're on our game, 500yd is no issue and those fellas would be in big trouble.

If the enemy is within range of you, you are within range of the enemy!

One of the battlefield markers mentioned a Union General sighting in one of those Union cannons and putting a Confederate gun out of commission. I read something they were getting off two rounds a minute. That's fast for counterbattery fire.