NOW I want a CANNON!!!

[Foto Joe]

Holy cow!!! The wife and I went to a Civil War Re-enactment yesterday in Livingston Texas. Never seen ANYTHING like that before!!

Tons of BP guns (most not really well cared for), booths people tough enough to sleep on the ground in the rain and mid 30 degree temps. Let's say the weather could have been better.

Mounted cavalry, skirmishers and ARTILLARY!!! My ears were ringing most of the way home after being within a hundred yards of a 12 pound gun.

I've joked with my wife about wanting a cannon for a while, after attending this weekends festivities I think she may worry that I'll really do it now. I wish!!

 

[BCRider]

Golf ball caliber my friend. Small enough to fit into the car's trunk and not so heavy that you can't lift it in there yourself.

Dead balls from the local driving range would likely be a cheap source of ammo as well.

A golf ball mortar would be fun as well. More hang time overhead so you and the other crazy folk can enjoy watching it go up, up, up and down, down, down... Lay a big old blanket out at the 100 yard point and see how close you can come to hitting it from a 40 or better angle trajectory. A mortar would be much smaller and a little lighter too.

Mind you I guess that wouldn't work on may of todays ranges where there's an extended roof line with heavy beams to grab any high "over the berm" shots.

 

[goon]

Google "swivel gun" and see what you come up with. I think they're just about the right size to mount on your back porch.

 

[BHP FAN]

Cohern Mortar in golf ball caliber.

 

[Texas Moon]

Well? What is holding you back?

Iff'n you really want to rock get one in beer can caliber.
Use old beer cans filled with concrete. Sort of an uber wadcutter!

 

[fireside44]

Use plastic not paper to prevent catching the woods/field on fire.

Wal-mart bags are cheap and make great wadding.

Golf ball caliber my friend. Small enough to fit into the car's trunk and not so heavy that you can't lift it in there yourself.

And still go "boom" really really well. Handful of fifty cal balls.......

 

[BHP FAN]

One of the fellas brings oneup to the black powder shoot that's in ''V-8'' caliber.Slightly smaller than beer cans.

 

[ThomasT]

Too bad your in Wyoming. I have a cannon with a 2" bore I am considering selling. Mine has a 4 wheel carriage and looks like the navel cannons used on ships. It has a 24" barrel and weighs about 50 pounds. The little 6 oz V-8 cans are a perfect fit.

I agree with you cannons are super cool!

 

[MCgunner]

I always thought of the Howdah as a cannon.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Log Cabin Shop has a brass line throwing gun. It was originally used by the Life Saving Service.

 

[Gambit88]

Joe cannons are defantly cool. I am a civil war reinactor with confederate artillery. A six pound gun to be exact. You think theyre loud at 100 yards be on the wheel of one lol. I still jump when it goes off even with hearing protection. the smoke they make is just amazing. My suggestion go to another event and see if they live shoot anywhere and if its an event open to spectators. Up here in michigan we do 3 live shoots a year. 2 at 100 yards (I know way to close) and one at about 600 yards. we give the 12 pound napolions a run for their money.

Gambit

 

[banek]

Black Powder Golf ball Cannon

Since we're on the subject I have made 12 golf ball cannons. I DO NOT want to take orders. If anyone is interested I have 3 left. There will be no more. I have sold the others to friends and family. The cannons ,actually mortars, are made from 416 Stainless Steel with a Walnut base. 15 grains of FFG will launch a golf ball about 50 yrds and 50 grains its gone! I am a machinist and took great care in the manufacture of these cannons. I've sold each for $150. Leave your email address if your really interested. I will send pictures.
When people see them the women ask what's the point and the men ask how far can you shoot one! Go figure.

 

[desidog]

That's some magic powder banek.

Here's my 47lbs of golf ball swivel doing about 480grs FFg - the result is a ball traveling too fast to be seen by the naked eye. It really makes a party out of a dull weekend afternoon.
FORE!

It's great for holidays, or just unwinding on the course; and once your buddies know you have one, they'll bring golf balls over.

 

[banek]

Black Powder Golf ball Cannon

Holy Crap!!!

 

[Iggy]

Here ya go. South Bend Replica Coehorn that shoots V-8 juice cans full of cement a long ways.

The loop in the cement is to tie a streamer to so you can find the projectile again.

 

[azyogi]

almost makes me want to take up golf

 

[rick spencer]

Video!

Here is a link to a video on our sight, I am a living historian with the Ohio Valley Civil War Association, It is the first video on the page, i am on the left front of the cannon if you are looking at the business end of cannon, (position number one) This is a model 1841 6pounder.
http://www.ovcwa.com/VideoGallery.html
Turn The Sound UP!

 

[wobble]

Dixie Gun Works sells both full-size and scaled down cannons.

 

[banek]

I am humbled by your fire power.http://www.thehighroad.org/images/smilies/shocker.gif Did I mention my cannon also looks good sitting on a desk?http://www.thehighroad.org/images/smilies/smile.gif Still it's a lot of fun and I can recover my golf balls when I use light loads.

 

[HOWARD J]

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I have not used this little guy in a long time--about 60 years.
We used marbles & it would fire thru both sides of a wood garage.
Almost that crazy today........................................................

 

[4v50 Gary]

I've got one of those little 12 pdrs (44 cal) too. I also have the scaled down 12 pdr Napoleon in 50 cal. My biggest and best is the brass beer can mortar. Hey, do those three constitute the Holy Trinity?

 

[BCRider]

Desidog, did you get an extra zero on that "480 grains" part or is that correct?

If that IS the right number can I be your friend too? That would be hellishly fun to see in action! ! !

 

[Hawkeye748]

If you love the cannons, I suggest you go to these events to see live fire with CW era cannons and mortars.


The N-SSA has two annual live fire competitions. The first is the third full weekend of May and the second is the first full weekend in October. They are at the N-SSA range outside of Winchester Virginia. This is where you will see the most cannons in action at one time.

There is also the Grayling shoot in Michigan. This is the competition for the elite in shooting CW cannons. Carry your binoculars because some of the events are a 1000 yards. I believe it is here that they also recreate the "newspaper competition" where the winners of other events fire at a newspaper folded out at a distance of a mile.

 

[Gambit88]

Hawkeye I am going to greyling this year. Last year was my first with the battery and I missed out on greyling due to work. This year Im going come hell or high water lol. We do two shoots in port huron michigan too but theyre only 100 yards. port huron and i believe greyling are awca(new so thats prolly the wrong acronem) not nssa. Im excited. I think we got 3rd last year and won a few years back... and with a lowly 6pound smoothbore vs all the 12 pound guns.

 

[Hawkeye748]

The Grayling shoot is not N-SSA but most of the cannon there are, I think. It is actually an open shoot I believe, not affiliated with any particular group. Even a few Canadians come down for the events. There has recently been a bunch of N-SSA units joining the ACWSA in addition to their N-SSA membership. ACWSA is growing fast in the Midwest. Shorter drives than to VA.