Mini Cannons...

[magnumwheelman]

as part of my strange and unusual firearms collection, I ended up with 2 mini cannons & one unfinished barrel... these are all 6" to 8" 38 caliber muzzle loading barrels... so selling them should be no different than selling a cap & ball rifle or revolver???

both the completed cannons are while of the same size, are quite different one being all brass, & is likely the shop project of Vo-Tech or higher education, having dowled spoke wheels, & all parts machined of brass... this one is an artillery style cannon, the other having a steel barrel, & wood chassis & wheels & looks like a Navy style cannon...

I remember MRS dad firing the steel barrel cannon with a 38 special case full of black powder, & a lead round ball, using a stub of cannon fuze

operation of both look similar, being drilled for standard cannon fuze... I'm not sure if the brass one has ever been fired... but guessing a person could start with a smaller charge

I'm thinking of listing the brass one on Gun Broker with list #4, as it's highly finished, & I have no idea what it will bring... thought about putting the other on my gun show table next month

any of you guys have interest in this kind of things, or own similar??? I'll get a couple pictures up, in the next couple days, since they are out in view right now...

[princeout]

1/3 scale Mountain Howitzer barrel made by Brooks-USA for my dad, retired US Army Artillery Colonel. 1 inch bore. I built the carriage so we could fire it.

Fun and loud. Loaded with black powder and birdseed.

Tim

Click here if the picture doesn't show up

[zeus]

I’d love to see a pic. I’m thinking of building one this year myself just for fun

[ncrobb]

I’d love to see pics as well. I built a 1” bore ship’s cannon years ago and use model rocket igniters to set it off.

[magnumwheelman]

Well the brass one is a little bigger bore, but shorter... 44 - 50 bore...










disappointing, that I found out the brass cannon ( likely made as a higher education school project??? ) was not bored fully through to the fuse hole... likely a liability issue for where ever it was made... so in its current condition, it is non firing... I may have my machinist buddy chuck it up, & bore it to a functional depth & if I sell it, include a tried & true Lee powder dipper & recipe

[magnumwheelman]

of course I have these ( not so mini ) sitting in a shed waiting for breech plugs

2 - 4 ft cannon barrels, & 2 - 14" motar barrels

[zeus]

PM me if you sell the brass one. I may be interested

Thanks!

GS

[harveylogan]

Approximately 6”x14” with a 2.25” bore, Made from a ship’s bronze propeller shaft. Shoots a small juice can filled with concrete. Originally was shooting lead round ball, But really anything you want to stuff in works😀

[magnumwheelman]

I'm hoping to shoot pop cans full of plaster of paris when I get my bigger ones completed... hoping it'll mark good, where it hits in the field

[bula]

We had some guys that do re-enactments bring a Civil War 6lb mortar to camp. Not sure if real or replica. But a heck of a BOOM ! Fun stuff. Course, the real problem here is holsters...LOL

[tangocharlie]

There is nothing in the ‘You can’t do this!’ list from my HOA about artillery pieces. Always wanted one for the front yard...

[kings6]

I attended an event last year where a short cannon shot full sized bowling balls. No need to bother trying to use plaster of Paris in the holes so a person could watch them land. I think these things came down in the mountains of the next county.

[bula]

"You may fire when ready, Gridley". "Cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them, cannon to the front of them".  

[bula]

Am suddenly remembering the scene in Sweet Home Alabama, where the crazy ole Colonel is launching anvils...Wonder what the Taylor Knock Out formula would be..

[kevshell]

Interesting thread. My father-in-law has made cannons for years. He's a machinist by trade and a fan of stuff that goes boom. He sold a spectacular piece about 10 years ago. It was a reproduction of a civil war cannon. Not sure of the specific version. But I always thought he was one or two clicks off as he was telling me about the projectiles made from soda cans filled with concrete, etc. Sounds like its pretty routine. But he has small cannons that shoot golf balls, small lead projectiles, soda cans and I'm not sure what the mortar fires. Somewhere I have a desktop mortar that he made me plus a handgonne - basically a handheld cannon/muzzle loader.