home made cannon - Page 2

BillBailey · October 8, 2010, 12:15 AM

New to the forum and so while I'm waiting for replies to my first post I came across this thread. Was in a gun shop yesterday and the owner had 2 working scale model cannons that had only a 1" bore with 18" spoke wheels and it was very very heavy, but cool! Anyway, point being that I've been building 50 caliber, civil war type, breach loading, cannons out of water pipe and scraps the past couple of weeks and that's enough fun for me and the grandkids. We use 1.5 grain firecrackers and that will shoot a 1" wooden "shell" about 30 yards. We've got 6 working models so far and counting. Fun fun!
BTW, any ideas on making a scale exploding "shell"? Which is why I was in the gun shop in the first place.

jmorris · October 8, 2010, 07:16 AM

There is lots of info out there, they have their own forums. I am putting together a bowling ball mortar but I am leaning towards pneumatic instead of powder. With powder you only get 4 shots per pound but it’s easier to build. With pneumatic I can shoot all I want for the cost of gas for my air compressor, can use the rig as a sawdust cannon and a bead seater too.

For a bowling ball most people use a high pressure Oxygen or various inert gas tanks. The tank you are looking for is (approximately) 9.28” in diameter with a circumference of 29 3/16” , .350” wall thickness and a bowling ball slides in will a little room to spare.

hickstick_10 · October 8, 2010, 10:37 AM

Pipe or old oxy tanks ect will work.

Or you can put some real effort into it so your cannon so it doesn't look like a crude and childish farmers contraption.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb...cannon-211776/

brickeyee · October 8, 2010, 11:42 AM

Quote:

I personally cant wait to see the AOW charges this guy will rack up.

Better not tell all the civil war reenactors.

Muzzle loading cannons and mortars are not 'weapons.'

BillBailey · October 8, 2010, 12:46 PM

Mine are primarily "rainy day cannons" as you can fire them in your living room and even hit pictures of the inlaws. Most times the "wad" stays in the barrel so there is no cleanup. 50 caliber Whitewood doweling is the projectile of choice . . . results may vary.

jmorris · October 11, 2010, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Or you can put some real effort into it so your cannon so it doesn't look like a crude and childish farmers contraption.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb...cannon-211776/

Don't bash on farmers.

from your link...

Quote:

then a tool and die assembly for punching holes in cattle watering electrical plates.

buckstix.com has a real good one.

Giovanni · October 13, 2010, 05:51 PM

A number of years ago I was in the NSSA while living in Virginia. During the "Nationals" Winchester, Virginia there would be cannon competitions in two catagories. One was smooth boore and the other rifled cannon. They would shoot some plaster paris can projectile in the rifled cannons and quite frankly I don't what in the smooth bore. I tell you what those suckers were accurate hitting flower pots, bull eye targets at over 100 yards +.

John

Here's a link that i found:
http://www.nwtskirmisher.com/about.shtml

abelacres · October 13, 2010, 07:22 PM

I talked to some Civil War reenactors one day at my old job
I forget what size cannon they had but it was on a goose neck trailer. (it was very big)
They told me that one time they loaded it with a 25ft piece of 3/8 logging chain and fired it parallel with the ground.
Cleared out a lot of brush before it finally embeded itself in a oak tree.

They called it The Weedeater From Hell

They said they never did get the chain out of the tree.

prob · October 17, 2010, 01:08 AM

Cannons are great fun. The internet is full of information on barrels, carriages, loads, etc. Use common sense and you'll be fine.

TXGunNut · October 17, 2010, 11:10 AM

Been thinking about one for years, will likely start out with a store-bought .50 cal that will mostly hang out on the coffee table (no inlaw pics for targets!) and will someday maybe move up to 1". I doubt I'll be able to feed anything bigger but every time I see video of the bronze mortars I want one of those, too.

October 8, 2010, 10:37 AM	#28
hickstick_10 Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Posts: 477	One like this? Pipe or old oxy tanks ect will work. Or you can put some real effort into it so your cannon so it doesn't look like a crude and childish farmers contraption. http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb...cannon-211776/

October 13, 2010, 05:51 PM	#32
Giovanni Member Join Date: October 4, 2010 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 25	A number of years ago I was in the NSSA while living in Virginia. During the "Nationals" Winchester, Virginia there would be cannon competitions in two catagories. One was smooth boore and the other rifled cannon. They would shoot some plaster paris can projectile in the rifled cannons and quite frankly I don't what in the smooth bore. I tell you what those suckers were accurate hitting flower pots, bull eye targets at over 100 yards +. John Here's a link that i found: http://www.nwtskirmisher.com/about.shtml Last edited by Giovanni; October 13, 2010 at 06:27 PM. Reason: Additional Information

October 13, 2010, 07:22 PM	#33
abelacres Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2010 Location: Jackson County Florida Posts: 207	Don't know if this is true but it's a good story... I talked to some Civil War reenactors one day at my old job I forget what size cannon they had but it was on a goose neck trailer. (it was very big) They told me that one time they loaded it with a 25ft piece of 3/8 logging chain and fired it parallel with the ground. Cleared out a lot of brush before it finally embeded itself in a oak tree. They called it The Weedeater From Hell They said they never did get the chain out of the tree. __________________ If something seems too good to be true it's best to shoot at it just to be sure

October 17, 2010, 11:10 AM	#35
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	Been thinking about one for years, will likely start out with a store-bought .50 cal that will mostly hang out on the coffee table (no inlaw pics for targets!) and will someday maybe move up to 1". I doubt I'll be able to feed anything bigger but every time I see video of the bronze mortars I want one of those, too. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

October 8, 2010, 12:15 AM	#26
BillBailey Junior Member Join Date: October 7, 2010 Posts: 14	New to the forum and so while I'm waiting for replies to my first post I came across this thread. Was in a gun shop yesterday and the owner had 2 working scale model cannons that had only a 1" bore with 18" spoke wheels and it was very very heavy, but cool! Anyway, point being that I've been building 50 caliber, civil war type, breach loading, cannons out of water pipe and scraps the past couple of weeks and that's enough fun for me and the grandkids. We use 1.5 grain firecrackers and that will shoot a 1" wooden "shell" about 30 yards. We've got 6 working models so far and counting. Fun fun! BTW, any ideas on making a scale exploding "shell"? Which is why I was in the gun shop in the first place.

October 8, 2010, 07:16 AM	#27
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	There is lots of info out there, they have their own forums. I am putting together a bowling ball mortar but I am leaning towards pneumatic instead of powder. With powder you only get 4 shots per pound but it’s easier to build. With pneumatic I can shoot all I want for the cost of gas for my air compressor, can use the rig as a sawdust cannon and a bead seater too. For a bowling ball most people use a high pressure Oxygen or various inert gas tanks. The tank you are looking for is (approximately) 9.28” in diameter with a circumference of 29 3/16” , .350” wall thickness and a bowling ball slides in will a little room to spare.

October 17, 2010, 01:08 AM	#34
prob Member Join Date: August 2, 2009 Posts: 37	Cannons are great fun. The internet is full of information on barrels, carriages, loads, etc. Use common sense and you'll be fine.