Author Topic: Shooting the 32-barrel blackpowder machine gun (Read 1691 times)

cannonmn · « **on:** July 06, 2009, 03:01:29 PM »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbvbLCs7iJ4

subdjoe · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2009, 03:37:46 PM »

Not to be a jerk or anything, but wouldn't this more properly be called a volley gun rather than a machine gun? No moving parts in the fireing mechanism, and all that.

Either way, THAT'S COOL!

Double D · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2009, 03:48:11 PM »

Neat! John did you guys just build that? How about posting some detail pictures so we can copy it.

How about firing it in a ripple. Prime each barrel and lace it it with green fuse. Or use quills. Man you could spend all day thinking of different ways to shoot that.

Did you have it tied down?

subdjoe · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2009, 04:04:56 PM »

Oh, now that you have your proof of concept model built, when do you think you will have the golfball version of it finished?

Soot · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2009, 04:09:19 PM »

Just add a shoulder stock and you could go dove hunting!
Then Seacoast Artillery should make a Paixhans Monster Mortar version, I would skip the GB model, we know it works.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2009, 04:17:21 PM »

Quote from: subdjoe on July 06, 2009, 03:37:46 PM

Not to be a jerk or anything, but wouldn't this more properly be called a volley gun rather than a machine gun? No moving parts in the fireing mechanism, and all that.

Either way, THAT'S COOL!

"machinegun" is a technical term. It means quite different things to say Leonerdo D'Vinci and BATF.

COOL experiment!

Cannoneer · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2009, 04:29:03 PM »

I've been waiting for this one Cannonmn, that was a killer demo. It seems like it fired awfully fast, I wonder how this four bank gun would fare if the rate of fire was compared with a fast cycling machine gun, say a WWII German MG 42, I bet it would be close.

cannonmn · « **Reply #7 on:** July 06, 2009, 04:48:57 PM »

[quotemore properly be called a volley gun rather than a machine gun?][/quote]

Of course you are correct, we "sexed it up" a bit in the title of the YT video to get more people to look at it.

"Volley gun" goes over the heads of a lot of folks who do know what a machine gun is, but yes, technically we're incorrect.

Here are all still pix I have, with the nice powder can for scale. You should be able to duplicate it pretty accurately if you want. I think I'd just tap and thread the rear ends of the tubes, and put a bolt in each one, instead of welding them up.

The thing weighs about 80 lbs. and doesn't seem to recoil at all, but next time out we're upping the powder charge and using bullets that will be a bit heavier. This time we only loaded one 9mm cartridge case full of 3FG powder in each barrel. I have a powder scale but haven't weighed the charge yet.

I didn't build it at all, I bought it at a gun show in MD about 25 years ago. I've had it out shooting I think three times since then. Next time I'll have bullets that fit better so we can do some real damage.

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #8 on:** July 06, 2009, 06:00:47 PM »

John, That is a very cool video. It's amazing how well it works. You were smart to have made it with the high speed option on your camera. Without that slo-mo, we would all be asking as the smoke cleared, "Whahappen"? I think the only way you can top that is to find a long-lost, third, 16" U.S. Stone Mortar and then show us it's intended purpose and effect, first with a wicker basket of river rocks, then with a wood-reinforced wicker basket of loaded and fused 6 pdr. shells. Nobody could top THAT!

A Great Video, Thanks!

Tracy and Mike

Double D · « **Reply #9 on:** July 06, 2009, 06:45:37 PM »

John,

Are your bringing that to Montana?

cannonmn · « **Reply #10 on:** July 06, 2009, 07:16:12 PM »

Doug, I can't make Montana, sorry, gotta stay and mind da bizness, wish I could tho. If anyone near me is going I could send along with them as a loaner-as long as they clean it when they're done!

Kabar?

Cat?

??

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #11 on:** July 06, 2009, 08:32:14 PM »

John, That is a coooooooooool video. Is that your 40mm breechloader off to the side? Thankyou for sharing.

cannonmn · « **Reply #12 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:51:20 AM »

Quote

Is that your 40mm breechloader off to the side?

That's Ed's, and we just released a YT video of him shooting it. Mine is identical to it, but I didn't take mine out that day, had my hands full with the "machine gun."

cannonmn · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:54:58 AM »

Quote

I wonder how this four bank gun would fare if the rate of fire was compared with a fast cycling machine gun, say a WWII German MG 42, I bet it would be close.

You can figure it out from the video if you want. I think the first shots with only tier of barrels was slo-mo'd to 1/8 normal speed. I know we slo-mo'd the sequence showing all barrels firing to 1/16 normal speed. Take out yer stopwatch and calculator.

KABAR2 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:57:34 AM »

Quote from: cannonmn on July 06, 2009, 07:16:12 PM

Doug, I can't make Montana, sorry, gotta stay and mind da bizness, wish I could tho. If anyone near me is going I could send along with them as a loaner-as long as they clean it when they're done!

Kabar?

Cat?

??

Cannonmn thanks for the offer but no money for travel right now and Carol isn't up to it,

nice video that thing looks like it should have been in a Mad Max or Water World movie!

Victor3 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2009, 03:04:40 AM »

Beautiful! More fun than full-growed men should be having.

I have a bunch of 1/2" OD x 3/16" ID stainless tubing. Would be neat to make one to shoot BB's.

navygunner · « **Reply #16 on:** July 07, 2009, 07:28:09 AM »

WOW!!!!!

1Southpaw · « **Reply #17 on:** July 07, 2009, 08:52:04 AM »

Now , new ideas for a winter shop project are formulating in this old farmers mind ......

Thats always bad news for the wife . She thinks this black powder thingy is a sickness .

She thinks my old drinking buddies were perhaps not so bad

$:-\$

Double D · « **Reply #18 on:** July 07, 2009, 08:56:47 AM »

Quote from: 1Southpaw on July 07, 2009, 08:52:04 AM

Now , new ideas for a winter shop project are formulating in this old farmers mind ......

Thats always bad news for the wife . She thinks this black powder thingy is a sickness .

She thinks my old drinking buddies were perhaps not so bad $:-\$

Humm, I not one of your old drinking buddies...but I think she likes me, maybe?

dan610324 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 08, 2009, 10:20:42 AM »

WOW

if its a .30 cal , why not enter the firecracker contest with that one ??

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #20 on:** July 08, 2009, 12:38:55 PM »

Quote from: dan610324 on July 08, 2009, 10:20:42 AM

WOW
if its a .30 cal , why not enter the firecracker contest with that one ??

Or if it's bigger, use sabots OR BIGGER firecrackers.

dominick · « **Reply #21 on:** July 08, 2009, 01:36:46 PM »

That is cool! I always liked the multi-barrel stuff! A new project perhaps? Now if I can only find the time.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #22 on:** July 08, 2009, 02:25:25 PM »

Quote from: dominick on July 08, 2009, 01:36:46 PM

That is cool! I always liked the multi-barrel stuff! A new project perhaps? Now if I can only find the time.

So many guns and SO LITTLE TIME!