Author Topic: YEEEE@$#%^^$%%HAWWW!!! (Read 6704 times)

Calamity Jane · « **on:** October 05, 2003, 01:46:57 PM »

I'z a cannoniere!

I took the little 1/3 scale 6-pounder to the range taday on 'er own carriage 'n' put about 15 cannon balls down range!

She behaved 'erself perfectly - the recoil was straight back (no jump) 'n' came back 'bout 18" with half a charge (1/2 Ounce). After 15 rounds, everythang was still solid 'n' tight.

Gonna take me awhile ta get used ta sightin 'er though. I waz shootin at a 2 gallon (plastic) pail at about 70 yards 'n' only hit it about 4 times :?

It's quite a trick gettin down on yer belley 'n' tryin ta sight down a tapered barrel....

It ain't quick (cannon shootin) but I'Z HOOKED!!! She waz the star of the show taday 'n' the crowd cheered every time I hit the pail.

Guess I'z gonna haffta start buyin me Blackpowder in larger quantities!

BTW: How do you keep the bronze from goin black right away where the water from the wet sponge dripples down the crown? Seems like I'z gonna haffta repolish the muzzle after every outing!

savageT · « **Reply #1 on:** October 05, 2003, 02:04:09 PM »

What are you using to polish the bronze? BRASSO? We used NEVR-DULL wadding in the airforce. It might be worth coating with a thin layer of laquer, perhaps just around the muzzle........ till you can figure out how to keep it lookin puuurty.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #2 on:** October 05, 2003, 02:39:55 PM »

I can remember (when in Field Atrillary OCS) polishing the bronze cannons in front of the Battalion HQ. They were polished EVERY day but never fired. At least you get to fire yours!

Do I sense the start of an addiction?

There's something special about the smell of blackpower burning!

Double D · « **Reply #3 on:** October 05, 2003, 05:39:54 PM »

Seems to me I read some where that bronze barrel were actually blacken to protect them.

Actually makes sense, as you wouldn't want the enemy to spot your glistening shiny cannon barrel before you could get moved into postion and fire.

But, I have to admit they sure are pretty all shined up.

Calamity Jane · « **Reply #4 on:** October 06, 2003, 12:11:59 AM »

T: I polished it with progressively finer sandpaper, then 3 different grades of jewlers rouge, then Brasso, then Turtle Wax (to keep finner prints off). I expect the muzzle flash is burnin off the Turtle Wax. Maybe I'll try some laquer.

Cat: "The BEGINNING of an addiction"

? BAW HAW HA HA! I think I'm past the "beginning"! I hardly touched me other guns yesserday - couldn't get back to the cannon fast nuff!

DD: I'd consider blackening jist the face of the muzzle if I can't find a way ta keep it shiny. They DO look SO nice all shined up!

The only negative thought I had yesserday while I waz layin on me belley sightin-in waz "I shouldda built BIGGER."

Double D · « **Reply #5 on:** October 06, 2003, 01:43:56 AM »

My guess is that lacquer won't work either. it will get burned off or eat off by the sulferic acid.

Calamity Jane · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2003, 04:49:02 AM »

DANG! I sould'a built BIGGER!!! (Me legs are achin sommit fierce taday from gettin up 'n' down so much yesserday! Oh well, I guess it's good exercise :roll: )

Thar was one unanimous criticism from the crowd yesserday - NOBODY liked me percussion lock :cry: Everybody felt it'd look a whole lot better usin a fuse or a flash pan 'n' slow match. Wish fuse weren't so hard ta come by up here . . .

Calamity Jane · « **Reply #7 on:** October 06, 2003, 07:50:20 AM »

YAHOO! Found a source of Chinese fuse locally, 3/32" $5 (Cdn) fer 15 feet. Guess I'll build nuther vent liner fer fuse 'n' haffta make meself some slowmatch 'n' a lynstocfk (sp?)

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #8 on:** October 06, 2003, 12:32:24 PM »

I know the feeling.

My first mortar (old size beer-can caliber) has 1/2 thick walls and rings with a high pitch 'ping' when shot. Still get it out once in a while, but the 4.5" is weapon of choice for impressing the crowds or venting frustrations.

There is a limit though. At 103 lbs for tube and trunion, it's a clear reminder that anything of larger caliber will be too big for me to tote. (Hence my interest in a bowling ball mortar from an O2 cylinder.)

Calamity Jane · « **Reply #9 on:** October 11, 2003, 02:50:07 PM »

Made up a sight last week 'n' went cannon shootin agin today.

Yup, I'm hooked!

With the sight (which needs some modification) she put 5 shots in a 18" square at 50 yards. I made the front sight too low and couldn't see past the percussion nipple! That still left the sighting "by guess and by gosh" :? That'll get changed this week. :mrgreen:

She's shorenuff a pleasure to shoot.

All too soon, the weather here will turn cold 'n' snowy 'n' it'll be back to the shop to make brackets, hooks, chains, 'n' other fiddlie stuff.

(Who talked me inta buildin a cannon anyway? :shock: )

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #10 on:** October 12, 2003, 02:02:44 AM »

I presume that it'll get COLD up there.

Winter is a great time to dig out mortars (and presumably cannon).

We'd wait until it'll been below -10dF for at least 3 weeks (the rivers would then be frozen) and take out the beer-can caliber mortar. By setting up on the river we'd get out of the wind (The banks went straight up 10 - 15 feet.) Another advantage - a perfectly level range with good backstops (sometimes hard to find in Iowa). Disadvantage - the wind. You'd have to shoot with the wind (mortars) unless you didn't mind the can to land behind you.

Then too, by firing parallel to the surface (pistols) you could easily find the bullet down range sitting on top of the snow - encrusted in the snow it'd grazed and slowed down gradually. Worked for rifle calibers too, but MUCH further down range.

Don't discount winter shooting - it's a great relief from cabin feaver!

Double D · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2003, 02:50:40 AM »

Calamity,

Forgive CW, I don't think he knows why it's called Winterpeg....

But the mortar would be handy for making holes for ice fishing.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2003, 03:08:21 AM »

DD -

On the contrary, when I lived in Iowa we KNEW the source of the really cold weather - from across the border. Most of the time the wind came in from the Rockies - racing across Nebraska - where the only thing slowing it down was a two-strand barbed wire fence (and one of them was broken). But when it really got cold, we just had to look at the weather map and see how MUCH colder it was North of us.

But for cutting a hole in the ice - a 30-06 does well. In solid ice it'll make a crushed (shattered?) ice cavity about a half a foot in diameter and a foot deep. The usual warning: Don't do this at home.

You could feel the thump of the mortar firing as it radiated out through the ice too.

Calamity Jane · « **Reply #13 on:** October 12, 2003, 07:25:00 AM »

Quote

You could feel the thum of the mortar firing as it radiated out through the ice too

Hummm - something about "equal and opposite reaction" - hummm, sound like ya might end up with TWO holes - one where the cannon ball came down 'n' t'other where it went UP :shock:

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #14 on:** October 12, 2003, 12:04:15 PM »

When you have 18" to 24" of ice it doesn't give much. Besides, it was the river, which was - guess what - 18 to 24" deep and 50 to 75' wide.

Also, the can was 2.67" in diameter and the baseplate of the mortar some 12 or 13" in diameter (1964 MGB flywheel). So the larger area much reduces the impact.

Calamity Jane · « **Reply #15 on:** October 14, 2003, 02:36:25 PM »

. . . a few new pix up on the Web site . . . nuthin fancy ('cept the sights) . . . into all the little bits 'n' ends now . . . it's amazin how much time ya kin fritter away makin stuff like trail handles :?

Double D · « **Reply #16 on:** November 13, 2019, 07:21:24 AM »