New Guy with New Toy and Lots of Questions

[muskeg stomper]

Hi all. I'm new to this forum. I've been shooting traditional sidelock muzzleloaders for years and have recently developed a hankering for BP cannons & mortars. I realize that there is a big difference in barrel materials and pressures developed so I want to get everything right. Muzzleloading rendezvous is a family event for us so safety is a big concern. In any event, I picked this toy up on fleaBay...





The guy who I bought it from found it in a barn when he moved into his propert and states that he thinks that it is brass. When I recieve it, my first thing to determine is whether it's actually brass or if it's bronze. Then I want to get it xrayed before I even go to work on it.
Questions: How do you find a place capable of doing the xrays to determine if there are any voids in the casting?
If there are no substancial voids, is it safe to shoot? I assume that the answers may be different depending on if it's brass or bronze.
If it needs a liner, is there anyone on the forum who could perform the installation for me?
The bore looks like it needs to be lapped if it doesn't require a liner. Anyone have suggestions on the best way to do this if it is determined that this is a route that I can take?
Lastly, anyone have an idea of what this may be a scale model of and where to look for a carraige design best suited for this barrel? Would it be suitable as a swivel gun?
Thanks in advance folks...this is a fascinating forum to browse!
Russ
 

[GGaskill]

First thing I would ask for is dimensions, especially the bore diameter, the diameter over the breech, the diameter of the smallest part of the tube and the overall length.

Also, the pictures appear to be distorted; is it really round or elliptical?

[muskeg stomper]

I screwed up and distorted the photos when I tried to resize them to fit the post. The photos really looked much better than that originally.
Here is the info that was posted:
"Antique Brass 16 pound Cannon[/size]  - We know very little about this piece. We found it in our barn when we moved recently. It was there for more than 20 years and probably much longer than that. [/color][/size] Conditions as seen in photographs, ask if you have any questions. 15-1/2 inches long, at the widest part with the trunnions(?)-  6 inches, the barrel at the end 2 inches in diameter and the interior is 1 inch; weight: 16-17 pounds." [/color]
[/size]So at the muzzle end, there is 1/2" of metal around the 1" bore. Of course, I will measure the breech end diameter when I receive it.[/color]

[flagman1776]

Going from the pictures, you have a rough casting.  The gates & vents where it was poured are still on the sides of the barrel. 

[muskeg stomper]

Understand that it is still a rough casting. Any ideas of what model?

[GGaskill]

Looks kinda like a swivel gun.  Also has some freelance aspects to it.  There were lots of different guns made in the past; it probably looks like at least one of them.   

[jamesfrom180]

Ditto on the swivel gun.

As for your questions start at local machine shop that does engine blocks.  What region of the nation are you in? Regionally different sources from machine shaft shops to drilling tool makers.  Local machine shop should be able to point you in the right way.  Also if you do have manufacturing in your area should be a listing for non-destructive testing.  Try searches with: non-destructive, testing, ultra sound, metallurgical testing, stress failure.

In the family we have a cast iron swivel and we are working on a carriage for it.  The gun currently has a yoke and works really well.  We plan on making a high cheeked naval carriage or garrison carriage that has a very substantial cross member that the pole of the yoke can slip into and will appear to have trunnion caps. 

Side note I grew up in the MLRA, FIHA, and AMM so I have been at Rendezvous all my life.  PM me.

[Mike H.]

I put a few bids on that but dropped out. Was not sure whether it was going to be worth the effort. I hope it works out well for you.  I do figure it is bronze and not brass.

[muskeg stomper]

Auction Sniper is a great tool if you've never used it....
Yes, just looking at the photos, I'm figuring that it is bronze as well but I'll have to test it. I like tinkering with "projects" so finishing up this barrel will be just another hobby to me. I am leaning towards making a swivel mount for it...perhaps mount it on the front of my 2WD Rokon motorcycle...king of a Mad Max sort of thing just for WOW effect when I show up out with buddies!
 

[Cannoneer]

Welcome to BPM&C, muskeg stomper. I dont think that that barrel was actually modeled after a "real" cannon, but reflects a more improvised design. Many miniature cannon models from the late 1800's and early 1900's display the same large cascabel buttons. This is just my personal take on it, but if it was mine and I wanted to fire it, I'd pass on all the tests and use that money to have a properly made steel liner installed.

[muskeg stomper]

Thanks for the feedback cannoneer. Will definately get it checked out for safety before I do much of anything. Since I know next to nothing on models I figured someone on this forum would have ideas. Doesn't bother me to find out that it's an artistic design and not a scale model of any particular tube. So with the large cascabel button, do you think that I could safely drill a socket in it for a swivel gun tiller?

[flagman1776]

 

[muskeg stomper]

Can't really make out the clamp arrangement. Got any other photos?

[Cannoneer]

Like 'flagman1776' said, many swivel guns that were cast with regular cascabel knobs, had wrought iron monkey tail tillers attached to the neck by a ring.
This video was directed by forum member 'cannonmn'; check out the third gun shown.

[flagman1776]

 

[Cannoneer]

I recognize some of those drawings as coming from Boarders Away, Volume II: Firearms of the Age of Fighting Sail by William Gilkerson, an excellent source of information on swivel guns.

[flagman1776]

Thanks, Cannoneer.  I have not seen that book yet.  I checked on Amazon & it's currently made of gold so I guess I'll see if my library can locate it. 
Russ