Replica Kufstein Mortar on Walnut Base

[copdoc]

Prior to shooting.  3" bore with powder chamber.  Bored from solid stock C1174.
Hope you enjoy it.



After several years of shooting, some paint gone and a few burns the walnut base.


Top view showing powder chamber.  This is another gun made to shoot stone projectiles 16th century.

[jeeper1]

Is that an optical delusion or does that shoot straight up?

[copdoc]

Is that an optical delusion or does that shoot straight up?

No illusion. it is about 7or 8  degrees off verticle axis.  I built it to the same specs as the original except the piece of steel I had was about 1/2 less in dia. and 3" bore so I could shoot the  same projectiles as the Burgundian Howitzer.  I scaled everything else to fit the bbl.  A friend (good friend) gave me the big chunk of walnut.   I thought about taking liberty with the angle but wanted to see how well the original fired.  We put a chock behind the base to change the angle.  I guess it would shoot over a high castle wall from up very close.

Any ideas as to why the original was built this way? (Very high angle)

[Cannonmaker]

With the near vertical shot, if fired to the East and the hight just right, would the projectial not fall right on top of you. I belevie the Coriolis effect ( rotation of the earth) will cause the projectial to drift to the west.  I have seen the drifting to the west with my mortars.

Rick

[Cat Whisperer]

In the modern day artillary, rotation of the earth is taken into account.  Moreso from the standpoint of the earth is moving and over a 15-25 second time-of-flight that's important.

I have shot a round or so almost straight up.  (You're on your own if you try this.)  I have a good eye for angles and such and it hit right were I planned it - about 20 yards away.  Not as unsafe as one might think, as we watched it go up and come down - 10 to 12 second time of flight.

On the other hand, decades ago, I tried shooting INTO the WIND.  (Winter, Iowa)  Shooting at about 60 degrees elevation the round landed well behind us.  (The wind DOES blow in Iowa.)

[copdoc]

To take max advantage of the Coriolis effect in my little gun i am going to have to switch form 1 1/2 Oz of FG to about 1 lb of Bullseye. I have fired it on a 200 yd rifle range. With about 1 1/2 oz FG you can put it way overhead and still get 200 yards horizontal range. Shooting over castle walls may have been the reason for the angle.  Hit them on the head with a rock.  It is too small to pound down the walls.  I also shoot high power rockets (not rocks) occasionally.  One of my friends is a serious rocketeer and has digital altimeters.  If they can withstand the G-force it would be interesting to see how high you could shoot a rock.  Anybody out there have a drill bit that will bore a hole in a rock?

[GGaskill]

Anybody out there have a drill bit that will bore a hole in a rock?

A carbide-tipped masonry drill should do the trick.

[jeeper1]

i am going to have to switch form 1 1/2 Oz of FG to about 1 lb of Bullseye

Don't you think that is a little much?

[copdoc]

Yes, 100-200 grains will send the ball(stone) way down range.  1 1/2 oz was the largest charge and is the reason the base is now burned(long fuse for proof test).  I was of course joking about using any amount of Bullseye(smokeless)