Powder Charge ?

[Rebel]

I have just purchase a Mountain Howitzer with a 2.25 steel bore. Everything I read is that I should be using Fg or FFg with a load of two to three oz. max  per inch of bore size. The gentleman told me he only used 6 oz of FFFG for his blank loads for the ten years he has own the cannon. I have read that you shouldn't use FFFg powder because it burns to fast. All you men who shoot I would like your feed back if this FFFG is safe to use or not. Thanks

[Rickk]

In my 2.25 in bores, I use 3.6 ounces of 1F for blanks, and up to 3 ounces of cannon grade for live charges. I am a bit on the conservative side, but only by 10%-20% or so I think. I see no reason to push things, as I am getting what I want with slightly conservative charges. 3 ounces of cannon grade for a live charge is alot by the way.... it is a safe load I believe, more would be OK as well, but it is crankin .

His recommended blank load sounds a bit stiff to me. Even throwing out my conservative nature it seems alot to me.  How often did he shoot it, an how is the barrel constructed?

[Rebel]

The barrel was make by Hern Cannons and is steel line. He shot it for reenactments on a regular basic.

[doubleduece]

Rebel, welcome to the board. There are lots of information, and many experts here that will not steer you wrong. I have done reenactments for about four years. In that time we shot the same charge from our pieces as well. We used 6 oz. of FFFG for the blank loads for battles and we even used 8 oz. for salutes. Both loads are very loud and give a hearty boom as well as a moderate amount of smoke. These loads are common here in Florida on the battlefields we use. I do not think that you will damage your cannon but why take a chance. Even myself, what was common for me to use in our cannons and mortars have now given me pause due to what I have read here. I think you will be pleased with a smaller charge and still getting the effect you want. The collective here has a vast amount of experience and heeding their advice is a safe bet.

[Rebel]

Thanks for the welcome and your help

[Will Bison]

Howdy Rebel;

I'd stay with 1f or Cannon grade.

Bill

[Cat Whisperer]

Rebel, welcome to the board. There are lots of information, and many experts here that will not steer you wrong. I have done reenactments for about four years. In that time we shot the same charge from our pieces as well. We used 6 oz. of FFFG for the blank loads for battles and we even used 8 oz. for salutes. Both loads are very loud and give a hearty boom as well as a moderate amount of smoke. These loads are common here in Florida on the battlefields we use. I do not think that you will damage your cannon but why take a chance. Even myself, what was common for me to use in our cannons and mortars have now given me pause due to what I have read here. I think you will be pleased with a smaller charge and still getting the effect you want. The collective here has a vast amount of experience and heeding their advice is a safe bet.

GOOD advice.  Start small and work up.  Just because you get away with a LARGE charge 100 times doesn't mean that you will the 101st time.

USE the rules of thumb that have been developed and SUCCESSFULLY used by the two large groups (read: tested MANY times by MANY people) N-SSA and AAA.  Also, Switlick's book is a trusted reference.

My standard lines:
  You need to KNOW if it's a cannon or a bomb when you light the fuse.
  You have to be TOUGH if you're stupid.
  I HAVE seen a cannon explode from 15' away.

[lendi]

Winchester 10g blank loads use 5f powder.  I will find out the amount. 
Len
DI cannnon works

[Rickk]

Len, What the heck is 5F? s that the same as "meal-D" or "flour"?

For what it's worth, I have been pouring 1F "Skirmish powder" sold by Powder, Inc into 12 G blanks with excellent results. 6 drams is the standard "12 g blank" load from what I gather (no idea what grade powder is "standard"... 2F maybe? or maybe 5F?), but 5 drams of 1F works just fine. I put an over-powder wad over the powder and then roll crimp. The hulls are shortened to about 2 1/4 inches before crimping. The result is a 2 inch shell... easy to identify as not being a buckshot round. It is louder than a normal buckshot load, but there is no real recoil to speak of in a shotgun.