lyle lifesaving gun

[dobber]

i am having a hellofa time trying to find information on a lyle gun.  RBG Cannons has one but im not willing to pay $1200 for one also i would like to build in myself. i cant find any plans, all ive found at this point are a few pics. any information anyone might be willing to share i would love to have.   

thanks

[seacoastartillery]

     Just buy J P Barnett's book, "the Lifesaving Guns of David Lyle".  His company, South Bend Replicas, is listed above in the big list of where to find makers of cannons and mortars.
Good luck with your project!

Tracy and Mike
Seacoast Artillery Company

[Cannonball]

Seacoast took the words outta my mouth. While your at it, pick up a copy of their product catalog, it's a historical document in itself. most informative 10 bucks I ever spent!

[intoodeep]

dobber,

 An original Lyle gun at $1200 is pretty much the standard price for and iron one. Bronze would be much more. I have see a couple of iron Lyle guns listed for sale between $600-$900 But, I have also seen them in the $2000 plus category.

 When it comes to plans I have not really seen any (except for a Bronze "C" in Paul's book). But, I do agree with Mike & Tracy @ Seacoast Artillery. Paul Barnett is the expert when it comes to Lyle guns he has even reproduced a few. His book is a wealth of information. I know that Jim Bircher of B.N.A has reproduced a bronze Lyle too.

 You might even check with Dominick Carpenter of "Carpenter's Replica Cannons". If memory serves me right I believe that he made one or two that might fit your budget.

 Either, way you go I would still get "The Lifesaving Guns of David Lyle" book, as it will give you photos of multiple styles of Lifesaving Guns.

[rmagill]

   If you need pictures or measurements  of a Sculler Lyle gun I can  help you out. I'm only home on weekends but be glad to take any you need.

[benzon]

Gents and Ladies,

Been lurking for a couple of years.  Excellent information and advice to me.  My interest is small mortars, golf ball sized, mostly.  Own several, none built by me, but great fun to shoot on the farm.  Am entering this fine forum because of an ancillary interest in Lyle Line-throwing Guns.  Amazing devices that are never supposed to hurt people during their traditional use.  That is nice.  I own one that I shoot cement-filled PVC pipe sections a nice gentle 1000 feet, with a very small black powder charge.  I don't want to overstress a WW2 era piece of equipment and all that.  Mine was rated for a full 5 ounces of BP when it was new.  Whew.  With small charges, you can see the the projectiles go down range, of course, which makes the shooting session much fun.  It is mounted on a Benzon home-made carriage that makes the thing look a bit like a tiny 105mm howitzer.  Been downsizing my cannon fleet because of housing developments that are getting nearer and nearer.  The Lyle Gun rattles the windows and all that.  It is for sale.  Did I break a forum rule by saying that?

Benzon

[lendi]

Here is a picture of 16 lyle guns set up for the 1812 overture.  Paul Barnett SBR is in white, Berke George RBG Cannons in red.  The concert was at Bethel Woods near lincoln NY.   The same grounds as the famous woodstock concert.  Cannons were loaded with 5 oz of fffg powder.  Ignition is by a pair of squibs in parallel to a control box that Paul uses to fire the cannons at the precise time with the music.  Thought this might interest the group.
Len
DICW

[benzon]

Lendi and others,

I was aware of a group or person had a collection of Scullers used during the 1812 Overture.  Great tune, obviously enhanced by actual guns rather than mere drums.  16 of them would do the trick without dangerous quick reloads, as I play the overture in my head, I think.  Would love to listen to them in action.

In ignorance and respectfully, I still wonder about the wisdom of putting 5 oz of cannon grade powder in a 60 year old gun with barrel possible microcracks due to corrosion, etc.  Maybe without something in the breech...just the powder would be safe.  Perhaps I am being too conservative.  My very low power loads without the cement projectile just result in an undramatic low-volume "poof".  The same powder load with a projectile make quite a bang.

Is there anyone out there that can swap notes with me on Sculler Line Gun specifics, I mean a person that actually shoots one?  I note that the US Coast Guard put out a letter many years ago citing instances where sailors were loading the things with smokeless powder and blowing up the guns.  Not advisable for those that understand the powder differences and I doubt that they are aboard ships now, of course. 

Regards,

Benzon

[GGaskill]

If the guns were rated for 5 oz with a projectile, then 5 oz without a projectile is not a heavy load.  My guess is that Paul Barnett uses replicas for his music making rather than collectable originals; the music loving public wouldn't appreciate the difference.

[rmagill]

Benzon ,     I  have shot my Lyle gun quite a bit over the years. My projectile is either a coors beer can filled with a cement product or a 3lb lead ball and anywhere from 1-3 ounces of fg.  The recoil danger came from the original bolts they used  when line throwing that weighed  somewhere around  17 lbs in a gun that only weighs around 180.  A beer can with a streamer on it works just fine for me . Lifesaving guns of David Lyle will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about them

[lendi]

Benzon,
The lyle guns  used are original and in perfect working order.  As there is no projectile or any type of wad 5oz is a safe load.  I would consider Paul as one of the experts in this field and seriously doubt that he would do anything that would be dangerous.  Also before the concert there is a test firing of several different loads so  that the salute is not overwhelming for area.  Usually the conductor or his representative will determine which load is appropriate.
Len
DICW

[benzon]

Thank you, Len, GGaskil, and RMagill for the valuable information.  I'll order the Lyle Gun book soon.

For RMagill, what type of ignition source do you use on your Lyle gun?  I now temporarily mount a small brass over-the-center cannon lock onto the big end that strikes a black powder musket nipple and musket cap after pulling a 5 foot light cable.  The flame shoots through a hole I drilled in the non-original breech bolt.  It works about 90% of the time.  I wonder if there is a better way.  I suppose I could modify what I have to smack a blank .22 cartridge, but worry a bit about flying brass fragments.

Regards to all,

Bob Benzon

[copdoc]

Thank you for posting on the Lyle guns.
I know a lady that had an original bronze C gun with the wooden sled and the implements.  She did not want to sell it a few years ago but asked me to keep calling as she was getting older and the family had no interest in it. I had forgotten about it.   I just left her a message. I hope she still has it.  I think it is one of the original 105 AOC guns made for the USLSS. 

I had to unload an original C gun in a museum and it used a 32 S&W blank for ignition.

Mr Barnett's book is well worth the price. He is a real gentleman who let me borrow and copy his copy of the book when they were out of print so that I could research this gun.  If he has that many original guns no wonder we can't find one.

[intoodeep]

Well, since the subject of Lyle guns has come up again. I thought I would put this link up again for those who may not have see it.

  http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=dYqBCSula6M

It's not my video. I came across it about a year ago. As, with most YouTube videos you may notice a safety issue or two....

[Cpt Ed]

Paul Barnett is the complete authority on the LIFESAVING Guns of David Lyle. His book was published in 1976, and is the only one available on the subject. As has been stated before, this book is a must have for any one interested in cannons and Life-Saving Ordnance.

Here are a couple of Lifesaving guns I picked up on my way to Pennsylvania and the Mansfield, Ohio Show last May.

The early Coston/Lyle gun, I found in Georgia and the HTP was retrieved in Maryland.

[dominick]

Dobber, here are photos of a  full scale Lyle gun that I built last year.  If you are interested in one, The current price is in the 650 to 850 dollar price range depending on bore size.  Dom 

[rmagill]

Benzon ,    I use manitor fuse in my gun as it was never fitted with a firing device.   Mine came from the Portland Oregon shipyards when they were tearing apart the  liberty ships.  I got it from an old machinist who bought it at a scrap yard to get the steel deck box it came in.  The gun sat under a bench for forty odd years till he sold it unfired to me. A week later  my brain kicked in and I went back and bought the box also. He sold me the original unfired cannon for $150 but wouldnt take less than $200 for the box . It's  Sculler Safety Corp #2386