Is this a morwitzer, or what?

[cannonmn]

What is this please. 

Bore 4.2 inches
Length over trunnions 16 inches
Trunnion Diameter 3 inches
Length, nominal, without knob 18.5 inches

I haven't weighed it but it must weigh close to 200 lbs, I really don't relish the thought of trying to pick it up.

There is a small chamber at the rear of the bore that would not hold more than a few ounces of powder.  The rear of the bore is hemispherical, so it must have used some type of ball projectile.

The outside is as-cast and has not been lathe turned.  The vent field is shaped as if the piece is designed to fire at some elevation, and probably never at a negative angle and perhaps never horizontally either.

The bore is very smooth but has a lot of grease in it.

The best thing I could come with was that it might be some unknown type of line-throwing mortar.  Alright I made up the name "morwitzer" but I didn't know what else to call it.

What is it really?

[Terry C.]

How may calibers do you estimate the bore depth to be?


Whatever it is, it's COOL!

[phalanx]

 I don't know what it is, but i want one.

[Ex 49'er]

Maybe it is for grenades.

[lance]

 i don't know what it is either, but looks like someone's streamlined "version" of a King Howitzer.

[dominick]

I looks more 19th century than from an earlier period.  No markings?

[Cat Whisperer]

Qute on steroids!

I want one too!

Someone ought to do a production run of them!

[cannonmn]

There aren't any obvious marks on it.  I'm going to look at the ends of the trunnions again.  Sometimes its hard to tell if trunnion ends on iron guns have markings, or just rust molecules that are trying to mess with your brain.

[intoodeep]

cannonmn,

 While I cannot say for certain but, could this have been some sort of proving mortar/cannon? The cascabel really seems strange and would seem to put it more in a cannon than mortar category. You sure seem to find the odd ones.....

 Anyway, I think I'd call it an "ordinmortar" I guess that's what would happen if your Ordinance Rifle got to close to your Mortar.... 

 Speaking of mortars. I like the patina on the coehorn in the background of the last photo.

[cannonmn]

You have a point, it could have been an eprovette (powder testing mortar.)  The eprouvette and the early line throwing mortars are the only ordnance I've seen with those very small powder chambers.

[intoodeep]

cannonmn,

 The 4.2" bore leaves me to believe that it was not a line throwing gun. As, their bores were much smaller. However, I could be wrong.

[Double D]

This opne sat in John Appleton's shop in Front Royal for a couple of years.



Seems to me it had Watervliet markings...might be wrong...or is this the same tube John?

[cannonmn]

Thanks, it sure looks like one of the same pattern.  The one I have has been in my basement for maybe 15 years, I don't know when you saw that one, but I'm guessing mine is not the same exact piece as that. 

Now that you mention "Watervliet" markings, I saw something similar with "Watervliet NY" markings at the Baltimore MD gun show maybe 12 years ago.  The man who had it would not put a price on it, so I left it there, but it could well be the Front Royal VA. piece.  When I looked at the Watervliet NY markings, they appeared to have been markings of a commercial foundry in that town, and not connected with the U.S. Army's Watervliet arsenal.

[Double D]

John I saw the Mortar more than two years and less the five years ago in the Appletons shop...he waanted to sellit to me,  I bought Martini's instead.

[Powder keg]

One of these that shoots soda cans would be killer:O) I like the looks. Thanks for sharing.

Wes