Here are two cannon bullets that we dug up at a cannon shoot this summer, in southwest NE. The first bullet is fired from a 3" full size civil war cannon made by Scott Harris of Co. It's weight is 11+ lbs. and is pushed by 18 oz. of black powder! this round was recovered at the 940 yd barrel. we had to dig it up after following a trench over 6ft long and about 12" deep. If you look at the butt you see it is sq. and has no fire cutting. this is most important for good accuracy, you also see good upset of the bullet by the rifling marks left on the sides. Scott hit the 55gal. barrel twice, once upright and the second when it was laying down with just the end showing
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The second bullet was recovered at 600yds. shot out of a scaled model civil war cannon. It is 2" weight is 3lbs. and pushed by 3+ oz. black powder It was made by Bill Steinke of NE. He made it 40 years ago, all hand made from parts found on his farm. if you look you see his bullet is sq. butt and no flame cutting and good rifling on the side, his rifling is not as deep as scotts, thats is the way he rifled the barrel. He and others were shooting at five gal. barrels at 600yds. and they all hit some. we dug this one out of the hill side it was in about 2 feet.
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Here is Bill ( fore ground) Scott ( back ground) .
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shot barrel at 600yds.
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Smooth bore by Lyle Hutchens & Delbert Beins both from NE.
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bowling ball mortar by Judy Beins from NE.
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my wife ( Rosemary ) cleaning our 5" Cohorn mortar.
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It goes to show you that these cannons are very accurate and don't be standing down range when they go off!
Gerald C
