Help With My Verbruggen

[pyrofxguy]

Hi,
In the 1980s I purchased a Verbruggen light 3 pounder replica from SBR.  In the 1990s I had a naval carriage made for her. Now, in 2011, I finally found the time to try her out. I was wondering if any shooters have tips for me. I tried using Cannon powder (about ¼ cup). Shooting a juice can with concrete. The cannon shot about 200 yards, but it was not very loud, and I am wondering if I should be using FG powder instead. Can anyone recommend a proper load for shooting and also a load for firing a salute, or blank charge?
Thanks!

[Cannon Cocker]

If it's a South Bend Replicas cannon with a steel liner you should be able to shoot about 2 ounces per inch of bore.  I would guess that the bore is probably about 2 inches because SBR usually under bored the guns.  Anyway, if its 2 inches the max charge would be about 4 ounces of powder.  Many will say that it should be only cannon grade, but others would say that Fg sporting powder would also be within safety margins.  I would build up gradually to this point and stop when you get a decent report.  Get a decent scale to weigh the powder, and use aluminum foil cartridges (other posts detail this).  Read the safety info at the top of all the posts.  Buy Matt Switlik's cannon book.  Basically,  get educated enough that you aren't risking your life by acting on a few opinions you may gather. 

[Double D]

Before using Fg, under stand that is generates about 40% more pressure than an equivalent load of Cannon grade.

[pyrofxguy]

Thanks guys, I have read all the warnings and I have a copy of the more complete cannoneer. I've been progressing very slowly with this. The bore is 2 1/4" by the way. I worked up slowly with the powder, a little at a time. using the foil cartridges as suggested. If I try the FG powder, I will back off the load and start over working up to the 4oz. Thanks again, I guess I am on the right track.

[Mike H.]

Don't forget the smoke and flame pics!

[Cannon Cocker]

Harbor Freight tools has scales for as little as $10 that I have tested to be very accurate. 

[pyrofxguy]

I will be there when they open today... they are just down the street from me. Here is a short clip of some of the shots that day:
http://youtu.be/qXdUZgjo8as

[Double D]

By the way what is the proble,m with cannon grade, that make you thing you need FG?

[pyrofxguy]

Well, I expected to get a little more distance out of the the juice can (I am only getting about 200 yards with full elevation), and when I shoot a blank charge, it is not so loud. It looks as if burning powder is being pushed out of the barrel (see my avatar).

[Ex 49'er]

Nice video. Thankyou! Sounds good to me. You could always fill the cans halfway with cement and then bend the rest of the metal over to have a lighter projo and get more distance. Just my 2 cents.

[little seacoast]

 
Out of curiosity what kind of powder are you shooting, Goex  or one of the non corroding substitutes? With a handle like Pyrofxguy I've got to wonder what you're used to using.

[pyrofxguy]

@ Little Seacoast - Goex.
 
@ Ex 49'er - I thought about doing 1/2 cement/ 1/2 chalk to make it easier to see the strike.
 
We were shooting at a 30" diameter plastic table top, got within inches, but no cigar.

[pyrofxguy]

As to the handle... I was a pyrotechnician with my family for some years.

[pyrofxguy]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69010865@N08/6269332255/in/photostream

[Double D]

What kind of windage do you have?  A juice can must have the same or similar ballistic characteristics of a wadcutter bullet.

Have you tried a round ball, preferably of zinc?

If you read Switliks pressure gun work, you will see that there was no increase in velocity form the  change on powder grade, just a 40% increase in pressure.  Some say accuracy is some calibers is increased using FG over  Cannon.

The N-SSA chart suggest 4.4 ozs Fg max with a maximum projectile weight of 21 ounces.

Try loading a single layer tight fitting disk of cardboard over your cartridge to increase sound in a blank. 

[pyrofxguy]

Pretty much no windage, the can flew surprisingly straight in the light cross breeze we had that day. I tried sabboted 2" iron ball, that seemed to perform about the same as the juice can. Thanks for the cardboard idea, I didn't want to use anykind of wad, but that may do the trick. I have been looking for a ball/slug mould of the correct size, but I have not found one yet.

[Double D]

Pretty much no windage, the can flew surprisingly straight in the light cross breeze we had that day. I tried sabboted 2" iron ball, that seemed to perform about the same as the juice can. Thanks for the cardboard idea, I didn't want to use anykind of wad, but that may do the trick. I have been looking for a ball/slug mould of the correct size, but I have not found one yet.

Check with our sponsor, I believe HMR makes moulds