Author Topic: Cannons & Mortars of Des Moines, Iowa (Read 954 times)

Cat Whisperer · « **on:** September 22, 2005, 02:52:59 PM »

OK, here it is, Dictator!
Thanks for the suggestion.
I'll add to this, but it'll be 6months to a year before I get up that way.

Dictator · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2005, 12:06:47 AM »

and here are some more. This is the 100 lbr on the west deck of the Iowa capitol next to the Dictator mortar. This it's story:

The 100-pound Parrott rifle (No. 167) also heads the west stairway to the Capitol. This muzzle-loading cannon was cast at West Point Foundry in New York. During the Civil War. No. 167 was part of the armament of the U.S. Steamer "Nipsic."

Blaster · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2005, 02:20:23 PM »

Hey Dictator Joe... Those are great pictures with excellent detail. Our thanks for your time and effort. Next time I travel thru Des Moines, I'll have to swing by the Capitol and get some pix for myself. I do recall that there are some excellent gun shows at the State Fairgrounds on occasion. I noticed that you neglected to show an empty powder can along side of those big guns, to show scale. :mrgreen:
Hope to bump into you again at one of the future cannon/mortar shoots. Dan, the chap who runs the Casper shoot, indicated that he usually has room to camp on some of his property which is apparently close to or adjacent to the shoot area. May be of interest for next June providing the temps are not as hot as the last one. Keep those great pix coming.
Blaster (Bob in So. CO)

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2005, 03:08:01 PM »

Quote from: blaster

Hey Dictator Joe... .... I noticed that you neglected to show an empty powder can along side of those big guns, to show scale. .... (Bob in So. CO)

A 50 lb keg would be of the right scale for these.

Thanks again for the pix.

Dictator · « **Reply #4 on:** September 24, 2005, 03:19:21 AM »

A BIG powder can :grin: . Blaster Bob, if I don't see you before, I look forward to meeting up again in Casper. I'm working on getting a little more accuracy out of our 6 lbr for next year. The competition is getting reaallly good :biggun:

Joe

Evil Dog · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2005, 05:30:59 AM »

In the picture showing what I would guess the be the breech area with the "no 167" marking..... are those 2 vent holes?

jeeper1 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2005, 06:38:09 AM »

ED, I don't think those two holes are fuse holes. The reasons being, neither is on the centerline and there appears to be a fuse hole at the top edge of the picture on the centerline. I suspect those two holes are for a sight mechanism of some sort.

Stuffy25thIA · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2005, 08:19:59 AM »

Quote from: blaster

Hey Dictator Joe... Those are great pictures with excellent detail. Our thanks for your time and effort. Next time I travel thru Des Moines, I'll have to swing by the Capitol and get some pix for myself. I do recall that there are some excellent gun shows at the State Fairgrounds on occasion. I noticed that you neglected to show an empty powder can along side of those big guns, to show scale. :mrgreen:
Hope to bump into you again at one of the future cannon/mortar shoots. Dan, the chap who runs the Casper shoot, indicated that he usually has room to camp on some of his property which is apparently close to or adjacent to the shoot area. May be of interest for next June providing the temps are not as hot as the last one. Keep those great pix coming.
Blaster (Bob in So. CO)

There's a gun show at the fair grounds this weekend Blaster, 24th & 25th
Always a good show.

Double D · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2005, 08:22:09 AM »

The sight mounts on the is on the breech ring. The front sight goes in the little fixture on the Trunnion.

Most likely those two holes are for the lock.

GGaskill · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2005, 09:02:46 AM »

They are "fuse" holes (although it was most likely fired with friction primers.) The AOP plans I have for the 8 inch mortar show two holes in that relative position with the comment "Vents are parallel to each other. Left vent bored through. Right vent bored through [sic] to within 1 inch."

Double D · « **Reply #10 on:** September 24, 2005, 09:24:55 AM »

Here is the rear sight base and lock of a parrot rifle.

Blaster · « **Reply #11 on:** September 24, 2005, 09:51:46 AM »

Stuffy, I'm stuck at home this weekend so the Des Moines show will have to do without my patronage. Any time there is a gun show there and I'm within a reasonable driving distance, I will attend it. And, don't forget the BIG Wanenmacher Tulsa show takes place about four (4) weeks from this weekend - Oct 22 & 23. Can I expect to see you there again? I sure hope someone at the Tulsa show has some nice mortars to check out and possibly take at least one home with me.. :wink:

Stuffy25thIA · « **Reply #12 on:** September 24, 2005, 03:08:36 PM »

Sorry to say, I won't be at the Tulsa show this time Blaster. Just paid my property taxes this week, so I'm a little short on funds.
I'm not even going to make the Des Moines show, thou I'm going to a roundball shoot Sunday in Osky. Really need to burn some powder to get my head straight.