What to do with Coehorn?

[Victor3]

I've just become the owner of a large Coehorn mortar. A friend of mine wanted me to have it (I tried to disuade him, but finally caved after a deep discount was offered). I really like it and would like to use it (I've fired it in the past), but I'm afraid it may just sit on my patio for years. The thing is huge - Sled is about 4' long and the whole thing weighs about 250 lbs. 3" bore. I tried to load it into a pickup by myself once and couldn't do it.

How do you guys transport your big cannons and stuff? Is there an easy(er) way I'm not aware of? All I have for a vehicle is a Ford Explorer. I drove the mortar 200 miles in it once, but I shudder to think of what might have happened in an accident. The tie-downs don't look like they could handle that much weight in a crash.

What about shipping? I may decide to sell it or trade it off for something smaller, but shipping costs for such a heavy item may not be worth it (?) I really don't want this mortar to become just a "decorative" item. I've already got a rusting pot-belly stove on the patio...

[Rickk]

I slide mine (usually with some assistance from my wife) into a 1500# capacity dump cart, hook it behind my Farmall, and take it out back to shoot it. I just leave it in the cart when I shoot it. The drawbar mounted reciever trailer hitch it adjustable for height, so I can make some elevation adjustments by just bumping it up and down on the hitch a bit.

I also have a 4x8 foot utility trailer that tilts down to load a garden tractor or golf cart or ATV, etc... I guess if I ever took it someplace "on the road" that would be my first choice as the bed on my F350 dually is about 4 feet high and I don't really want to lift it that high.

You can find 2000# utility trailers new at Home Depot, etc for under $500. Used they should be in the $200 range.

[Double D]

Break it down into a more managable load.  Pull the trunion caps, load the barrel separate from the base.

[Michael Az]

I definately agree with Rickk about the trailer. Even though I have a nice 3/4 ton pick up, I would never be with out a trailer. Mine is 16' long but is very low so it is so much easier to load and unload. It also solves the problem with how to tie down your load. As a retired trucker I know what happens to loads that aren't tied down in an accident! I once new a fellow that was killed by a VW engine that was in the back and crushed him when he had an accident. A pickup should have holes through the bed with tie downs attached to the frame.
You could purchase a small crane to mount in the bed of your truck for lifting the mortar. Or you could use a ramp and come a long for loading. Do you have a friend with a welder? With a little angle iron and some time a cart could be built the same height as your truck bed and roll out the cart with the mortar on it and just slide the mortar into the bed.
Seems the things I  like are heavy things so I have a forklift. I know that not too many people want to have a forklift sitting around, but I would be lost without mine! The last thing I lifted with it was 300 lbs and the time before that was 4,000 lbs.
Michael

[GGaskill]

Up until this point, I have just taken them apart to the point I could manage them, loaded the pieces and reassembled once at the shooting site.  The bowling ball mortar, however, gets heavier every year and I think I may have to use some kind of mechanical assistance the next time I load it by myself.

[Double D]

George your cannons are made of that growin' steel too. That's  pronounced  groan!

[Stuffy25thIA]

Got any pictures of your Coehorn mortar?

[Victor3]

Here are some pics.

My appologies to Blaster Bob - I couldn't reply to your PM for some reason (?)