Fred the cannon

[cannonmn]

We call this cannon Fred.  Fred is a 6 cm (2.36 inch) rifled breechloading mountain gun that uses separate-loading ammo.  First the projectile is seated in the chamber, then the powder bag is pushed in behind it.  The breech is closed.  The percussion primer is inserted in the firing lock.  The whole firing lock is modern since this cannon was designed to use friction primers.  The breech seals by means of a Broadwell ring obturator.  This is a floating copper ring with "U" shaped cross-section.  It sits at the rear of the chamber and when the gun fires, pressure in the chamber forces it against the breechblock so powder gas cannot escape.  The opening of the breechblock wedges it forward again slightly so the block can open for reloading.  The barrel is about 3 feet long and weighs about 250 lbs.  The carriage and axle are steel. 

This is the cannon we're using PVC pipes in, for projectiles, since they are cheap and easy to make, and they disintegrate on impact so there's no ricochet danger.  We take a 9" long section of PVC pipe with a round hole-saw plug of 1/2 in. plywood taped onto the rear of it.  We fill the pipe with sand and tape over the front to keep the sand in.

[Terry C.]

Video?

[EL Caz 66]

Hey Cannonmn,


 I have a few questions, I've seen all your great videos on youtube. How do you find such awesome pieces of war? And are you a state lottery winner? How do you fund your addiction?  I hope I didn't get too personal. AWESOME GUN SIR! and yes we need video.


 Ed
 

[cannonmn]

Last time I shot this gun I was by myself with no help, couldn't do a video, but we'll get around to it. 

I've been buying cannons for a long time so it kind of spreads out the pain of paying for them.  When I find a cannon I want and don't have the money I get a loan and buy it, then sell off other toys I don't need anymore to pay it back.  I've done that about a dozen times that I can remember.  I keep about eight credit cards sitting there doing nothing except waiting for a nice cannon to come up for sale.  I've also bought many "seller-financed" cannons, where the seller gave me a year or more with no interest to pay them off, and I'd send them a check every month.  I bought probably 7 or 8 very nice cannons on those terms from the late Val Forgett, president of Navy Arms Inc., over many years.  When someone had a cannon I wanted for sale, I'd always ask them if they'd let me do a time payment thing, even if I had the whole amount, since another nice piece might come up the next day.

I drive a truck until it turns into dust (10 years and 250K miles on the present one.)  I don't like putting money into things that depreciate.  I don't pay for cable TV, what little TV I watch is a fuzzy, snowy picture that comes in on rabbit-ears.  I like to think the money I save on stuff like that pays for the black powder I burn up.

I'm doing more and more trading of one cannon for another too.  Some people who have nice cannons won't even think of selling them, or don't need any money, or both, but if you come up with something they've gotta have, that's all it takes.  In the past two years, I did trades to get a Navy 3" breechloading rifle (350 lb. model) , a French 8-pounder Gribeauval gun tube ca. 1793, and another Navy 3" breechloading rifle (500 lb. model).  I've put out videos about the first two, but just got the larger Navy gun recently, have not shot it yet.

If you work at it, you can make a hobby somewhat self-supporting.

[dan610324]

thats an very very interesting model you got there cannonmn ,
must be one of the last models before they start to use cartridges .
but still very close in function to an 400 year older bronze cannon

[moose53]

Thanks for the thorough photos of your gun ,they explain a lot . How well does the Broadwell ring obturator work at sealing the breach , 100% ?

[Double D]

John,

I have often tried to apply your scheme to acquire new guns, but for me once I buy one, I find it difficult to sell it to get another...I sooner sell one of my kids!

[cannonmn]

I have often tried to apply your scheme to acquire new guns, but for me once I buy one, I find it difficult to sell it to get another...I sooner sell one of my kids!

You're getting there, you only have to get your priorities in the right order.  If you read what I wrote again, you will see that I buy the new cannon FIRST, then figure out how to pay for it.  About the time the first payment is due is when you decide which of your kids to sell off first.