Day at the pyramids...

[Victor3]

 Another day of shooting with the boy yesterday.

 We got to shoot at the pyramids (That's what my Dad and I used to call this place)...



 "The Great Pyramid", a substantial backstop. No powder can for scale, a truck will have to do...



 View from the Great Pyramid to the firing position. 110 yds...



 Interestingly, I just found out today via a sign posted at the entrance to the canyon that this area was used for artillery training during WWII. I've been going there for four decades and never knew. I'm shocked that they didn't close the place to the public; the Forest Service has already closed most of the dirt roads my Dad and I used to explore (to reduce fire danger, Mr. Ranger told me)...

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/news/2008/10-06-ordnance.shtml

 My Son wanted to see what would happen to an aluminum container filled with water when shot with my 1" cannon at close range...



 Now I remember why I need to reduce the charge if the barrel is pointing down...



 I think we 'blew' our redemption value on this particular container...



 One of my Son's custom composite loads - A tennis ball under a partially dirt-filled water bottle with a piece of clay pigeon thrown in for good measure...





 I found a 3/16" steel plate that I stashed in a juniper bush in ~1998...



 Even using some of DD's South African tricks, I couldn't hit it after three shots at 30 yds (Note to self - All new cannons must be RIFLED)...



 After some careful fine-tuning of my tekneeke (moving cannon up to ten yds from the plate), I was able to knock it down easily on the very 1st shot! I wasn't about to lose a 4th 1$ bill to my kid...



 Don't think I've ever posted any pics of myself. This is me in 1968, holding one of my Dad's Mausers in the same spot we were shooting yesterday...



 Here I am now, slightly older but not much less of a kid concerning what I like to do in my free time...



 I hope my Son will be able to take some pics in the same spot with his Son in 30 years or so...

[seacoastartillery]

     Looks you both had a great time shooting cannons near the "Great Pyramid".  How many father and son teams can say that?  I particularly like your photo of the battery in firing position. 


Victor3 Quoted:  Even using some of DD's South African tricks, I couldn't hit it after three shots at 30 yds (Note to self - All new cannons must be RIFLED)...

     An excellent note to yourself, if fact, after you build that rifled cannon, you can put some tennis balls on the ledges of your "Great Pyramid" at 110 yards and actually pick them off one by one.  Or, you can do a little role-playing and pretend you're Italian Artillerymen during WWI.  As the story goes, they are the ones responsible for blowing half of that Sphinx's nose off in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza.  On second thought, maybe that's not a good role to play, but it does tie a bit of the world's artillery history to your "Great Pyramid" in California.  Great story!  Wonderful photos!  Thanks.

Tracy and Mike

[Victor3]

 M&T,

 Seeing the accuracy of your Parrott rifle inspired me to move toward rifled cannons.

 I hope to have modifications to the 12ga Dom French 75 done by the next time out. I've also gathered materials and started work on 30 & 40mm rifled guns.

 Nothing wrong with smoothbores, but I'm wanting to hit smaller targets at longer ranges.

 As far as damaging my local Egyptian-looking monument goes, I have fired several 3" lead balls into it