Snooker or Billiards

[little seacoast]

Hi, Has anyone that has used standard 2.25 Billiard balls in their cannon tried the 2 1/8" Snooker balls instead? Since the little food cans are the same size it seems like they ought to work and supply the needed windage.  A projectile of the same diameter as my cannon's bore makes me a little nervous. Any other ammo suggestions that are readily available?

[GGaskill]

A projectile of the same diameter as my cannon's bore makes me a little nervous.

As long as you can roll the shot to the bottom of the bore, you have enough windage.  And since you can clean the bore between shots without worrying that charging infantrymen will get there before your next round of canister, you don't need a lot of windage.

[Double D]

something to keep in mind when shooting such items, they bounce.

[KABAR2]

I used to shoot pool balls out of my Coehorn mortar when I had it,they worked well.

[subdjoe]

something to keep in mind when shooting such items, they bounce.

Unless of course you have some really old nitro celluslose ones. Those could prove.......rather interesting. 

[Double D]

By the way, who was shooting billiard balls at the Montana shoot, I recovered one!

[RocklockI]

i was ..... i forgot to recover one .....someone told me it was close to the pin.....i forgot to over and look !

2.25 pool balls get my vote .

it seems pool balls 'wearout' , the bar where i shoot pool gives me old balls .

[little seacoast]

Thanks guys, seems my concerns re windage were unnecessary. Good to know that if it fits easily it's safe in that regard. Nitrocellulose balls would be an
"interesting" choice but I'll let a more adventurous soul try it out.  Has anyone had a ball or shell mold in the 2.25" size made and if so who made it? The sponsors I've contacted don't.

[BoomLover]

Hilts molds makes one, a cannon ball sinker mold for fishing...I bought 6 sinkers before I found the site. Just search Hilts Cannon Ball Fishing Molds ... BoomLover

[jeeper1]

http://www.hiltsmolds.com/CannonBallSinkerMolds.htm

[Double D]

Those fishing sinker mould won't make real round ball, be sure and guage them before shooting.   You might look for  Cannon Mike on the internet resource list and contact him and send him an emaill ansk if he willmake you mould of the size you need.

[little seacoast]

DD, I tried Mike and he says he doesn't make them that large, seems 1.6" is as big as he makes.  A steel mold will probably be needed to mold from zinc, won't it?

[Double D]

How about the other two guys on the list, did you try them?

[GGaskill]

Yes, you will need a steel mould to cast zinc.  Aluminum is too close to its melting point when casting zinc.

[little seacoast]

The other two guys have either not replied or I have been unable to reach them.  I was hoping someone had already found out who will make a mold and had a little experience with it.

[dan610324]

dont you have any mechanical machinist education school close to where you live ??
if they have education on numeric controlled mills they could make it without any problem
you only need to convince the teacher that it will be a very good training project
most teachers would accept it as its a good practical case involving both cad , cam and running operation
just make a rough sketch of it with all messurements and take that with you that you can explain what it is that you need
just remember the slot at the outsides to attach some kind of tong
maybe they can make the tong also
dont forget to check the shrinking of zink and calculate exact what dimension the mold must have to give you the right dimension balls