Noise level of .177 caliber mortar/cannons?

[Brooklynite]

Hey everybody, I've been reading these forums for the past few weeks and have finally decided to purchase my first BP mortar or cannon.
I'd like to buy a .50 or .75 caliber mortar for target practice at the shooting range, but I'd also like to buy a micro artillery piece to fire in the backyard.
So, how loud are the super-small-bore mortars and cannons? I don't want to disturb the neighbors too much. (cap gun? 22LR? firecracker?)

[carmy53]

I have a .177 mini-cannon and to me it sounds about as loud as a firecracker. Maybe a little more.

[subdjoe]

I haven't fired any miniature artillery that size, but I have a percussion pepperbox in .22 cal.  With 2 grains of FFFFg and a .22 Perfect Round, it was about as loud as a .22 CB cap. 

[KABAR2]

Brooklynite,

Welcome to the forum.... Do they let you have cannon's in brooklyn?
it will depend on the powder charge you use how loud the little ones are
but you can expect the 50 and 75 caliber to let you know you are shooting something....
check our list of sponsers they have some nice wares for sale.

[Brooklynite]

Thanks carmy and subdjoe.
Kabar, Thanks for the info. BP firearms are allowed in Brooklyn as long as you don't have powder or ammo in the house.
The backyard I'm planning on using is out in suffolk county long island. I'd never try setting one off within the 5 boroughs of NYC.
I've been checking out what the sponsers have to offer and really like the looks of some of the pieces.

[Tod0987]

I have a .177 sledge base cannon from Dom. C. This little guy with 4f surprises folks. 4f is louder than 3f it seems. As far as it relates to other items, I'd say at or somewhat louder than a 22lr.
 
I also have a .75 cal barrel from Dom and it will wake the next farm over for its size with a blank charge. A 1/2 load ball charge gives it a deeper more satisfying boom!
 
Tod
 

[IvarForkbeard]

I can clap my hands louder than this one reports....

[Rickk]

Brooklynite,

I built a .177 naval cannon for my son. With about as much 4F in it as one can fit and still have room for some toilet paper wad it sounds like a common 1.5 inch firecracker.

As far as having a cannon in Brooklyn, look back at some of the older threads... looking for the guy who shoots his smaller cannons regularly in the sub-basement of his apartment building ;-)

Rick

[Microboomer]

It all depends on barrel length.  My BB Coehorn has about a 7/8" bore length - like Ivar said, you can clap your hands louder than its report.  My BB handgonne has a 2.5" bore length and makes a very satisfying bang.  I'd say it's somewhat louder than a firecracker, but quieter than a .22LR, but I'm not sure.  Maybe I'll collect some sound level measurements sometime...
andy

[Brooklynite]

Thanks everyone, I'm thinking about getting one of the micro coehorns from Brooks-usa. I know it has a longer barrel than Ivar and Micro's mortars but hopefully it will be neighborhood friendly.

Rickk, I couldn't find the posts by the guy in brooklyn, I just assumed these cannons would follow the same laws as BP pistols/longarms since I can't find any mention of them specifically in the NYC laws.
If there is no regulation that would be very nice, but i wouldn't want to risk it with the way the city handles "illegal" firearms. To be safe it'll sit on a desk in the city and be fired outside it's borders.
By the way, can you actually follow a projectile from one of the mini's with your eyes, or tell where it's landing?

[rifleshooter2]

Mine sounds like a hand clap. If I use 4f powder.
Andy

[IvarForkbeard]

Mine sounds like this.

[jamesbeat]

Interesting about the Brooklyn thing.

I live on Long Island myself, and one of the things I have to consider is the 'constructive possession' problem.
I have a black powder revolver, but I have not got a pistol permit yet.
This is perfectly legal, because in NY (state, not city) you are allowed to own black powder handguns as long as you don't own the materials needed to fire them.
If you want to shoot your pistol, you have to get a pistol permit and add the black powder pistol onto it. Once you've done that, you're allowed to own the powder, caps, and ball.

Now, although I do intend to get a pistol permit, I am not doing so just yet.
I don't own any powder, ball, or caps at the moment, but when I buy supplies for my cannon, I'm going to have to be careful!
From what I gather, I'm safe as long as I don't own ALL THREE items needed to fire my cap & ball revolver.
I can own fuse, as revolvers don't use fuses, and I don't need caps to fire cannon.
If I own fuse and powder, but no .44 ball or caps, I'm ok.

For instance, if I bought a cannon that was lanyard fired (with a cap) and was .44 caliber, I would not be able to buy the supplies necessary to fire it, because doing so would also mean that I had the necessary materials to fire my revolver too!

[Zulu]

Interesting about the Brooklyn thing.

I live on Long Island myself, and one of the things I have to consider is the 'constructive possession' problem.
I have a black powder revolver, but I have not got a pistol permit yet.
This is perfectly legal, because in NY (state, not city) you are allowed to own black powder handguns as long as you don't own the materials needed to fire them.
If you want to shoot your pistol, you have to get a pistol permit and add the black powder pistol onto it. Once you've done that, you're allowed to own the powder, caps, and ball.

Now, although I do intend to get a pistol permit, I am not doing so just yet.
I don't own any powder, ball, or caps at the moment, but when I buy supplies for my cannon, I'm going to have to be careful!
From what I gather, I'm safe as long as I don't own ALL THREE items needed to fire my cap & ball revolver.
I can own fuse, as revolvers don't use fuses, and I don't need caps to fire cannon.
If I own fuse and powder, but no .44 ball or caps, I'm ok.

For instance, if I bought a cannon that was lanyard fired (with a cap) and was .44 caliber, I would not be able to buy the supplies necessary to fire it, because doing so would also mean that I had the necessary materials to fire my revolver too!

I'd have to move.
Very well armed Zulu in Texas
 

[jamesbeat]

I already did move- from England!

Compared with the UK, even NY is like a firearms paradise
I wouldn't even be allowed to own a bp revolver back home, unless I went through a lengthy and prohibitive licensing process.

There's some interesting things happening with the pistol permits here in NY right now (which is why I'm holding off getting one at the moment)
Seems the high fees, waiting times, reference requirements and the conditions they place on permits (ie no carry) are unconstitutional, and they are being sued for it.
Once the Westchester case is done, things might get a lot better around here.

[Cannoneer]

Brooklynite,

I built a .177 naval cannon for my son. With about as much 4F in it as one can fit and still have room for some toilet paper wad it sounds like a common 1.5 inch firecracker.

As far as having a cannon in Brooklyn, look back at some of the older threads... looking for the guy who shoots his smaller cannons regularly in the sub-basement of his apartment building ;-)

Rick

Rick,
I must have missed your post the first time around. That was the late, and great "El Caz" who used to fire some of his cannon in the basement of the bldg. he managed in Manhattan.