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Author Topic: information on my cannon?  (Read 786 times)

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Offline FOXMAN14

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information on my cannon?
« on: January 05, 2012, 02:16:27 PM »
I have a cannon that i purchased several years ago and I was trying to see if anyone might know some information on it and be willing to share. Any info at all will be greatly appreciated. Thank you
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Offline Artilleryman

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2012, 02:21:57 PM »
To start with it appears to be a mortar not a cannon.  Beyond that I don't recognize it.
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Offline intoodeep

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2012, 02:37:16 PM »
FOXMAN14,

 Your mortar was made by Osvaldo Gatto in Argentina.  They were distributed in the US by a company called Wild Imports (this was a few years ago).  If you Google his name you will find his current products website. The quality of his stuff has been brought into question as you can find here on this site. Hope this helps.
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Offline KABAR2

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2012, 04:17:17 PM »
Although he cast nice items it was the material that came into question...... he cast all of his cannon in brass not BRONZE ...... brass is a brittle metal and at some point could fail.
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Mr president I do not cling to either my gun or my Bible.... my gun is holstered on my side so I may carry my Bible and quote from it!

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Offline ironball

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2012, 06:10:41 AM »
If the loads are not excessive and the bore is cleaned properly, why would there be any problem firing them? Some Rev. War re-enactor folks I know say they would rather be around a brass cannon if it ever did fail, than a steel one. Brass tends to just split. Steel or iron comes apart in big chunks.
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Offline Artilleryman

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2012, 07:33:57 AM »
More information is needed about this piece.  There are different alloys of brass and bronze.  Is there any history of any of the pieces produced by this company failing?  What are the dimensions for this mortar?  According to the markings it would appear to have a 1 1/2 inch bore.  How were these barrels made?  Where they cast solid and bored, or cast around a sand core?
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Offline FOXMAN14

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2012, 02:11:27 PM »
I believe it is brass, however has a steel liner in the bore. It is 1.5" bore and a golf ball will not fit. I have fired it and it seems to be safe, of course i only used aluminum foil to make a wad so it did not have much bore pressure. Has a good report when fired.
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Offline GGaskill

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2012, 02:47:32 PM »
Is it exactly 1.500" or a little over?  If it is an odd size, you might contact Fox Industries and see if they have any overruns that would fit.

Also, Enco carries various sizes of steel balls.  Remember you need a little clearance between bore and ball.
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Offline Artilleryman

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2012, 04:35:06 PM »
I missed the steel liner the first time through by not clicking on all the images.  After doing that I see the liner, but the welds joining the two tube diameters looks somewhat suspect.  Inspect them and tell us what you see.
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Offline KABAR2

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2012, 04:45:47 PM »
There is a thread on these somewhere back around 2008-2009 the builder had introduced himself on the site with his wares his liners were welded seamed liners which was another issue we brought to his attention.... the seamed liners can allow water penitration into the weld causing failure..... when I have a chance I will do a search and link to the old disscussion.....
 
He is still in business.... http://osvaldogatto.com.ar/
 
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Mr president I do not cling to either my gun or my Bible.... my gun is holstered on my side so I may carry my Bible and quote from it!

Sed tamen sal petrae LURO VOPO CAN UTRIET sulphuris; et sic facies tonituum et coruscationem si scias artficium

Offline Artilleryman

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2012, 04:50:05 PM »
Thanks, that's good to know.
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Offline Victor3

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2012, 09:40:23 PM »
Quote from: Artilleryman on January 06, 2012, 07:33:57 AM
More information is needed about this piece.  There are different alloys of brass and bronze.  Is there any history of any of the pieces produced by this company failing?  What are the dimensions for this mortar?  According to the markings it would appear to have a 1 1/2 inch bore.  How were these barrels made?  Where they cast solid and bored, or cast around a sand core?

 Some time back, Mr. Gatto was either a sponsor or at least was listed as a supplier in the stickies. I corresponded with him about his cannons.
 
 He was clearly using some form of brass (which he called bronze). He posted the ingredients here and there was a high % of zinc in it. The steel liner was cast in place. See pic from his website...
 

 
 He claimed that he had never heard of one of his cannons/mortars failing after hundreds being sold. After some less than friendly (but valid) critiques of his manufacturing methods, materials and style of his products, he stopped posting.
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Offline Cannoneer

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2012, 03:27:18 AM »
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Offline FOXMAN14

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #13 on: January 07, 2012, 06:45:35 AM »
I used a mic on the bore and it is 1.504". Thanks to everone for the information, it is greatly appreciated.
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Offline GGaskill

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Re: information on my cannon?
« Reply #14 on: January 07, 2012, 05:20:09 PM »
That is really too tight for a 1.500" shot.  You would have to thoroughly clean after each shot and your shot could not be over 1.500" in any dimension.  That is not all bad as you would have virtually no chance of a premature firing.
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GG
“If you're not a liberal at 20, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative at 40, you have no brain.”--Winston Churchill
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