How do you "Aim" a mortar?

[Delkal]

I recently purchased one of Eds Golf Ball Coehern mortars (very nice by the way).   I made a base so I am ready to go but I was wondering......What is a good way to "aim" a mortar?

It is fixed elevation so my powder charge should determine distance (hopefully),  but how do you eyeball left and right?    I was thinking about drilling a hole in the rear of the base "aiming"and using a removable small stick of known height and a notch or mark on the front of the barrel.  Has anyone heard of or tried this.

Another question is how accurate can you get using Golf balls?   It seems like they are slightly different sizes and that should change the pressure (and I'm sure the dimples don't help either)   Has anyone ever got minute of kids swimming pool?

[KABAR2]

From my experiance golf balls are not the most accurate ammunition around...... So I wouldn't worry too much about aiming left/right just experiment on getting your powder charges measured for distance and expect some windage down range......
I plan on buying some of the steel balls offered for these, I hear accuracy is better.

[Artilleryman]

There are different ways to sight a mortar.  Historically it was done with pointing stakes and string.  A pointing stake is placed several feet in front of the mortar.  A second stake is placed to the rear of the mortar.  This stake has a cross bar at the top which is marked off with graduations of your choice, like every 1/8".  A string is run from the front stake to the rear stake above the mortar.  Line the string up with the target.  Look down over the string at the mortar and have someone move it until it is centered under the string.  Note which graduation you are on.  After firing note where the projectile landed and make adjustments in to where the string is pointed and again center the mortar under the string.   Range of course is determined by the amount of powder used.

Remember that back then they used exploding shells and close was good enough.

[Delkal]

Can you get more accuracy  or 'reproducibility with a GB mortar if you use a patch (like a muzzle loading rifle) so the golf ball is slightly snug in the bore?

[Double D]

Can you get more accuracy  or 'reproducibility with a GB mortar if you use a patch (like a muzzle loading rifle) so the golf ball is slightly snug in the bore?

No, don't do it..you are not  aiming and shooting direct, you are lobbing the ball. Mortars are area weapons Beside you will raise pressures necessarily and may even have difficulty loading a patch ball in larger bores.

Get some of the zinc golf balls from the group buy post in the Cannon classifieds.  You don't need many and you can shoot them over and over again.

You will be surprised how accurate you can shoot from just standing 10-15 feet behind the gun and looking at line of the barrel with with the  target...of course you you will have read the wind and get your powder charge right. 





 

[Delkal]

Thanks for the info!    Its supposed to be nice out tomorrow,   I will try and go shooting!