New Small Cannon From Asia That I Can't Figure Out How To Fire?

[5kwkdw3]

I just thought it looked great and it was made of 100% stainless steel (just like all my other cannon/mortar pieces).  So I got one. Here is one just like it.....   http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toy-model-worlds-smallest-mini-napoleon-artillery-cannon-stainless-steel-1-250-/330880574212?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item4d0a04e304   First off, I really didn't think that it was going to be that small.  BB, maybe? And a breech loader.  You can see the slide over and lock mech. on most all of the pictures.  When the loading chamber is first put in you can see chamber and bore the whole way through the slit milled into the chamber block.  But when it's twisted into the locked position, the edges are covered and all you can see is a small straight hole through the block and through the bore.  No instructions of course.  Best I can tell is with the block out, you'd put a BB into the chamber butting into the bore and then of course an amount of powder.  How much is anyone's guess.  Then you'd lay a very small fuse into the milled groove in the chamber block and insert it into the breech and once it's locked into place, the fuse only would have direct contact with the center of the powder charge?  I've seen video's of this type of gun firing, but none as yet during the loading operation.  I think that I'll strip the whole thing and use red 271 Loctite on every thread on reassembly so it no longer be taken apart by an almost 4 year old and give it to my grandson (with absolutely NO BB's, powder, or fuse).  Even if it could fire and fire safely, it take 10 or more minutes to get it ready just to hear fptizze.  I like my other stuff with 1500 grains and a homemade wad and then the ground shaking boom when it goes off.  Smithy.

[flagman1776]

My guess is that the milled slot is the vent.  It's expected to lay the fuse in the milled slot when open.  Power & ball in front.  Is the milled slot a close fit for fuse?   

[5kwkdw3]

Yes indeed.  In fact, checking all of the various fuse sizes that I had available, none would fit that small slot.  My guess is that a fire cracker fuse would probably be the size necessary to fit into that slot.  Smithy.

[Delkal]

The bore is listed as 4mm.   Thats smaller than a BB,  they are 4.5mm.

[5kwkdw3]

Well I made a smart decision today about my mini Asian cannon.  Someone said that the bore was 4mm.  Well, sort of?  The firing of the actual cannon was a pipe bomb in the waiting.  It may of had a 4mm hole at the muzzle, but the bore was more like 16mm.  Now not being familiar with them, but wondering that this piece just may be a fire cracker cannon?  Plenty of room inside the bore for one and just leave the fuse passing through the trough to be lit.  Fire cracker goes bang, smoke comes out the small muzzle and you load it up again and light another one.  I use to drop lit firecrackers into two liter soda bottles and it would have a muffled bang with smoke coming out the top and so on.   But this certainly was NOT made to shoot anything at all.  Smithy.

[flagman1776]

Firecracker cannon.  That makes perfect sense.  I'm uneasy with the restricted bore.  I'd be happier if it was straight through, rather than a nozzle. 

[Delkal]

A constricted bore might make it louder?   It looks well made.  I highly doubt a firecracker will blow it up.......

Just run away fast for the first shot.

I wasn't that interested from your first description but if it shoots firecrackers (and is very loud) it could be fun.   With the removable breech it would be fun to play with it with the kids.......

Let us know what happens.  I'm interested now.