First cannon firing advice

[grizzdude]

Hey guys, so I finally scored some real ffg black powder and I made a carridge for my barrel. I am going to fire my 3/4" bore  12" long cannon and just want to do this safely. I read the chart in the sticky's above and it shows for 3/4" bore a maximum charge of 100 gr. So right now I made 3 charges wrapped in tin foil with 50gr,75gr, and 100gr. My big question is shooting a projectile is this still the maximum charge? I know pressure goes up a lot and was just wondering if those charges are for shooting a projectile? Since I don't have any .710 lead balls right now so I was going to fire a few .177 bb's wrapped in tissue, do you guys see any thing wrong with shooting the bb's? Also I live in a secluded place so there is no danger to anyone from the flying projectiles. One other question is I see a lot of people ramming the black powder down REALLY HARD, is that nessesary or should it be loose packed or just firmly packed? Thanks

[Doc Brown.]

I could be wrong but I always thought the load charts max charge for .75 caliber was more than 100 grains. 

[grizzdude]

I'm sure it shows 100gr maximum but someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Double D]

The chart does show 100 grs as max, but that is for 1F.   But you should be okay with FFG with what you are loading. 

You are also starting low and working up and that is good.


For the small quantity and size ball you are using just order balls from Track of the Wolf.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/127/1


Doc look at the load chart at the top of the board. 

[grizzdude]

So at first I tried the charges with no projectile and wasn't too impressed with the sound, it was more of a THOOOOOMP noise. Then I tried 75gr with 1oz of lead pellets, sounded better, then I went to 100gr with 1oz pellets and I made sure to stuff in real good a lot of foil wadding this time and WOW was that a big BOOM!! I'm thinking I wasn't stuffing in enough wadding to create the nice BOOM noise.

[Double D]

Be aware, that wadding becomes a projectile...