Making toast?

[john pike]

OK, i couldent wait, i fired (blank load) my 1/4 scale howitzer with a .50 bore
yesterday,

i made up a tinfoil canister, .50 X .50 filled it with powder(ffg)

(i also made my own fuse by stripping an electrical cord of its paper,
wetting some fffg and dipping the paper into it and rolling it,
then drying it)

so i lit it stood back, boom,  sounded like a BIG paper bag exploding.
but not any louder than a small gun,

ive been eading though the past treads all night,

so heres my qiestion?

IS it safe to make a cannonball,
 out of "bread".
 white or whole wheat?
and use this to get some back preassure for a louder bang?

i read someone here uses hotdog buns on his larger cannnon
for firing blank charges.

johnp

Im hopeing my 1/2 scale howitzer will rattle windows and set car alarms off, sending stray cats into hideing.
or its going to be alot of work for a small bang.

[Double D]

Sure you can use bread or any other article as a wad.  Just keep in mind it will become a projectile.  Aim in a safe direction.

I've seen a full scale Mtn Howitzer in live fire and it won't rattle windows and set off car alarms.  

You start doing that and you better be on a friendly basis with the local Coppers.

If you are looking for that kind of noise go buy some fireworks.  The Cops will be more friendly to your noisy non wind rattling blank firing cannon (minus  bread ball)  than the window rattling  fireworks.

[kappullen]

John,

With the thickness of your barrel walls, you could probably shoot a lead ball or two to proof the gun with no problem.

I have been known to call the state police before firing a cannon just to let them know what is going on.

They are somewhat aggitated if they have to find the noise maker from a mile or so away.

Be sure you have a good backstop and follow safety procedures laid out by the American Artillery Association or some other recognised group.

Kap

[S.S.]

Won't Rattle Windows?

I personally do not have any type of cannon but a neighbor does.
He lives about a mile through the woods from me and is a Civil war
re-enactor. He rolls his cannon out of the barn overlooking his pasture
when he fires it and I can assure you that it rattles windows. The first
time I ever heard him fire it, I thought the local gas station had blown up.
This is a full sized Cannon that he calls his twelve pounder.. He has a morter also that it looks like you could fire a bowling ball from it...
I know small arms, not artillery but I would love to give it a try..