Let me start by saying I have been following this board for a while and I am amazed at the amount of information you people know and are so willing to share and for that I say thank you. A little background on me, I am a moldmaker for a plastic injection molder in Wisconsin. I enjoy muzzleloader shooting and hunting (I actually got my first elk with the muzzleloader this fall in CO) this has lead me to Graybeard Outdoors and this topic. After reading and following along this particular topic, I decided to build my own. Before I started my first build I went on vacation to Savannah, Georgia. While I was there, I toured Fort Jackson & Fort Pulaski. If I remember correctly both forts are on the Savannah River and are not to far from each other. As luck would have it I was fortunate enough to attend a cannon firing (more correctly a Howitzer) at both forts. After that vacation I would have to say I was "hooked". There is something about that thunderous crack of a large bore gun that is just awesome.
Before I went all out and started the gun I have drawn up I decided to build a scale model first. I built all of the metal components; barrel (ampco 21), trunnions (pressed), carriage lead screw, and carriage elavation wheel. I had a friend of mine do the wood work (walnut). It is not quite finished but remember this is only a model I will most likely never shoot this one. I did this one for scale and proportion.
Barrel 11" long 1 3/4" diameter bore .500" (I do not have a powder can so I substituted the with the best I had)
I also have plans for a golf ball mountain howitzer and a beer can Coehorn.
Thunderpaw