Author Topic: 2007 New River Valley Mortar and Cannon OPEN firepower demonstration (Read 7533 times)

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #90 on:** July 08, 2007, 11:20:41 AM »

Thanks for asking - Lance, I'd overlooked this one:

19 – 100 yd confirmed kill. Note the 1 gallon milk jug (just beyond the 95 yard milk jug).

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #91 on:** July 08, 2007, 03:17:01 PM »

HI everybody from just east of Union City, Tennessee.

I bet most of you can guess why we stopped here! WOW, Mike and I had more fun at this shoot than you can imagine. We want to thank everyone for welcoming us and showing us such excellent hospitality! We have never seen so many good looking and fine shooting mortars in one place before. I'm sure we have not seen a Dr. Pepper jug go that far before!! The firecracker cannon worked perfectly with an air burst out in front of the gun. And excellent shooting by the golfball mortar crews! Two pinches of powder gets you 200 yards or even a bit more. VERY ECONOMICAL.....

We must not forget to explain our only failure to fire. Everyone there learned four important things from this. One, we are not perfect; we make mistakes too. Two, muzzleloading artillerymen should try to remember to use the cartridge bag punch to prick the cartridge BEFORE inserting the fuse! Three, 6 layers of aluminum foil does make an effective barrier between embers or red-hot burning fuses. Four, always have a gimlet with you in case this or a defective piece of fuse causes a failure to fire. We did have one and Mike had the vent cleared and the gun fired within one minute after the 30 minute waiting period was over.

Best regards,

Tracy and Mike

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #92 on:** July 09, 2007, 04:15:03 AM »

Tracey - You MUST be talking about Lances' mortars. Mine are much cruder - and I'll post close ups to prove it - but just as much fun to shoot. I'm not sure whether we proved that Mt Dew shot better or worse than Dr. Pepper, so we'll have to schedule a re-match.

But, with out a doubt, you had the accuracy to kill milk jugs at 100 and 200 yards (not to mention the chalk-filled mustard container).

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #93 on:** July 09, 2007, 01:36:08 PM »

Here's a detail of that 100 yard shot:

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #94 on:** July 09, 2007, 03:43:51 PM »

Thanks Lance for capturing that explosive moment. Thanks Tim for bringing it up closer. Give yourself some credit, Tim. That 4.5" mortar has that robust, "I'm going to last forever" look to it. It gives a throaty roar too!! Today Mike and I saw a whole row of seacoast guns lined up in the Water Battery at Fort Donaldson, TN. Five 32 Pdrs. and a 10" Confederate Columbiad which was there with a few of the 32s at the battle in 1862. Later we saw a Hern 8" Siege Mortar with Iron Carriage in front of Dixie Gun Works in Union City, TN. This gun looks great! He does a nice job here. Almost a ton of iron!

Regards,
Tracy and Mike

lance · « **Reply #95 on:** July 09, 2007, 03:49:33 PM »

Tracy, Mike, what should i do??? that 100pd. bolt you gave me is starting to rust-from carrying it around and showing it off. should i blue it??? sounds like you guys won't never get back home, have a safe trip,lance

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #96 on:** July 09, 2007, 04:04:52 PM »

You can't wear it out from handling, Lance. Thanks for the expert mortar demonstration and good conversation. You know more about the War Between the States than most of the museum people we talk to. You and Tim are very well-read!

Best regards,
Tracy and Mike

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #97 on:** July 11, 2007, 02:29:02 PM »

Over the next several days I'll be posting MANY more pictures (Dan took them). Previous pictures were taken by Lance and I.

Here's the one that opened the festivities. Note that it is just a few ramblings of lathe work to see what one might look like. It has never been cleaned and is held together by magnets.

Tropico · « **Reply #98 on:** July 11, 2007, 07:32:11 PM »

I was just going thru all the photos again ., Quite an assortment of cannon and mortar., Obviously it was a BLAST !
It sure does look to be alot of fun. The Group photo and that pick up load of Iron are my favorites. Kudos men.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #99 on:** July 11, 2007, 11:57:04 PM »

Thanks, Tropico - it was a blast - many of them.

I'll post about 50 more, these of close-ups and smoke and fire - some interesting portraits. I'm sorting them now, will post one mortar/cannon at a time. It takes an hour or two to upload all the pix for each set of 10 -15 shots.

You'll see a variety of workmanship and ideas - the crude ones are just as fun to shoot, the professionally built ones are magnificent to behold.

Tropico · « **Reply #100 on:** July 12, 2007, 04:05:04 AM »

Yes that Parrot is definitely one of the most awesome cannon I have ever seen., its quite impressive .

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #101 on:** July 12, 2007, 03:25:42 PM »

Here's the first install ment of Dan's pix:

58 Cal mortar (Lance’s)

Lance's Golf Ball Mortar

a small collection of mortars:
Golf Ball Hand Gonne, 90 cal Hand Gonne, 3 Golf Ball caliber mortars (one hand held), 12ga mortar.

3 golf ball mortars and a 12 ga.

Two golf ball caliber mortars bracketing a 20ga hand gonne.

lance · « **Reply #102 on:** July 12, 2007, 03:32:55 PM »

hey Tim, i know where you live, the name is LANCE.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #103 on:** July 12, 2007, 03:42:36 PM »

and the rest of the line up:

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #104 on:** July 12, 2007, 03:47:14 PM »

Sorry Lance, it's studk in my mind. You're forever Lyle. Corrections made.

and here are the beer can mortar (bright chrome) and the 4.5" (industrial hard chrome plated):

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #105 on:** July 12, 2007, 04:03:44 PM »

The 100 Lb Parrot:

lance · « **Reply #106 on:** July 12, 2007, 04:27:50 PM »

o.k. Tim, since you have bigger lathes than what i have, let's build a life saving LYLE gun. full size with rope spool, what is it 600 feet of rope?

that will be fun to watch!!!

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #107 on:** July 12, 2007, 04:36:52 PM »

Elegance in the details:

Elegance 03

Elegance 04

Elegance 05

Elegance 06

Elegance 07

Double D · « **Reply #108 on:** July 13, 2007, 07:15:15 AM »

TYu guys look like you might have had some fun also!!!

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #109 on:** July 13, 2007, 07:42:29 AM »

WAIT till you see the KABOOM and smoke pictures tonight!

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #110 on:** July 13, 2007, 09:11:22 AM »

Dan's photos are very nice; wish ours came out as well. Finally made it back to Colorado late yesterday. Mike and I both agree that the highlights of our trip were the cannon shooting sessions we had and meeting all those wonderful GBO cannoneers along the way!! Thank you all once again for welcoming us in such a fine way. Fire and smoke pics? We will tune in tonight for sure.

Mike and Tracy

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #111 on:** July 13, 2007, 02:08:55 PM »

Here are the KaBoom and smoke pix from the 100 lb Parrot:

(more pix tomorrow)

Elegance 08

Elegance 08.5

Elegance 09

Elegance 10

Elegance 11

Elegance 12

Elegance 13

intoodeep · « **Reply #112 on:** July 13, 2007, 02:25:53 PM »

I foresee a few calendar photos coming from this posting.....

lance · « **Reply #113 on:** July 13, 2007, 03:51:24 PM »

OH, that was such a fun day. if Tracy and Mike can ever come back i'll make some steel plate Iron Clads for them to shoot at. might even remote control motorize one, that would be a challenge!

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #114 on:** July 13, 2007, 04:05:16 PM »

Quote from: intoodeep on July 13, 2007, 02:25:53 PM

I foresee a few calendar photos coming from this posting.....

Of those posted already in this thread, which would you pick?

lance · « **Reply #115 on:** July 13, 2007, 04:09:39 PM »

Tim, you aught to put names on the pics so people will know what we look like. if anybody cares, i'm the guy in the stripped shirt and wearing military sun glasses.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #116 on:** July 13, 2007, 04:30:38 PM »

Quote from: lance on July 13, 2007, 04:09:39 PM

Tim, you aught to put names on the pics so people will know what we look like. if anybody cares, i'm the guy in the stripped shirt and wearing military sun glasses.

Really, Lyle, you know my success rate on getting names right!

lance · « **Reply #117 on:** July 13, 2007, 04:37:17 PM »

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #118 on:** July 13, 2007, 04:42:20 PM »

Lance,

That Ironclad target that you described would be one of those challenges that neither Mike nor I could possibly ignore!!

Just give us five or six months to complete the 1/6th scale 7 Inch Treble-Banded Brooke Rifle, and we will show you how 20,000 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy can propel historically accurate bolts through boiler plate with great facility!!! Love those pics!

Looks like Mike is doing a little "moon-walking" just after he lit that fuse. Can't wait to see "Big Bertha", with the industrial, hard-chrome finish, throw a big concrete shell into the woods!

Mike and Tracy

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #119 on:** July 13, 2007, 05:23:29 PM »

Ahhh, more pix, AND more to come after these.

Thanks Dan A. for taking these!

Hand gonnes trk 01

Lance & tim loading hand gonne 02

Dale lighting fuse of hand gonne 03

Hand gonne firing 04