Author Topic: Brass swivel guns (Read 1867 times)

rusty barrels · « **on:** August 04, 2008, 05:52:39 AM »

Does anyone make brass swivel guns around 20+" with a 1" bore that will also shoot projos, not just a salute gun? I have looked at some of the manufacturers but didn't see anything. I want one to mount on my winch of my sailboat.

cannonmn · « **Reply #1 on:** August 04, 2008, 06:04:26 AM »

I think a winch-ester salute cannon would be appropriate.

EL Caz 66 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2008, 06:11:22 AM »

Try Duck Island Cannon works, their also GBO Sponsor.

Double D · « **Reply #3 on:** August 04, 2008, 07:16:33 AM »

Just drop an email to any of our sponsors and ask them if they can help...they will. Look at teh sticky at teh top of the forum for a list of our sponsers.

Tropico · « **Reply #4 on:** August 04, 2008, 07:45:01 AM »

Rusty if you want a good swivel in a brass or a bronze (I chose the 660 material) check out this thread ., I hope it helps . This is a 20 + cannon with a 1" bore . Perhaps it will give you some ideas. It makes a nice bow gun especially with a Jack-Rackham blowing in the breeze behind the tiller , while yer wearing the propper 1680s -1720's attire.
Rich

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,130051.0.html

Cannoneer · « **Reply #5 on:** August 04, 2008, 09:21:17 AM »

Tropico, both of your swivel cannons are beauties but the one from C.C.C. really revs my engine: Are all the barrels that Wes is building for you going to be mounted on truck carriages or are you planning on mounting any as swivel guns?

rusty barrels · « **Reply #6 on:** August 04, 2008, 09:55:56 AM »

I would like to know that too Tropico. What are the dims and cost of the new guns you are having built, I hope I'm not out of line as far as the cost,but 1,200 to 2000 is alot of gold as far as the others go.

Tropico · « **Reply #7 on:** August 04, 2008, 01:11:36 PM »

Thank You Boom J

Quote

Are all the barrels that Wes is building for you going to be mounted on truck carriages or are you planning on mounting any as swivel guns?

Wes's Guns will be carriage mounted on nice Philippine mahoganey trucks ., with out wheels of course ., just basically 4 x 4 axels that are much easier to batten down under sail. Could you imagine losing one of the Bronze cannons Wes is carving from the likes of a small rolling wave? Lopped over the whaling and down into the depths? I could become un-hinged..., emotionally unstable in a momentary fit of RAGE knowing my beautiful Bronze KILLER is in Davey Jones Locker. God help him man ., the swab that didnt batten down the cannon. Who knows what could happen ., Why if I had a lit linstock ., or even worse my .62 caliber Tower Pistol or even the Blunderbuss ? Better to have no wheels indeed. No Wheels and more Rhum.

Rusty

Quote

What are the dims and cost of the new guns you are having built, I hope I'm not out of line as far as the cost,but 1,200 to 2000 is alot of gold as far as the others go.

The Dimensions are 4" x 26" the material comes in 13"lengths ....., might as well use it all. The bore for Wes's guns will be larger at 1 1/2" .
The 660 bronze swivel gun is right in the price range you mentioned for the barrel itself. Brass ., Bronze ., and Stainless all took a HUGE UGLY and NASTY price hike over the last few years ............ You could save alot of Benjamins by perhaps doing a 3" round bar with a safe 1"bore. That 1 inch up to a 4"for the round bar is a nasty price hike. A 3"x 20"with 1"bore would make a nice Swivel .., (Thats the dimension of my smaller swivel) . Which by the way has a louder boom do to the shorter length.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #8 on:** August 04, 2008, 02:30:49 PM »

You're more than welcome and I'd like to add that you are probably making a very wise decision to not put wheels on the carriages because if you did run into some heavy weather and one of these soon to be treasures rolled off the deck into the deep blue, I have the strong feeling you'd dive in right after it and hang onto it all the way to the bottom, even if the bottom happened to be at a hundred feet.

Double D · « **Reply #9 on:** August 05, 2008, 10:40:18 AM »

I don't understand...no trucks. The originals had wheels and were tied in and down. The block and tackle and other lines were part of the system to keep them on board when fired and in rough seas. Even with out wheels you are still going have to tie them down aren't you? Not tying them down will only make them recoil a hair less faster and and an equally less hair faster for going over the side in rough seas

Make wheels!! Make tiedowns and block and tackle systems.

Tropico · « **Reply #10 on:** August 05, 2008, 11:09:56 AM »

Most certainly they will be tied down !!! however when weather is really rough i doubt we will be going out scuba diving and firing the cannons . Also my cannons wont be very heavy . 32 pounders have substantial weight to hold themselves down and were on large ships that could sail over moderate seas easily. 52ft of deck feels the swells quite a bit more than an actual tall ship. Its much easier for me to keep them in place on a block .., not alot of recoil on blank loads anyway. Here is a photo of the Royaliste this is approximately 71 ft and Royaliste feels the swells enough to use a block. Truly its more secure and alot easier. Here is Royalistes starboard side caronades and swivels. This in the San Francisco Bay

Also just so you all know ..., If one did go over ..,

.., I would go as far as 200 ft to recover it

dan610324 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 05, 2008, 12:28:23 PM »

with an original bronze , yeah I would .

but newly produced cast grey iron , nooooo never .

why ??
because I cant swim

Cannoneer · « **Reply #12 on:** August 05, 2008, 01:54:18 PM »

Hey Tropico, I forgot about the SCUBA equipment, all you'd have to do is throw a marker out, wait for the weather to calm, then go down to retrieve your bronze beauty. Then you would be able to say in perfect honesty, that you personally brought this sunken treasure up from the oceans floor.

GGaskill · « **Reply #13 on:** August 05, 2008, 02:13:01 PM »

Then you would be able to say in perfect honesty, that you personally brought this sunken treasure up from the ocean's floor.

Welllllll, I doubt that even the strongest swimmer could retrieve even Tropico's small guns from the bottom by himself. They would have to be winched or floated up to the surface.

I suppose T could swim down and attach the rope, then swim up and run the winch himself.

Tropico · « **Reply #14 on:** August 05, 2008, 02:28:50 PM »

Hired

A scheming and thoughtfully robust crewe indeed

I would do it for a new Bronze as well

We will be needing a few lift bags rope ., actually George's idea is the way ......, Enriched air and perhaps Nitrox . I would have to consult Jesper my PADI IDC Staff Instructor about getting the rope down to 200 ft (Jesper drops 330 once a year). Anything beyond 130 is not recreational diving ......., 200 feet is not unreasonable however given the propper training and equipment. Shoot now I am excited

but not enough to kick a shooter over-board

I will be in the Philippines this next month however there will be no diving this trip ., my neck fusion needs 4 months minimum . Oh to stay on topic

Double D · « **Reply #15 on:** August 05, 2008, 04:54:29 PM »

I would take the wheels off the carriage also if I had rope and tackle as light as in those pictures. Seems a modern solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

I have never seen reference too one of the old ships removing the wheels to control movement . The guns were wheeled and tackled in. Shooting without the trucks will scar and tear the heck out of the decks.

Okay that horse is beat to death

Cannoneer · « **Reply #16 on:** August 05, 2008, 07:00:13 PM »

Quote

Welllllll, I doubt that even the strongest swimmer could retrieve even Tropico's small guns from the bottom by himself. They would have to be winched or floated up to the surface.

George, you already have the answer contained within your own answer. ("or floated up to the surface") Tropico would probably have a lot more experience at this but I'd guess that with floatation devices and a tank of air to fill them he could swim along side his cannon on the way up to the surface and just guide it with his finger tips when he felt the need to. I'm not sure who it was, I think it was a Howard Hughes / CIA salvage company that tried to raise a whole ship up to the surface with forced air and would have succeeded if the ship hadn't broken in half. If you get a chance watch one of the old Mel Fisher documentaries and you'll see how easily they raised full scale guns.

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #17 on:** August 05, 2008, 08:05:16 PM »

Yeah, it was Howard Hughes and the CIA that tried to raise a russian submarine. They got part of it after it to the surface after
it broke in pieces on the way to the surface. I think Tropico would have a much easier time lifting cannons than the Glomar
Explorer had with the submarine. Besides, cannons don't weight as much.

Double D · « **Reply #18 on:** August 06, 2008, 07:51:20 AM »

Well, this doing the internet at McDonalds or the Libarary is a pain....so I have to kick the horse one more time.

What I wanted to say above was the tackle on the no wheel guns shown up thread are way to light. No training and tie down blocks and the recoil arresting ropes are much to light. These guns even with no wheels are are real hazard.

Here is the drawing from the HMS Victory on tying inthe guns.

Here is the detail on City class Iron clad posted earlier byr M&T from SeacoastArtillery.

Taking the wheels of those guns lighter weight or not is not going help keep them from going adrift in rough seas. If properly rigged the risk is reduced and they don't look, well wrong. Also with wheels the stress and strain on the frames and deck is reduced when fired and in rough seas they would be easir to jettison.

Tropico · « **Reply #19 on:** August 06, 2008, 08:45:47 AM »

Awesome photos., I thank you sir !!! I did save them in my archive Double D . These pictures will be useful and we may be doing wheels yet. Very likely the cannons will come on and off the boat from time to time and wheels would be useful as well as correct. For the most part (9 months) the sea is like glass between the three islands where we are located. However for the other 3 months (The rainy season) the waves are big enough tourism slows down for divers ., whale and dolphin watching .., and Cannon firing (Yours truly) . Other issues are theives. Thievery is another issue which makes me want to remove the cannons when we dont have an event or other desire to carry them. So again wheels would be beneficial .

Staying on topic here .., Rusty ., here is another option ? Ed sent me a swivel ., a smaller Brass swivel with a Dominick made Yoke to compliment my others. And Yes it fires GREAT ! I love it ! Thanks Ed

to ya

So many options for your swivel project ., Anything is possible ., Remember Intoodeep's project ?

? Rat - Patrol !

Please please keep us posted !

EL Caz 66 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 06, 2008, 09:40:21 AM »

Rich,

Your welcome !! Nice family photo you have there.

Ed

rusty barrels · « **Reply #21 on:** August 07, 2008, 05:15:01 AM »

Thanks for the reply Tropico, I guess I'll have to wait a while, I do plan on selling my mortar and a few guns to help finance my next project.