Montana Model Cannon Shot

[Double D]

Anybody interested in coming to Montana this summer for a cannon shoot?

[seacoastartillery]

     Sure, why not?  What kind of a range should people expect to see?  Length, width, no. of artillery positions, etc.?  What type of restrictions does this shoot have on type of ordnance and projectiles?

     I know Mike is working on a secret mortar design which will shoot concrete filled water cooler jugs, so maybe we better hang on to the Suburban for a while!  Tell us more.

Sounds like an excellent idea!!!

Tracy and Mike

[dan610324]

if anyone will sponsor the ticket I will sign up as the chef   

[Double D]

Well here's the range. We do have distance.



I mentioned it to the one of the Directors of the Gun Club this afternoon. He was enthusiastic. I will have to present  some sort of Agenda at the next meeting.

I figure to start, to restrict this shoot to half scale or smaller. There isn't a lot of room for full scale so a line has to be drawn thus the restriction. Then if the club likes it it in the future we can bring in the big guns. There is ground to fire the big guns, but nothing has been built to accomadate them.  Start small and work up.

For matches, I'll go with what I know and go with the SAMCC format for cannons.  Two strings of 6 rounds, best 5 score.  One inch and under at 25 yard, over 1 inch 50 yards.

Mortars. Again what I know. Golf ball and smaller 30 yards at post.  7 shots. total distance for closest five.  Larger than Golf ball ,100 yards, 7 shots, closest 5.

Fun shooting.  Active targets.  Say Iron clads and castles made out of sheet rock 100 or 200 yards.   We can also set up targets further out--500 yard, I believe, for those who wish to try.  

I also would like to have popcan mortar shoot. Pop/Beer cans only for projectiles.  Might even write Pepsi or Coors to see if they might sponsor.

The club will require a range fee.

Just idea's not in concrete.

How does late July sound?

Maybe afterward we all get together for potluck BYOM Braai.

[Blaster]

Will plain OLD mortar/cannon interested spectators be allowed to attend this great sounding event.

[MikeR C]

Sounds like fun, whereabouts is the range? Over a weekend? One day or two?

Thx
MikeR C

[Double D]

Will plain OLD mortar/cannon interested spectators be allowed to attend this great sounding event.

Bob I have it by you own words you are OLD.  But you are no spectator as I also know you have mortars and cannons so you should should not come unarmed.  But if you wish to spectate you can.

This would be a good place to bring your extras that you were thinking about liqudating.

[Tropico]

I will surely try to make it.,  this would be the closest cannon shoot I would ever be able to attend . I will start planning for it now ., by the way where are you located in Montana ?

[Double D]

Cut Bank!

[RocklockI]

Sounds good . Although I have no clue where Cutbank is it sounds like fun .

[seacoastartillery]

     Blaster,   If you and RocklockI can find your way to Broomfield, CO, just north of Denver, then Mike and I can haul you and your artillery to Cut Bank and back.  We might have to pull a trailer, but, what the heck, this will probably be the last summer of low gas prices, so we'd be idiots not to take advantage of it.  We'll most likely ship the munitions for the water cooler jug mortar ahead via rail-freight, collect, two months prior to our arrival.  DD, can you pick them up for us at that loading dock just east of the big grain silos? 

     For those who are wondering where Cut Bank is, it's about 6 or 7 miles East of Butte and about 30 miles south of the Canadian border. Since Tim, (Cat Whisperer) has already committed to making this trip, about a year ago, we expect to see a large variety of black powder cannon on the firing line!

     Rich, if you could possibly make it, I'm certain Double D would reserve a "Pirates of the Prairie" position for you on the firing line.

     MikeR C,   Come prepared to answer questions about your works of art; we have more than a few ourselves.

Wow, this is shaping up to be a notable event!

Mike and Tracy

[Double D]

Oh no we are going to have problems...6 or 7 mile east of Butte?? Butte is about 260 miles south of Cut Bank. 

Cut Bank map

[seacoastartillery]

     Doulble D,   My location of Cut Bank is just as accurate as your's, but your's is easier to follow, of course.  What we need to know now, before we start to gather materials, is whether or not a 1/2 scale  replica of Paixhan's Mortar used at the Battle of Antwerp in 1832 will be allowed for the 100 yard, "larger than golf ball" Mortar Contest?  Thank you.

Regards,

Tracy and Mike

[intoodeep]

      What we need to know now, before we start to gather materials, is whether or not a 1/2 scale  replica of Paixhan's Mortar used at the Battle of Antwerp in 1832 will be allowed for the 100 yard, "larger than golf ball" Mortar Contest?  Thank you.

Regards,

Tracy and Mike

   WoW!!!! That will be a ground shaker when it lands..... Will that be about a 19.25" diameter? I'm sure you will see that projectile in the air. Or, just for fun.... Golfball grapeshot. That way it can be in the GB class. So, how may GB's do you think will fit?? 

[Cat Whisperer]

Golf ball grape shot?  What an ineresting idea!

Hmmm.  I think we tried that one day in the not too distant past.

The comment made at the time was, "seemed like a good idea at the time".

Suggest using  a method that has been time-proven of binding the golf balls together so they don't go in diverse directions upon exiting the muzzle. 

Don't ask.  But it did seem like a good idea at the time even though reflection on the method used did not.  Just filling the bore with a bunch of golf balls is not a good idea.

[Double D]

Since I am going to tell the Gun club we will be shooting scale models...you would fit with in the definition.   

[GGaskill]

1350 miles from Chino Flats.

[Terry C.]

What we need to know now, before we start to gather materials, is whether or not a 1/2 scale  replica of Paixhan's Mortar used at the Battle of Antwerp in 1832 will be allowed for the 100 yard, "larger than golf ball" Mortar Contest?

I figure to start, to restrict this shoot to half scale or smaller.

Mortars. Again what I know. Golf ball and smaller 30 yards at post.  7 shots. total distance for closest five.  Larger than Golf ball ,100 yards, 7 shots, closest 5.

Half scale? Check.

Larger than a Golf ball? Uh, yeah!


Sounds like fair game to me!!!

[Cat Whisperer]

....
Since Tim, (Cat Whisperer) has already committed to making this trip, about a year ago, we expect to see a large variety of black powder cannon on the firing line!
....
Mike and Tracy

It is likely that I'll be in Broomfield for a day or two sometime late winter or early spring too.

[Double D]

Half scale is only going to require 137 lb ball.  I think the most interesting part will be watching the loading process.   Be even more insteresting if they used 1/2 scale ball---250 kg.   

[seacoastartillery]

Since I am going to tell the Gun club we will be shooting scale models...you would fit with in the definition.  

     Thank you very much, Double D, that's really great!  We certainly would not presume to tell you how to present this to the club, but if we were to do this ourselves we probably would not say anything like this:

   ..............AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THERE'S THESE TWO GUYS SHOWING UP WITH A ONE-HALF SCALE MORTAR THAT SHOOTS WATER COOLER JUGS FULL OF CONCRETE.  THEY WEIGH 180 POUNDS EACH !!  WHEN THEY HIT THE GROUND YOU'LL THINK YOU WERE IN BERT'S BASEMENT DURING A GRABOID ATTACK !!! .........EARTH TREMORS !! 

     

  WoW!!!! That will be a ground shaker when it lands..... Will that be about a 19.25" diameter? I'm sure you will see that projectile in the air. Or, just for fun.... Golfball grapeshot. That way it can be in the GB class. So, how may GB's do you think will fit?? 

     No, not 19.25", only 11.0", a little less than half scale.  The original was 23.62" dia.  We are allowing an extra 1/4" of windage for safety, 1/2" total.  The O. D. of the projectile is 10.50".  Cylinder length is 24".
Vol. is 1.20 cu. ft.   Gravel concrete is 150 lbs. per cu. ft.   For golf ball FDFs, contact Tim.  He is the expert on that topic.

     Tim,   you are welcome here at any time.   George,  we sure would love to see you there.  Having some experience driving long distances, we can only say that, after the first 200 miles are done the remaining miles disappear as quickly as a popcicle in a kid's hand on a hot summer's day.

     DD, you're right, that lifting and loading process should be interesting indeed.  We might need to make one of these shell cranes like the one we found in Hartford, CT.

Regards,   Mike and Tracy


With a block and tackle attached, these little cranes handle those 220 pound shells with ease.








     

[RocklockI]

Since I am going to tell the Gun club we will be shooting scale models...you would fit with in the definition.  

     Thank you very much, Double D, that's really great!  We certainly would not presume to tell you how to present this to the club, but if we were to do this ourselves we probably would not say anything like this:

   ..............AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THERE'S THESE TWO GUYS SHOWING UP WITH A ONE-HALF SCALE MORTAR THAT SHOOTS WATER COOLER JUGS FULL OF CONCRETE.  THEY WEIGH 180 POUNDS EACH !!  WHEN THEY HIT THE GROUND YOU'LL THINK YOU WERE IN BERT'S BASEMENT DURING A GRABOID ATTACK !!! .........EARTH TREMORS !! 

 SUNDAY ! SUNDAY !! ...SUNDAY !!!  .....I can hear the local radio station . "BE HERE FOR THE SMOKE ,(18 BUCKS PER POUND) , THE SHAKING EARTH , ($$$1000'S WORTH OF CANNONS) , AND POSSIBLE RETALIATION FROM CANADA (PRICELESS)      

[Blaster]

     Blaster,   If you and Rocklock1 can find your way to Broomfield, CO, just north of Denver, then Mike and I can haul you and your artillery to Cut Bank and back. 
Mike and Tracy

Mike and Tracy, you guys are REAL gentlemen to be making such a gracious offer to haul this old guy and Rocklock1 up to the Montana Cannon Shoot.  I really hope to attend this great sounding event and if my resources and capabilities are in order, I just may take you up on that SUPER offer.  That is a LONG trip but to be able to see some of our fellow cannoneers and mortarmen in person would certainly be well worth the trip.  If I am able to make the journey, I'll sure let you know long in advance.  Again, thanks for the very kind offer.
Meanwhile, any chance of you guys attending the Colorado Springs Gun Show on January 10th and 11th? It may be small but who knows what may be there.  I plan on taking some of my mortars for display and they usually are the great attention getters as well as conversation pieces.
Blaster (Bob in So. CO)

[Blaster]

It is likely that I'll be in Broomfield for a day or two sometime late winter or early spring too.

Tim, if you are anywhere near my area (Southern Colorado) be sure to let me know well in advance.  OK??

[Cat Whisperer]

It is likely that I'll be in Broomfield for a day or two sometime late winter or early spring too.

Tim, if you are anywhere near my area (Southern Colorado) be sure to let me know well in advance.  OK??

Bob -
Certainly!
We've come too close together to have almost met.
As it happens the company I work for does work for another company (very familiar to M&T) in Broomfield and I get up that way on rare events.
Tim

[Double D]

Remember, I said:

Well here's the range. We do have distance.

This would be a perfect time and place during the fun shoot to test your mortar and cannon for range.  Remember how I am always warning about not shooting where you can't see the impact of your projectile.  You will see your projectile land on this range.



When you come to Cut  Bank here are some of the sights to see.

Plains Indian Museum http://www.blackfeetcountry.com/museum.html

North American Indian Days http://www.blackfeetcountry.com/naid.html

Sweet Grass Hills http://www.montanapictures.net/sweetgrass-hills-montana.htm

Remington Carriage Museum http://www.remingtoncarriagemuseum.com/

Charlie Russell Museum http://www.cmrussell.org/exhibitions/permanent/

Glacier National Park  http://www.nps.gov/glac

You will also be about 30 miles south of the US-Canada border. So for information on crossing the border check here. http://www.getyouhome.gov/

You will also need to know that Canada has restrictive firearms law and they are very serious about them. Try to take a handgun or hangun ammo into Canada and you may be arrested. At least you will be fined and loose your gun.  And don't think you can hide it from them, they train their dogs to find guns.

The other thing that can get you in trouble going into Canada is if you have ever been arrested. More than one traveler has been turned back for a DUI arrest years ago. 




 

[GGaskill]

I've been to Canada enough already.  I'm not going to help their economy with my money any more.

[dominick]

    

Blaster,   If you and RocklockI can find your way to Broomfield, CO, just north of Denver, then Mike and I can haul you and your artillery to Cut Bank and back.  We might have to pull a trailer, but, what the heck, this will probably be the last summer of low gas prices, so we'd be idiots not to take advantage of it.  We'll most likely ship the munitions for the water cooler jug mortar ahead via rail-freight, collect, two months prior to our arrival.  DD, can you pick them up for us at that loading dock just east of the big grain silos? 

        No, not 19.25", only 11.0", a little less than half scale.  The original was 23.62" dia.  We are allowing an extra 1/4" of windage for safety, 1/2" total.  The O. D. of the projectile is 10.50".  Cylinder length is 24".
Vol. is 1.20 cu. ft.   Gravel concrete is 150 lbs. per cu. ft.      

HERE, Everything should fit just fine.  No trailer necessary.




    

[Double D]

Dom, Dom, Dom, (roflmao)

[intoodeep]

Good one, Dom!!!!