Author Topic: Why Black Powder Cannons? (Read 4411 times)

Spuddy · « **on:** February 08, 2009, 08:32:30 AM »

I was reading about this forum reaching the 100 page mark and got to thinking about why people got interested in firing black powder cannons. I got interested by chance. I had been looking for a noise maker for new years and had heard about carbide cannons. I did an internet search and discovered that Winchester used to make a signal cannon that fired 10 gauge blanks. I passed on the carbide and purchased a Winchester signal cannon about two years ago. It wasn't long after that I discovered this forum. Now, three cannons and two mortars later here I am. I am reading a book on the battle of Gettysburg to prepare for a visit there this summer with my family. I just finished reading about the cannonade that took place on July 3rd just before Pickett's march. I will never fire a cannon again without thinking about that time in our history. I would be interested in what got others on the forum interested in black powder cannon. Please take a minute and reply.
Tim

dan610324 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2009, 09:06:02 AM »

for me it was the extreme beauty of the early european bronze guns , it was a natural extention to my previous gun collecting .

there have been so many beautiful bronze cannons produced during the centuries , they shouldnt be looked at as cannons . they are the most beautiful sculptures , created by artists .

and of course its fun with the really BIG BOOOOOOM

the learning and research process are also extremely interesting , but for me its more directed to how they was produced , metalurgical composition during centuries is also very interesting .

and I have been trying to teach cannon interested people a little about safety, have had some really hot discussions on another forum on that subject .

there are some people here in sweden that have been starting to produce cast iron replicas of what I think is not safe cannons . I have probably destroyed their business idea a little when I told them that those guns wasnt safe to use , the discussion was very hot .
they couldnt understand that they produced a possible pipe bomb .
they copied a bronze cannon , but they produced it in cast iron . ok they had a liner .
but it was less then 1/8 inch thick , the breach plug vas the same thickness just welded there .
an very flexible liner with an to thin cast iron outer , for me that doesnt sound as an safe construction , doesnt matter if they only shoot salutes with them as they claim to do .
but they are also advertise them on internet here in sweden for sale .
the new owners who maybe dont understand better could have a really nasty surprise .

Cannoneer · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2009, 09:30:03 AM »

I've been thinking about your question, and the most honest answer for me would probably be seeing old pirate and CW movies on tv as a young kid, and being absolutely fascinated while watching the scenes that had ordnance being fired in them (of course at the time I thought all of those were real guns). Non-firing miniature model kits with turned brass barrells and hardwood carriages had to suffice until my mother gave the nod to dad that it was ok for me to go shooting with him when I was around 12 going on 13. I know your question was about firing bp cannon, but this is what led to it. Sometime in this time frame we were in a gun shop that had CVA miniature steel barrelled bp cannons imported from Spain for sale, and we bought one (.69 cal. Napoleon) then another (small, rifled .440 naval gun), and these were the first I ever fired.

RocklockI · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2009, 10:21:56 AM »

I grew up in Tenn. and North Carolina . We'd go to Chattanooga ,Ruby Falls , Rock City and some dioramas that had little flickering lights for muzzle flashes .

In N.C. There was Kings Mountian was a favorite parting place in HS ,no cannons but great marksmanship , Gillpins Court House . Lots of museums The Parthonon in Nashville had a display of "quilled grapeshot" display that fascinated me .

Then there was Stone Mountian in Georgia......

My first introduction to SHOOTTING them was in 1977 when some guy from gunsmith school was recruiting strong young men to "shoot a mortar" in the mountains

the truth of course you where mostly volunteering indentured servitude for the day .

I was thinking damn there's class 3 folks at this school there super precision shooters here . Now some guy is wanting to shoot a 4" black powder cannon thinngy !

Most volunteers only made that trip once .

I wasn't too smart cause shooting that thing bit me and these new friends Mike &Tracy seemed a bit odd so we basicly w've been freinds ever since

. A few others (unnamed here due to possible outstanding warrents and stuff .)hung in there too . There were some darned fine people there .

So whats old is new agian in 82" he made me buy a SB cohorn .

Gary

barefiel76 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2009, 11:21:55 AM »

I was a plebe at West Point in 1996. (Discharged after a year for high blood pressurer) While there I was on the Cannon Crew that fired the WWII cannons for big events and football games. If you have ever watched an Army-Navy game you have seen the cannons I'm talking about.

If you want people to stop what they're doing and stare try towing a Howiter behind a Hummer on residential streets. You'll get looks. I'm sure a few people have an idea of the look I'm talking about.

The sound of that echo coming across the Hudson is something I will never forget.

BoomLover · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2009, 11:53:50 AM »

For me, it started with watching pirate movies, used to love the action, the sound, the big muzzle flashes. Graduated HS, went in the Navy, served on the Ticondroga in Viet Nam, and we would have firing exercises...those big 5 inch guns going off, the deck would shake and vibrate, such a gigantic sound, long flame shooting out, and almost knock you off your feet! That was the start, and now I find myself looking for anything that will make a good barrel! ( good, not fair, safety first!) First one I made was a 24", 2.25" bore, and now I have 3 mortars, 2 @ 1", 1 @ golfball, and making the 4th, which will have a 12" X 3" tube, on a CSA bed, and so goes the journey! Once hooked.....! BoomLover

cannonmn · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2009, 12:28:19 PM »

When I was about kneehigh to a grasshopper, crawlin' around the house, I played with my dad's antique carbide cannon, black enamel finish and four red wheels. The firing mech had been lost but I liked it a lot better than the plastic and wood toys I had. Later, about teenage years, I had a couple of working carbide cannons, then made a .50 stainless steel blackpowder cannon out of a piece of 1" dia. bar stock about 8" long. Then later things just got out of hand.

subdjoe · « **Reply #7 on:** February 08, 2009, 02:09:03 PM »

For me, gun nut that I am (if it burns powder and puts something down range I'll try it), it's the history and romance of it. Face it, you go to a living history day at a fort, what gets the attention? The guns. At Civil War reenactments, again, the guns get the attention. There is something that is satsifying about them at some primal level. And, now that I'm getting into live fires, the challange of putting steel on target. And working up loads and rounds.

In many ways it is very similar to muzzle loading small arms, and in some ways very different.

Of course, there may be something about the fire, smoke, and concussion too.

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #8 on:** February 08, 2009, 02:30:15 PM »

To make a long, long story very short and to the point, I'm sure it was one of those Winchester 10 GA signal cannon that inspired me. I just couldn't wait to be 13, because, at that age, I could be a Junior Counselor at one of the local YMCA Summer Camps in Upstate NY. And THEY were the ones who got to fire the 10 GA Cannon! I loved everything about shooting that cannon, the noise, the smoke and the feeling of power as I held that lanyard. Shooting projectiles actually started two years earlier when I bought my first, Standard, 9" long, Carbide, Army Howitzer in the mail. The hardest thing to do was to keep the water from splashing the flint/steel igniter mechanism as you chased your friends around the backyard after loading it with a handful of hard, green elderberries with leaves and stems. Boy were we bad in 1958!!

TK

KABAR2 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2009, 02:36:51 PM »

At age 5 I had my first M1 steel pot helmet, found my first gun sitting along a trail in the woods by our house (a Stevens Maynard .22)
So early on I had an interest in military and firearms, war movies and pirate movies were always on, don't forget Rat Patrol, Combat,
Branded, Wild Wild West, & of course Gun Smoke, by age 14 I had 5 rifles and an 1816 musket which needed parts, by this time I had
worn out at least two Dixie gun works catalogs, I should say another influence was Bannerman's was about 4 blocks from my house I
started going in 1967 (age 7) my mom even though I had saved up my allowance wouldn't let me buy the Bazooka hanging on the front
of one of the display cases it was a princely sum of 35.00 quite a chunk of change for a 7 year old to save... I would have been the only kid on the
block with his very own Bazooka! Sometimes moms wisdom was good..... I would have been the first 8 year old arrested for an unregistered DD a year later....
There was a group of collectors on Long Island that created History on Parade for the Bicentenial I joined it in 1974 the group portrayed
the U.S. Military from the Colonial era of 1776 through to Korea, (nam had just ended and still unpopular) one of the members had
a Hern Iron Works Barrel his wife bought him through Dixie, I helped fire that and on a few occasions an original bronze mortar he borrowed
from the owner of Bannerman's that had been used to alert the watchman on bannerman's Island to come out with the boat.
I guess I was hooked on re-enacting I did 9th NY Zouaves in 1977, and spent from 1979 to 1988 re-enacting the American Revolution.
During this time I was collecting cannons, I had a bronze swivel gun, two bronze Coehorn Mortars and a 2pndr Lapan on a truck carriage,
I also collected more recent artillery items, in all I had a small collection, of about 14 pieces the newest a demilled 81mm mortar, the oldest
a 18 th Cen. bronze Spanish 2 pndr. which now resides in another members collection, the Largest was a full scale repro of a confederate 3" rifle on a field carriage, which was stolen of the estate property never to be seen again.
In the late 1990's I lost my job while trying to handle my parents estate, and I was forced to live off the collection the last of the coehorns went
in 2001 and I have been cannonless ever since. this past year I had hoped to remedy that situation......
1 by building a model of an Armstrong breech loader, and 2 finishing a wood form a friend made me for a coehorn mortar,
Well we have three more months of Chemo for M'Lady Carol, and then after she is back on her feet,
Then I can tend to my Knees, and it seems the longer I have to wait it will probably be both of them. So if my sense of humor seems a bit off at times,
bear with me....

Terry C. · « **Reply #10 on:** February 08, 2009, 02:59:28 PM »

I've pondered this all day, and I still can't put it into words. I don't really have an answer.

I guess a seed was planted long ago in an abandoned place.

Or maybe it's just in my blood.

I've often felt like I was born in the wrong century, more now than ever before.

KABAR2 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 08, 2009, 05:30:49 PM »

Quote from: Terry C. on February 08, 2009, 02:59:28 PM

I've often felt like I was born in the wrong century, more now than ever before.

I think you won't find too many here that don't feel that way, a time when a man's word meant something, when a lawyer wasn't needed

for every little thing, a time when your land was your own, and nobody could tell you what to do with it and nobody ever heard of a treehugger,

a good friend of mine back in high school told me I was born 100 years too late I guess he was right.

So I guess we are all a bunch of romantics........ who love the smell of sulfur, loud noises and the satisfying THUD of a round hitting it's target.

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #12 on:** February 08, 2009, 07:38:37 PM »

I've always loved things that go bang! I guess I was in the right place at the right time. I was at the range and some people came up for a cannon shoot. I came back and watched and enjoyed myself from behind the firing line. I came back 2 more times in the next year and watched. By then the bug had bitten and I had to join in. I bought a beercan mortar on Auction Arms and haven't looked back. It's true that these things are habit forming. I've since gotten a GB mortar, a 1.25" swivel gun, and a 1/3 scale 1" napoleon. Now I'm looking for a GB cannon. I hope they never find a cure for cannonitis.

dan610324 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2009, 08:16:20 PM »

its a non cureable disease , but who wants to get cured ??

I don't .

Victor3 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2009, 09:03:22 PM »

Since getting my 1st Daisy (now my Son's 1st airgun), I've been fascinated with all things that launch a projectile. Had a carbide cannon at 11 and got a CVA Old Ironsides kit not too long after that.

Spent many a happy hour with my Dad in the garage helping him sporterize Mausers and Springfields, reloading, running machines and such. Almost every weekend we would go camping, hunting and target shooting. My "toys" from an early age have been (still are) airguns and firearms. Most I have are old; some of them past the century mark.

Now I've become my Dad and my Son helps me doing the same kinda stuff

In my early 20's I met a man who became one of my closest friends. 30 years older than I and the most knowledgable and well equipped gun enthusiast I've ever met (God rest his soul). He was a long-time CW reinactor, WWII buff and had a Coehorn mortar and 1/2 scale Napoleon among the 200+ guns he owned. He helped me to build my 1st two 'from scratch' cannons. He and I went together to CW, WWII and other historical events and shoots. We worked together on many gun related projects; recreating unavailable parts and ammo, designing/building guns and restoring antique firearms. I owe a lot of what I know about guns to that man.

Another reason for me - I like the smell of BP. Someone back in history said that once a man smells gunpowder it becomes a part of him.

(Or something like that.... Maybe someone has the exact quote?)

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #15 on:** February 09, 2009, 12:26:03 AM »

Quote from: Victor3 on February 08, 2009, 09:03:22 PM

...
Another reason for me - I like the smell of BP. Someone back in history said that once a man smells gunpowder it becomes a part of him.

(Or something like that.... Maybe someone has the exact quote?)

"Ahhhh, the smell of (BLACKPOWDER) in the morning .... "

RocklockI · « **Reply #16 on:** February 09, 2009, 05:01:18 AM »

Quote from: Terry C. on February 08, 2009, 02:59:28 PM

I've pondered this all day, and I still can't put it into words. I don't really have an answer.

I guess a seed was planted long ago in an abandoned place.

Or maybe it's just in my blood.

I've often felt like I was born in the wrong century, more now than ever before.

"Yes I am a pirrate ,200 years to late. The cannons don't thunder ,there's nothing plunder I'm an over 40 victim of fate , arriving too late .." . By an eldrly pirate in his own right ,mister Jimmy Buffett.

Also on the cannon thing I played with my dads toy lead soldiers theres some howitzers , and coolist of all is a donkey gun cannon and crew a Hothkiss I think ,like the one posted a while ago .

leesecw · « **Reply #17 on:** February 09, 2009, 07:56:44 AM »

For me it was a 3 inch ordinance rifle that sat in a cemetery. I used to wonder what the civil war vets there went through. My father was a WW2 vet with 3 purple hearts. The last one caused by a nasty encounter with a german 88 at the battle for the Remagen Bridge which severely damaged his knees. By the time he was in his early 50's he lost the ability to walk. Im sure that respect for the veterans has alot to do with the interest in the weapons

Rickk · « **Reply #18 on:** February 10, 2009, 06:28:58 AM »

I put together one of those CVA 45 caliber naval guns about 30 years ago... maybe that is part of it, maybe not.

I have collected guns since I was 12. I always looked for something unusual that no one else seemed to have.

Since I was in my teens, I have enjoyed lighting fuses that were connected to things that did something spectacular.

There were the failed attempts at making BP in my teens.

In the past 10 or so years, winter boredom started to get to me, and by February I was looking for some "little" project to do. The "little" projects rarely turned out to be "little". Some of them, if measured by weight, came in at 10 tons or more. How many people can say they built a 16 foot wide by 20 foot long concrete bridge in their back yard that will support a semi-truck, without the use of power equipment of any sort?

I often underestimated the scope of the projects and found myself still working to finish the projects thru the summer and into the fall.

A few years ago I was surfing the web and noticed the Coehorn Mortar barrel in Dixie Gun Works web site. I had seen it a few years before in the Dixie catalog, and decided to buy it for my "winter crazy project". How hard could it be?

One thing led to another. The next year I "needed" a bigger cannon, with a few smaller ones mixed in for good measure. My son, then 5 years old, "helped" me build that big one.

It's feels good to see my son getting to help do things that I would have loved to do when I was his age but never got to do it. Of course, I love the part about explaining to my wife that my latest "whatever" was largely my son's fault, that he talked me into it. "Daddy, you NEED one of those!"

He and I make a great team together !

Rick

Don Krag · « **Reply #19 on:** February 10, 2009, 02:51:16 PM »

I've always loved big guns/large calibers. The louder the boom, the more I love them. I saw a tv show once with a cannon competition and that set the seed in my mind. Fast forward ten years and I started looking into medieval gonnes and such a few years ago, when a friend brought some over one day. We knocked holes in some old appliances for a while. It was great fun and I had to make a few of my own and got hooked. Later that year he brought over a full scale mountain rifle for our 4th of July party. The noise, the concussion, the fire and smoke...I was instantly addicted. Combine that with a background in machining and my other metalworking hobbies and I was destined to be forever hooked on making them as well as shooting them.

Of course, I then found this site shortly thereafter, and now I have cannon rooted in every neuron in my brain and oozing out my pores.

rays89 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 14, 2009, 03:44:21 AM »

I was kind of wondering around and wound up here. I enjoy the posts. My original passion is target shooting and reloading. Where everything is so precise trying to find the optimum load for the 45 ACP and 6x55 Swed mauser. when the difference is a 10th of a grain of smokeless between minute of angle or 5 shots all over the target. things get a little to serious.
Here I can be a grain or 2 off and dont have to worry about a blown up pistol or should I say artillery piece
I started doing research for the Irishman on his M-bpfc (Backyard cannon fun) finding the optimum load for his firecracker cannon this is where to much is not good. Well I am used to finding optimum loads for the best results and found out 10 grains brings the best results.

Then I really like his brass work and pick up a few display cannons that are funtional

For giggles I picked up one of Ed Harts Golf ball mortars. (he is often over looked on these posts) I have fun lauching Golf balls (Ed informed me he is going to have some more different barrels come out soon) which is worthchecking out.

And for making some ground shaking noise There is always Dominic.

I know sooner or later I have to get a full size brass Napolean I have seen one go off on the 4th of July 1987 and the blast almost knocked me on my butt.
I like the sponsors here they are good people and have something for anybody in this hobby. From brass sculpures. Heavy artillery and of course I like the really fun affordable Golf ball mortar. Greybeard picked his sponsors well. Besides I can be off a grain or 2 and not be so serious on my loads within reason. It is isn't the heaviest load I am looking for But the load that brings the best results. As with anything especially this hobby more isn't better

Double D · « **Reply #21 on:** February 14, 2009, 04:08:48 AM »

Spuddy sent me a PM ab out a week ago asking what I though about posting it as a question. I told him to go ahead.

I've been thinking about an answer all week and all I can up with is "I don't know?'

Blaster · « **Reply #22 on:** February 14, 2009, 03:19:36 PM »

I used to admire these cannon at age 8 back in 1945 and always had a hankering to own one of them. Back then they probably were not thought of as being valuable. They are still there (in Fort Madison, Iowa) and I'd still like to have them. Afraid the City Fathers wouldn't appreciate their being "removed". That's what got me into thinking and the following of the BP big bore stuff.

Here's one of the twin cannon:

This one below (NOT one of the twins) is pointing right at the Mighty Mississippi River towards Illinois:

Here's the dedication plaque for em:

Yeah, I know, these were already posted some time ago but maybe not everyone got to see them.
Thanks for looking at em.
Blaster (Bob in So. CO)

Blaster · « **Reply #23 on:** February 15, 2009, 05:16:02 AM »

CW (Tim). Just wondering if you had the opportunity to actually see these (as pictured in my above post) when you made that road trip over to my childhood stomping grounds.

Blaster · « **Reply #24 on:** February 16, 2009, 02:50:56 PM »

HELLO CW, hello... You still there?

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #25 on:** February 16, 2009, 03:46:40 PM »

Quote from: Blaster on February 15, 2009, 05:16:02 AM

CW (Tim). Just wondering if you had the opportunity to actually see these (as pictured in my above post) when you made that road trip over to my childhood stomping grounds.

YES and no. The pics I posted were of the two that were (as you noted) non-twins; out in the open area midway between the highway and the river. The ones by the stone monument I either missed or only saw out of the corner of my eye as we were leaving. Thanks for posting both!

brokenpole · « **Reply #26 on:** April 05, 2009, 01:02:55 PM »

I started out doing pre-1840 American History camping. This is commonly called rendezvous. There I met a man named Earl Becker and the rest as they say was history. I made myself a pain in the backside until he let me crew one of his 6 pounders.

I decided to get into mortars cause they are easier to transport. Earl used to attract a lot of attention trailoring his guns down the highway behind his truck.

I love taking my little juice can mortar to the range right before deer season. I shot the mortar and hear a lot of "What was that" from people.

brokenpole

Frank46 · « **Reply #27 on:** April 05, 2009, 05:32:34 PM »

I've always had an affinity for things that go boom. The time I spent on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA-42 back in 1965 to 67 was a time of growing up for a 17 year old (Dad had to sign the enlistment papers) and was serving my country. Used to go out on the fantail when they were firing the 5"54 mounts at the towed sleds. Could see and hear those shells whooshing through the air and the splashes when they passed through the targets. After getting out of the navy the only cannons I ever saw were at west point, king's mansion on jamaica avenue jamaica new york, and a few other places. Bought and still have one of the cva 45 caliber cannons which sits on a shelf in my playroom. One of these days I keep promising myself to get a firing cannon. Been playing with some graph paper trying to see what could be done about that. So maybe one of these days Dominick will get an envelope with some lines drawn on graph paper and he can conjure up a real firing cannon for me. Then try and get permission from a local cane farmer to go on his property and actually fire it. Shouldn't have much trouble getting permission, and would probably have a small bunch of folks to watch. Would be a nice way to play don't you think. Frank

Double D · « **Reply #28 on:** April 05, 2009, 05:37:20 PM »

What's wrong with firing that CVA cannon?

DoktorD · « **Reply #29 on:** April 05, 2009, 09:01:57 PM »

Well this is going to sound like a repeat of TK!

When I went to my boyscout camp they always had this neat little black cannon that gave that nice BOOM during flag ceremonies... Eventually I found out it was the Winchester 10 ga signal cannon... SOOO I got me one of my own... LOVED it. Such a nice little peice in a very attractive case. Then I moved on to an 8 ga black powder cannon I found online somewhere that used cannon-mania's 8ga industrial BP blanks. But I've always loved the actual muzzle loading cannons from movies like Gettysburg, Master and Commander, the Patriot... So I eventually got my first 1/2 scale 6 pounder.

I always loved having new, odd things... Carbide cannons, potato cannons (hair spray as well as high tech propane)... But theres just something about black powder that really gets to ya.

Theres no end in sight... just gotta keep feeding the addiction