BP Pellets for Salute Cannon and Mortar

[nematode]

Does anyone know if powder pellets can work with salute cannon and mortar? In my shopping for BP I have come across pellets in various calibers and wonder if they might work when the caliber and bore match? Would be a simple way for newcomers like me to fire the cannon. I have a 100cal superX mortar by Brooks-USA and I doubt pellets are available that size but the 9mm Krupp Howitzer might be a different story. Is 9mm the same as .45 or .50 caliber? Pellets are available for those calibers and maybe other sizes also. The pellets I have seen are not pure BP but smokeless types, however, for sake of convenience it might be worth trying. I can get these at my local shops. I value your thoughts on this and if the topic has been posted previously, please pardon.

[Double D]

Skip,

I was just reponding to you in the Krupp thread.  I'll move it here.

If you are having trouble getting Black powder then it might be worth your time to stock up.  Check the shooting schedule for the N-SSA at Fort Shenandoah near Winchester, VA. Mortars and cannons are usually fired on Friday.  Contact Back Creek Gunshop http://www.blackpowderva.com/ before you go and make an appointment to pick up powder.   Back Creek is located out the back gate of Fort Shenandoah.  They will sell you one pound, but given its a 4 hour drive from you in DE- Lewes? I would buy more than that.

Another location near you that has had black powder, where my son who lives in Maryland gets his powder, is the Bass Pro Shop in Hanover MD.  This a hot link to their website.  I would call them before driving over. Make sure they can sell to folks form out of state. Now before you say that is far, I checked and from Lewes to Hanover MD where the store is is only 114 miles.  We have to drive further than that here to get to the nearest Wal-mart.

And while I have your attention...I believe in the past you made some reference to doing some casting.  I would like to hear what you might have to add to the post...http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,205676.0.html. 
 

[nematode]

Thanks DD - I was online looking at BassPro shop before posting this new topic and in fact that is where I found the pellets. I will call them and of course my thinking is to drive there for sure. If they have BP and can sell it to me will be a deal and I will head up on a weekday soon. Thanks very much. That would be much closer than driving to Winchester VA. Will comment here again when I find out what I have to do. Will take a look at the other thread you included and comment over there.

[Double D]

Does anyone know if powder pellets can work with salute cannon and mortar? In my shopping for BP I have come across pellets in various calibers and wonder if they might work when the caliber and bore match?

The pellets are all synthetic, black powder substitutes.  All the synthetics are corrosive and you must clean as you would after firing corrosive primed or charged cartridges.  The synthetics also generate higher pressures than black powder.  You can use the load charts posted by the synthetic makers for the products in the proper caliber.   Reduce the charges substantially and work up.  The charges listed in the load charts are for hand held weapons.  Cannons are not held and if you use the loads on the charts there is good chance the cannon will become secondary projectile.  Pyrodex also requires resistance to work right.  Not problem in the small arms calibers, but difficult to achieve safely in the large calibers.

I would be especially leery of using any of the synthetics in a brass barrel.  I had brass cartridge cases that had been cleaned and stored  while I was In South Africa.  One batch of 45/70's had shot nothing but Pyrodex, the other set 577/450's had fired nothing but Triple 7. Both set of cases had the zinc corroded out and the cases failed.  Bad enough I lost 100 45/70's , but 20 577/450 cases at $5 a case really stung!  I had to dig in to some old books on reloading to even find out what was going on.  Apparently brass failure was a common occurrence in the old days of corrosive powders and primers.

If the corrosive residue can damage cartridge brass, it sure can't be good in a brass cannon.

[nematode]

You've talked me out of it. Heck cannons and black powder stuff is pretty complicated. Hard for a newbie like me to get in and know what I am doing. I am not aware of any clubs in my area. I heard of one or two black powder cannon enthusiasts over the last couple years. I spoke with one on the phone who isn't into it anymore and the 2nd guy did not answer my email. Too bad because I was thinking to get together and shoot. For now, it's just me and I know nothing except for what I am absorbing here. Thanks again DD - I'll leave the pellets alone. Could pellets be made with BP? If so it could be a nifty product.

Called Basspro MD - was put on hold twice and hung up. Emailed the store manager and am waiting for information whether or not they have FFG black powder. If they do I'll get up there next week! Thanks again.

[Double D]

The drive to Winchester is a long ways, but well worth seeing a 500 yard long firing line and a firing mortar every 25 feet.  It is awesome.  A little tourism and incidental purchase of blackpowder and a better price...



And then on Saturday Cannons



..and this is live fire!

[nematode]

Great photos - thanks DD. I might get over there. Would be pretty cool. Will keep it in mind. Thanks.

[Double D]

You may think that is dust speck on the pictures of the mortar...ain't, it's balls in the air.

[nematode]

wow... you're kidding me! i see other specs in the top photos also - i presume these are balls further out? amazing - great photography! thanks again DD - i bet the air shakes when those balls fly.

[Cat Whisperer]

Great photos - thanks DD. I might get over there. Would be pretty cool. Will keep it in mind. Thanks.

Skip -  if you're headedup that way, let me know (it's only a couple hundred miles for me & I need to get some black powder). 

[nematode]

Great photos - thanks DD. I might get over there. Would be pretty cool. Will keep it in mind. Thanks.

Skip -  if you're headedup that way, let me know (it's only a couple hundred miles for me & I need to get some black powder). 

I won't be going anytime soon but will let you know Cat. I think it is closer for me but not by much.

[Victor3]

Could pellets be made with BP? If so it could be a nifty product.

 A while back, a poster here had the hair-brained idea to make BP pellets using nitrocellulose cement as the binder...

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,169157.msg1098782398.html#msg1098782398

[Soot]

Did you ever test you BP cow pies is a cannon?

[nematode]

Thanks for the thread Victor3 - very interesting. Did anything more come from it?

[rampa room artillery]

we have nationals here in 3 weeks if anyone is interested in coming and being shown around let me know i will be there shooting and will show you around. and if you are up for camping in a tent  i have a spot you can set your tent up, our camping area is kinda tight for anymore campers.



rick bryan n-ssa.
 3rd va co B

[Victor3]

Thanks for the thread Victor3 - very interesting. Did anything more come from it?

 Not yet. I did locate some teflon blocks though. Maybe I'll find time to take the idea off the back burner sometime soon...

[Cannoneer]

Victor I opened the link you posted and read that old thread where I was poking your balloon with a pin, and boy do I feel bad about it. You do believe me, don't you Victor?

[nematode]

we have nationals here in 3 weeks if anyone is interested in coming and being shown around let me know i will be there shooting and will show you around. and if you are up for camping in a tent  i have a spot you can set your tent up, our camping area is kinda tight for anymore campers.



rick bryan n-ssa.
 3rd va co B

Rick - can you tell me where "here" is?

[Double D]

Here is Fort Shenandoah home of the  North South Skirmish Association.  http://www.n-ssa.org/

[nematode]

Understood - thanks DD.