Author Topic: More on home-made cannon bullets (Read 1590 times)

Cat Whisperer · « **on:** December 21, 2003, 02:50:56 AM »

Reposted from N-SSA board. There is also a thread prior to this one.

Posted by Randy Sanders (Guest) on December 15, 2003 at 15:22:21:
Does anyone use anything else besides a round ball as a artllery projectile in a smooth bore? any suggestions previous post wasn' clear . Sorry

Posted by Ed Lee, 1st Va. Cav. (0509V) on December 16, 2003 at 11:13:38:
In Reply to: Artillery Smooth bore projectile posted by Randy Sanders on December 15, 2003 at 15:22:21:
The 1st Va. Cav. uses a piece of 3" Schedule 40 pipe turned down to .010 under bore size with a piece of plate welded on the front, a piece of rebar up through the middle and filled with concrete. The round is well greased before being loaded. We have won several nationals using this round. Hope this helps.
Ed

rampa room artillery · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2006, 02:52:06 PM »

when i was at the last cannon shoot at the fort, i found one of there rounds and can make pictures if you guys would like?

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2006, 03:04:59 PM »

Quote from: rampa room artillery

when i was at the last cannon shoot at the fort, i found one of there rounds and can make pictures if you guys would like?

Before you ask, the answer is YES!

Powder keg · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2006, 03:41:02 PM »

What Cat said!!!

das · « **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2006, 07:00:11 PM »

After extensive research [talking over beers], and many loads with different size charges [after sobering up], we have come to the conclusion that a perfect home made projectile for the pieces we build is a 35 mm film canister from Fuji Film. We have tried several different ones, but the white ones Fuji makes gives us just the right amount of windage. When filled and slightly rounded over the top with a concrete mortar mix you can punch quite a nice hole in an old car door!!! 30 yards and 200 grains of 1f can be quite devastateing!!!

So for anyone with a true or just slightly over 1.25" cannon you might give it a try for yourself.
David, Loose Cannon Gun Works.
Say a prayer and pass the ammo, the politicans are headed this way.

dominick · « **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2006, 08:36:37 AM »

Quote

The 1st Va. Cav. uses a piece of 3" Schedule 40 pipe turned down to .010 under bore size with a piece of plate welded on the front, a piece of rebar up through the middle and filled with concrete.

Does anyone know what is the purpose of the rebar? How is a misfire handled as far as projectile retrieval? Is that a bit tight for windage or can certain type of ordinance use tighter tolerances?

rampa room artillery · « **Reply #6 on:** January 23, 2006, 08:51:45 AM »

the purpose of the bar is to keep the cret from sliding out of the pipe.
i have pics i will post them soon,

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #7 on:** January 23, 2006, 09:32:02 AM »

Quote from: rampa room artillery

the purpose of the bar is to keep the cret from sliding out of the pipe.
i have pics i will post them soon,

That makes sense. I make 4" (4" id, 4.5" od) rounds from pvc pipe. Concrete will shrink very slightly in the first day of hardening. Generally it stays in from wall friciton.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #8 on:** January 23, 2006, 10:35:07 AM »

I have observed this round being loaded. With the close windage and grease there appears to be a lot of back pressure during loading. I would think that more attention to stopping the vent during loading would need to be attended to.

The 1st VA. has been very successful with this round for quite a number of years.

CU_Cannon · « **Reply #9 on:** January 24, 2006, 02:43:25 PM »

My 12 pdr is bored to accept 4.5Â” projectiles. I like the idea a of using the 4Â” pvc pipe filled with concrete. My concern is that the bottom of my bore is hemispherical like the originals. The concrete filled pvc would have a square bottom resulting in a large air space above the projectile. Any thoughts?

Double D · « **Reply #10 on:** January 24, 2006, 02:59:45 PM »

The back of your cartridge when rammed home will fit the chamber. When the projectile is rammed home the front of the cartridge will take the shape of the back of the projectile.

rampa room artillery · « **Reply #11 on:** January 24, 2006, 03:26:00 PM »

not so on a cohorn mortor the spherical botton has a powder chamber were the powder is placed there is no powder charge or lol aluminum foil charge, i woul dnot worry about it, try it on a lowered load. then go up, your round doent even hit the powder anyway with the round ball, if it is like mine. the flight of the round might not be as true as the mortor ball tho.
let me know what you find.

Rick

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #12 on:** January 24, 2006, 03:46:13 PM »

Quote from: CU_Cannon

My 12 pdr is bored to accept 4.5Â” projectiles. I like the idea a of using the 4Â” pvc pipe filled with concrete. My concern is that the bottom of my bore is hemispherical like the originals. The concrete filled pvc would have a square bottom resulting in a large air space above the projectile. Any thoughts?

My bore diameter is 4.550 to fit the 4.500 OD of the 4" pvc pipe. Mine has a powder chamber.

From everything I've read or experienced, I don't think that having a little extra air space is going to do much harm. It will be consistant - therefore not creating a variation in velocity as well. YMMV.

You could, of course, build a hemispherical mould for that end of the pvc pipe for a closer fit.

gary michie · « **Reply #13 on:** January 24, 2006, 05:25:20 PM »

Quote from: CU_Cannon

My 12 pdr is bored to accept 4.5Â” projectiles. I like the idea a of using the 4Â” pvc pipe filled with concrete. My concern is that the bottom of my bore is hemispherical like the originals. The concrete filled pvc would have a square bottom resulting in a large air space above the projectile. Any thoughts?

Hi
STRAP YOUR POWDER CHARGE TO A SABOT AND YOUR PROJECTILE TO IT MAKE YOUR CHARGE AND SORBOT THE SHAPE OF THE HEMISPHERICAL SECTION OF YOUR BORE.
GARY

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #14 on:** January 25, 2006, 12:03:47 AM »

I can see the croquet balls in the neighborhood disappearing one by one just before each mortar shoot.

(I've got a bandsaw you can use if you need.)

CU_Cannon · « **Reply #15 on:** January 25, 2006, 11:07:18 AM »

My bore is 4.62Â”. I went by the bore size for the 12pdr mountain howitzer.

I think a sabot carved to match the barrel would work. I will need to do some experimentation once I get my mortar done.

Indecently candlepin bowling balls are 4.5Â” in diameter and around 2.5 lbs.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #16 on:** January 25, 2006, 11:40:04 AM »

Quote from: CU_Cannon

My bore is 4.62Â”. I went by the bore size for the 12pdr mountain howitzer.

I think a sabot carved to match the barrel would work. I will need to do some experimentation once I get my mortar done.

Indecently candlepin bowling balls are 4.5Â” in diameter and around 2.5 lbs.

I have one bowling ball of about that size, but it's bigger than 4.55 - I'll mike it.

rampa room artillery · « **Reply #17 on:** January 25, 2006, 12:16:47 PM »

ok how do you put pics up on here? please in laymens terms

GGaskill · « **Reply #18 on:** January 25, 2006, 01:23:07 PM »

ok how do you put pics up on here? please in laymens terms

OK, this is about as layman as I can get.
Step 1: Save the image on your computer someplace where you won't forget.
Step 2: At the top of the page is a link to the GBO Photo Album. Click it.
Step 3: There is an icon at the upper left of the displayed images labeled "upload pic". Click it.
Step 4: Fill in a picture title, then click the Browse button to find your image on your machine.
Step 5: Find your image and double click on it.
Step 6: Click the Submit button at the bottom.

Assuming your picture is OK and not too large, it will be hosted on the Graybeard Photo Album. Now,

Step 7: Go to the Photo Album and find your image. Right click on it and select Properties.
Step 8: Expand the Properties window until the whole URL (called something like Location) of the image shows.
Step 9: Cut and Paste (actually cut only) the image URL. Use the CTRL+C to do the cut.
Step 10: Go to the forum and thread where you want to display the image.
Step 11: Create your post.
Step 12: At the place you want your image inserted, type in the following <img src=" followed by pasting (use the CTRL+V) the image URL, followed by the following "> so a full string would look like
[img width= height=]http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/album_pic.php?pic_id=1132[/img]
Step 13: Finish your post and post it.

Your post should come back with the image in it. There is a TEST forum near the bottom of the main Forum index where you can practice this process.

cam0063 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 25, 2006, 02:11:55 PM »

An interesting thread.

A mate of mine here has a canon, with the bore diamater approx size of a cokes can. He cuts the cans in half fills with concrete and uses these when he runs out balls. For balls, my brother and other friends in the mining industry, set aside Mill balls from the gold crushing plants. When they are discarded they are near perfect size and perfectly round. They are solid hardened steel tho. An old dead tree just explodes when hit

We have been very successfull bouncing them across lakes on his ranch too. Its all fun...

cheers,

Cam...

Double D · « **Reply #20 on:** January 25, 2006, 02:16:59 PM »

It's easier than that.

Right click on the picture on your websitesite, select properties, copy the URL and paste in the Graybeard post window. Highlight the url in the reply window and click the IMG button

Or if you have a photohosting sight create a link or url or copy the auto generated url and paste in the Graybeard post window. Highlight the url in the reply window and click the IMG button

GGaskill · « **Reply #21 on:** January 25, 2006, 02:23:17 PM »

The BBCode is not working for me, although regular html does.

Double D · « **Reply #22 on:** January 25, 2006, 03:57:55 PM »

Quote from: GGaskill

The BBCode is not working for me, although regular html does.

I check your post and it says it's on. Check your profile and see if you have it selected.

GGaskill · « **Reply #23 on:** January 25, 2006, 09:02:40 PM »

Check your profile and see if you have it selected.

It's on in both places. It's not a big deal for me as I am reasonably proficient in html. More was wondering if there is a problem related to the other recent problems the forum has experienced.