Author Topic: Discovery Channel Airing RE: Bowling Ball Cannon (Read 2984 times)

gunsonwheels · « **on:** November 21, 2011, 07:08:11 PM »

Don't know if it was a re-run or new but "Gunsmoke" built a bowling ball cannon for a guy and I just finished watching it the episode covering it. I am a bit at a loss of what to say about their effort but I do know I am glad it was not built for me... but I am picky.

Anyone else catch the episode and have any comments...? ? ?

GOW

Double D · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2011, 07:11:19 PM »

I won't get see it until next week...my BS alarm goes of every time I see that show...

Soot · « **Reply #2 on:** November 22, 2011, 12:28:50 AM »

Quote from: Double D on November 21, 2011, 07:11:19 PM

My BS alarm goes of every time I see that show...

I was a bit shocked when they charged $12,000 for a 10 barrel volley gun.
I'm sure a sponsor here could have save that customer vast amounts of cash.

jamesfrom180 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 22, 2011, 02:42:04 AM »

BS meter should have been pegged out on this one....

I thought the first show on a gunsmithing shop was bad but those guys down south look like NASA after I watch a few of these shows. Disappointing when a quick three minutes of effort would have led them here to the vast knowledge and helpfulness that is in this community. I hope the owner chooses to do alittle more research and finds this forum.

Will Bison · « **Reply #4 on:** November 22, 2011, 03:12:11 AM »

That "thing" they built and reffered to as a cannon was awful.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #5 on:** November 22, 2011, 04:07:37 AM »

Y'all are reinforcing my thinking about my practice of not watching TV.

THANKS!

kappullen · « **Reply #6 on:** November 22, 2011, 04:15:32 AM »

The bowling ball mortar on pawn stars a year ago
Was just about as impressive.
And the handgonne on one or the other shows,
With the pressed in breach plug was a real accident
waiting to happiness.
These bombs blow up and it's going to
Be a problem to us all.
Kap

Artilleryman · « **Reply #7 on:** November 22, 2011, 04:49:25 AM »

A little bit of knowledge can be dangerous.

smokemjoe · « **Reply #8 on:** November 22, 2011, 05:45:31 AM »

Thats done me on watching that show and the way he screws people down on there fine guns, I built 2 BB Mortars the way DD said to do and be safe. The way they load the powder into the bomb you cant believe, Doug, when you see this show your kick the TV across the room.

intoodeep · « **Reply #9 on:** November 22, 2011, 05:54:41 AM »

I just watched it. Wow, what a show... It shows everything NOT to do !!! Too bad the general public does not know this.

It was actually one of the worst things I've seen and I hope people don't want a cannon because of this show. I feel sorry for the guy if he actually paid 6k for it.

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #10 on:** November 22, 2011, 06:45:56 AM »

I have it on the DVR...from the content of this thread, I'm curious to see what it's like.

dominick · « **Reply #11 on:** November 22, 2011, 12:41:44 PM »

They have scheduled a Gunsmoke "American Guns" marathon for thanksgiving day. I only saw the first show at 10 pm. I'm usually sound asleep by the time it comes on.

steamer1921 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 22, 2011, 01:18:53 PM »

If I had to pay 6K for that piece o' @#%$, I would have told him to put it in HIS show room to display the stupidity of the project.

For a cannon, I thought they could have done a lot better.

Steamer1921

Double D · « **Reply #13 on:** November 22, 2011, 01:55:21 PM »

Man, you guys are tough, wonder what you say about the K.I.S.S. Bowling ball mortar

smokemjoe · « **Reply #14 on:** November 22, 2011, 03:41:30 PM »

She paid $25.00 for the B. Balls, I got 170 and I pass them up now, My $150.00 investment is now worth $4,250.00, But I would sell a few for $20.00 ea.But you will have to pay the shipping.

jamesfrom180 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 23, 2011, 03:54:06 AM »

As for a K.I.S.S. BB mortar, I would think at the prices they were charging $20K easily. Difference would be I would be happy being in the same county as that device!!!

Co. Batguano · « **Reply #16 on:** November 23, 2011, 06:01:20 AM »

I take it it was not quite up to N-SSA standards then?
You have to wonder who is REALLY paying for this stuff though. I mean, $12,000 of a Colt AR-15 signed by Ollie North, $5000 for a repro James Reid Knuckleduster, $15,000 for a custom Colt Peacemaker, $12,000 for a Bubba'd together Volley gun. $6000 for this silly "cannon". People just don't throw that kind of money around willy-nilly without doing a little research, nor these guys that are HIGHLY successful business people let their stuff go for as cheap as he is on his bids. To think a multi-millionaire would somehow be swayed by seeing a modest mound of cash and a couple of trinkets on a table to somehow "sweeten a deal" is pretty silly. I'm guessing the show producers are the real customers for all the stuff.

dominick · « **Reply #17 on:** November 23, 2011, 10:41:47 AM »

Quote from: Double D on November 22, 2011, 01:55:21 PM

Man, you guys are tough, wonder what you say about the K.I.S.S. Bowling ball mortar

I remember loading the 180lb breech plug into your truck.

I think your mortar will be far more than substantial.

1Southpaw · « **Reply #18 on:** November 23, 2011, 01:37:07 PM »

I caught the show last night . not impressed with the cannon . The placing go the powder is haphazard at best . They said 2000 grains . The bowling balls at that price was laughable .
I noticed they had a whole stack of them at firing time.

gunsonwheels · « **Reply #19 on:** November 23, 2011, 03:26:42 PM »

I do have a couple thoughts about the show and the feedback...

"There's a sucker born every minute..." Don't know who said it but from the show , if it is/was as presented, the saying must be true...

With our precious freedoms will always come the reality of people exercising those freedoms ignorantly, unwittingly and/or downright dangerously. And with that reality will come lawmakers who think the solution to those people's actions is to outlaw, or abolish those freedoms. Sad but true... A silent prayer no-one gets seriously hurt...

Don't know if they buried a chamber and/or allowed ample windage but they seemed very impressed the cylinder was rated at 3000 PSI. The old ordnance manual states 120,000 psi is achieveable with BP contained in the powder's volume and about 45,000 psi if it is set off in twice its volume... 3000 psi cylinder... I, like jamesfrom180 would only feel safe when it went off by being in the next county... but though I am retired, I still think like an engineer.

GOW

Webleys · « **Reply #20 on:** November 24, 2011, 08:03:57 AM »

Really, really stupid!

As someone here once said..."If you feel the need to run, your fuse is cut too short"!

Double D · « **Reply #21 on:** November 24, 2011, 08:34:32 AM »

Quote from: dominick on November 23, 2011, 10:41:47 AM

Quote from: Double D on November 22, 2011, 01:55:21 PM
Man, you guys are tough, wonder what you say about the K.I.S.S. Bowling ball mortar

I remember loading the 180lb breech plug into your truck. I think your mortar will be far more than substantial.

That thing was no where near that heavy, only weighed 146 lbs!

dominick · « **Reply #22 on:** November 24, 2011, 01:07:30 PM »

Quote from: Double D on November 24, 2011, 08:34:32 AM

Quote from: dominick on November 23, 2011, 10:41:47 AM
Quote from: Double D on November 22, 2011, 01:55:21 PM
Man, you guys are tough, wonder what you say about the K.I.S.S. Bowling ball mortar

I remember loading the 180lb breech plug into your truck. I think your mortar will be far more than substantial.
That thing was no where near that heavy, only weighed 146 lbs!

Douglas, Sorry to hear that. If that's the case, I think we need to bring a steel weight table book with us to keep these people honest. They also have a weight book there. I borrowed it from them a few times before dragging a heavy chunk to the scales. Dom

Also, I don't believe any of the prices the tv shows like Gunsmoke and Pawn stars throw out there to us. It's entertainment.

Double D · « **Reply #23 on:** November 24, 2011, 05:36:34 PM »

Dom

I should have bought a got a couple of those billets and made one Gomer and one cylinder chamber.

I have the drawings done for the barrel and breech plug. The powder chamber will be 2.5" x 6" and will have a volume of 57.74 cu. in. http://www.online-calculators.co.uk/volumetric/cylindervolume.php Be sure to use radius and not diameter. Thanks George.

A lb of FFG is about 23 cu in. The goal is to launch a bowling ball 1 mile on the Taft Farms bowling ball proving grounds and bomb range.

dominick · « **Reply #24 on:** November 25, 2011, 12:01:25 PM »

Quote from: Double D on November 24, 2011, 05:36:34 PM

Dom

I should have bought a got a couple of those billets and made one Gomer and one cylinder chamber.

I was there earlier today and they still have them.

Double D · « **Reply #25 on:** November 25, 2011, 12:25:36 PM »

Quote from: dominick on November 25, 2011, 12:01:25 PM

Quote from: Double D on November 24, 2011, 05:36:34 PM
Dom

I should have bought a got a couple of those billets and made one Gomer and one cylinder chamber.

I was there earlier today and they still have them.

It's going to be over a year until I get back there again...I think one of these is enough. There size doesn't lend them, to great interchangeability. I might play with this concept with the pop can mortar.

flagman1776 · « **Reply #26 on:** November 25, 2011, 04:59:31 PM »

Double D · « **Reply #27 on:** November 25, 2011, 05:25:13 PM »

That's one my saying....if you have to run away from your cannon, it probably ain't safe to shoot...

This bowling ball mortar I am building will be a bit different. No worry about bursting, but the concussion will be uncomfortable if you stand to close. I'll fire this one with friction primers. But I won't run away from it.

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #28 on:** November 26, 2011, 03:49:44 AM »

I finally had time to see the episode...Power-Ring and all.

It was an interesting concept, but the end result was rather CHEEZY in my opinion. The building process looked so simple that the impression was given that anyone could have built that thing in their garage over the weekend and the scary thing is that there will be people out there that saw the eipsode and will think that they can/should build it...and they most likely will follow that desire to own a home-made bowling ball cannon. The problem will be the experimenters that build their BB Cannon and want to increase the powder charges...to see how far and how big....

Imagine a whole bunch of Wanna-Be Cannoneers building bowling ball cannons because of what they saw on "American Gun". This show needs to go back to the original tag-line of, "I'm one of the only gunsmiths remaining that can take a block of steel and build you a gun."

...I think that I can start building me a bowling ball cannon next weekend, I should have most of the parts by then.

smokemjoe · « **Reply #29 on:** November 26, 2011, 03:55:33 PM »

I have had 3 people come up to me in stores here now and say they were thinking of me with my bowling ball mortars that I have and say they did you seen the BB cannon on tv.
I tell them thats its not saft and its a bomb waiting to blow up. They say why, Its on TV ?