New Guy looking for Advice and Help

[Double D]

If you are patient in a couple of weeks I will putting up a whole new thread on building a bowling ball mortar including plans.   You may be able to shoot a bowling ball with 300 grains, but not far.  Bowling ball mortars are big guns and area lot of work and expensive to feed.  If you start with a bowling ball mortar you can quickly get discouraged-it is a lot of work.

To start, a pop can mortar is a pretty good size to begin with.  Our sponsors can help you there. 

As the result of a contest we had here 8-9 years ago I got hooked in on a design I call K.I.S.S.  design.  I made a number of Golf  ball mortars in the design and last year I built a pop can mortar in the design.  The bowling ball mortar I am working will be of this design also.

One solid piece oaf advice I can give you before you build or buy, do your research.  Find out how a cannon is safely made and how to shoot it.   Before you buy a cannon run it by use here.  We can tell you the pros and cons.  We aren't bashful, we will tell you the truth.  Be fore warned, there are folks out there making cannons who have no idea what they are doing.  If you question  them about and issue, such  as a seamless barrel liner, and they respond something like, you don't need that or I have sold a lot of these withn o problem--run!

If you will look at the  stickies at the top of the board you will find one called References: Cannon FAQ's, Posting Picture Books, the web, and Cannon Plans.  Take a look at it. Lots of good ideas in there.  Also read  Safe loads and construction.

By the way  phsarge, Vrod and  Kaboom, welcome to the board!!!

[kaboom]

Thanks for the advise Double D.
 
I have been doing af research and reading all I can find.  I am one who does a lot of research and learning about something before I make a purchase.  I like to be well informed on a subject.  In reading I have not come up with a practicle size load so that is why I brought up 300 grains or so.  I can see shooting something with a few onces of powder but I did not want to use to much and deffinately get discouraged.
 
I personally want to shoot a projectile and not just a signal cannon.  I think that if I see one that someone has made I will know some of the important question to ask.  I did see the Gunsmoke episode and thought about how they made theirs and came up with the same thoughts that others here passed along.  I would have thought that a proffesional would have done more research before building what they did.
 
If I am looking for a soda can cannon what size would be a place to start looking at?  Also what size charge works well for  that kind of cannon?  There is a local guy here in town that has been building cannon ball mortars but I will pass on his design.  He uses a O2 cylinder and tripod legs or mounts it to a small trailer how ever it does not look like a passible pre 1899 style.  It also looks week in the powder chamber area.
 
If any other persoon has something to add or has a cannon for sale or a recomendation I am open to suggestions.  Thanks...

[Double D]

Kaboom, it sounds like you are starting off on the right foot.

My K.I.S.S. mortar will toss a pop can 100 yards with  200 grains of Fg.

[GGaskill]

When I first shot my bowling ball mortar, I had no idea how much powder to use so I started with a small charge and the ball went about 50 yards, accompanied by much laughing from the audience (we had about 25 viewers at the first launch.)  Eventually I moved up to about 4 ounces and that was enough to impress.  We were shooting up a hillside so I don't know what kind of range it would have had on the flat but it was good.  The final shot landed square on a big rock and the bowling ball exploded into at least a dozen pieces; a fitting conclusion.

Black powder costs about a dollar an ounce with today's devalued dollars.  On the other hand, factory centerfire ammo is close to a dollar a round now and you will shoot a lot more of that in a session than you will bowling balls.

[kaboom]

Thanks for some more info and advice.  Anything that I can learn and add to the equation is so helpful.  I can relate to $4.00 a shot.  That is reasonable.  When shooting a gun my AK rounds are cheap but I can sure empty a mag fast.  Same thing with my hand guns too.  I can even shoot up a box of 22cal. fast too and they are 2-3 bucks a box now.
 
Well I am still looking and I am sure the right one will come across my path and I will bring it home.  Can't wait. I like the way you worded the "enough to impress" statement.  Cool!!!

[phsarge]

Well looking through the classifieds I see Armorer77 had a GB howitzer for sale. Not sure if he still does so I emailed him to see if he does or doesn't but looks like it may be a good starting point.

[Mike H.]

Well looking through the classifieds I see Armorer77 had a GB howitzer for sale. Not sure if he still does so I emailed him to see if he does or doesn't but looks like it may be a good starting point.

He builds them. He has that and much more.  Go to the stickies and check out his web site. Also Dominick's.  Either can set you up nicely. They are both sponsors.

[armorer77]

I think that I can accommodate you . Right now I am working full time plus Christmas rush so there is a bit of a backlog . Armorer77

[Zulu]

New Guys,
Don't forget this fabulous "Brooks" gun is still available.  I will honor the Black Friday price.
Zulu
 
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