Golf Ball Howitzer Advise/Help

[Warlock1]

First Post here, but been lurking for awhile, very informative and additive forum.
Im trying to put together all the pieces to build a bronze cast Howitzer. I have a cast that I will be working with, but I need to resize for golf balls (1.723 bore). My searches have not revealed a source for purchasing a barrel, any help would be appreciated.
I will be building the frame, probably out of Red Oak, and thinking of building the wheels as well, so a link to any original specs to build would be helpful.


Thanks in advance for any help.

[Warlock1]

overall length is 28".

[GGaskill]

What are the diameters?

[Warlock1]

 I believe he said that was a 2 1/2" core on the end of it, so a 1.723" bore plus the sleeve would would come out to 2 1/2". I dont have easy access to the cast, but I think its 3" at the muzzle.

[GGaskill]

The most important diameter is the breech diameter and if this hasn't been drilled yet, you want the chamber to be one third of the breech diameter.  If that is less than the bore diameter, it is OK as howitzers were mostly chambered pieces anyway.  It complicates loading a little bit but is manageable.  The chamber length will determine how much powder you can use but if all you are going to shoot is golf balls, you won't need a lot of powder for them.

[carmy53]

That's a very nice looking piece. I'd like to have one like that in golf ball size myself. Could we see more pictures of the markings on the barrel?

[Cannoneer]

I was kind of surprised to see D. (Daniel) King and Germantown (Pennsylvania) in raised letters on the reinforce, along with U.S. 1776 in front of the vent field.

[buzz36]

that would make a sweet barrel i sure  like to know if you going to pour  let me know  i would be interested in one  as well

[Warlock1]

So far he is waiting for me to make him the bore mold for it, I had been looking for the right size pipe to cut in half to make the sand mould, but no luck so far. I have a friend that is a pattern maker, so I may have to seek out his assistants. Does someone sell a seamless bore? Can I purchase any seamless tube and weld the plug? I dont have the proper term down yet, so please excuse me if a get some of them wrong, still learning them.
Hope someone can help with the questions.
I will ask if he would be willing to make a couple of them.

[Warlock1]

That's a very nice looking piece. I'd like to have one like that in golf ball size myself. Could we see more pictures of the markings on the barrel?

Sorry the only pic I have of it so far. Does anyone have an idea of what this would be worth? We havent worked that part out yet.

[GGaskill]

It sounds like you aren't very far along in this project, so let's talk it out before you are committed to something less than satisfactory.

I gather that the picture you posted is what you would like, not what you already have.

[Warlock1]

It sounds like you aren't very far along in this project, so let's talk it out before you are committed to something less than satisfactory.

I gather that the picture you posted is what you would like, not what you already have.

The picture is of the cast, it has not been poured yet. I still need to get the bore right, so I can have the sand mold for the bore made, thats why I keep asking about the liners.

[GGaskill]

The picture is of the cast...

Do you mean that is the pattern, the thing you are going to embed in the sand to make the mould? 

It is better to cast solid and drill the bore than trying to cast with a core that is supported at only one end.  It is also better to cast solid than trying to cast around a tube for the bore although it is unlikely you would melt through while casting bronze around a steel liner.

[Warlock1]

The picture is of the cast...

Do you mean that is the pattern, the thing you are going to embed in the sand to make the mould? 

It is better to cast solid and drill the bore than trying to cast with a core that is supported at only one end.  It is also better to cast solid than trying to cast around a tube for the bore although it is unlikely you would melt through while casting bronze around a steel liner.

Ok, your asking questions I know absolutely nothing about. I have someone doing the cast for me, I dont know how they do their job, so  I guess that makes my questions confusing. I just need to come up with the pattern for the bore, so he can make a sand mould to cast around. I thought that if I got a line longer than I needed I could just cut to length. If it wont fit this pattern we could just use one of the other patterns. Your saying I should bore the solid core, that a lot different than I was thinking. Not sure who could bore it, but can ask around.


So, once again where is a good place to purchase a seamless liner? I will need it eventually....... I hope!
And does anyone have ideas on plans for the carriage?

[Warlock1]

Well, he got impatient waiting and made the core print. I get what I get now. I will have fun with it no matter what we end up with. Have fun and shoot safe. 

[flagman1776]

As has been stated, it is best to cast the tube solid & drill it out on a big lathe ensuring the bore is centered.  It's is also best to pour vertically with the muzzle up.  Impurities & flaws migrate to the center& tend to rise, and are removed with the boring & trim to length.  The breech has all the pressure of the pour & would have the least flaws in the chamber area where it's needed most.  After drilling, the liner (needs to be breeched properly as well) is inserted.   
These were lessons learned in the early 1800s...  In those days, the number of service charges was recorded & cast tubes were retired when they reached certain numbers.  In battle compromises in safety were taken...  risk of harm from an occasional exploding piece or other accident were ballanced against the harm the enemy was trying to do to you.  A few casualties were acceptable "fortunes of war".  Today we have zero tollerance for casualities.  You must know beyond a shaddow of a doubt that you have a cannon & not a pipe bomb.
I do not mean this to be critical.  We, who love these contraptions, have all had to evaluate...  and often modify...  our own plans.

[Warlock1]

As has been stated, it is best to cast the tube solid & drill it out on a big lathe ensuring the bore is centered.  It's is also best to pour vertically with the muzzle up.  Impurities & flaws migrate to the center& tend to rise, and are removed with the boring & trim to length.  The breech has all the pressure of the pour & would have the least flaws in the chamber area where it's needed most.  After drilling, the liner (needs to be breeched properly as well) is inserted.   
These were lessons learned in the early 1800s...  In those days, the number of service charges was recorded & cast tubes were retired when they reached certain numbers.  In battle compromises in safety were taken...  risk of harm from an occasional exploding piece or other accident were ballanced against the harm the enemy was trying to do to you.  A few casualties were acceptable "fortunes of war".  Today we have zero tollerance for casualities.  You must know beyond a shaddow of a doubt that you have a cannon & not a pipe bomb.
I do not mean this to be critical.  We, who love these contraptions, have all had to evaluate...  and often modify...  our own plans.

+1 safety first

[GGaskill]

Well, he got impatient waiting and made the core print.

Frankly, I think this is a mistake, especially of this is the first cannon barrel he has cast. 

In the early days of cannon making, the barrels were cast with a core, but starting in the 18th century, the barrels were cast solid and the bores were drilled.  Then around the US Civil War period, Rodman started casting with a water cooled core for the purpose of controlling the solidification of the castings, but the bore was still drilled and reamed to finish it.

[Warlock1]

Frankly, I think this is a mistake, especially of this is the first cannon barrel he has cast.

This is not his first cast cannon, and he works with and cast bronze every day. His impatience was a results of me take days (in an effort to try to be involved) to try to figure out something he does in a half hour.

With todays standards on cast cannons, I would say casting cannons makes no sense at all. The seamless liner is really the cannon and the casting is pretty much just for looks. With that said I see this cannon being turned on a lathe, hopefully in the near future.


I have been using black powder for many years and for many different things, caution is always a concern. 

[Double D]

There is a difference between knowing  how cast bronze  and knowing how to cast a bronze cannon...core casting was given up as as viable  in the late 1700's.

[Warlock1]

Yup, gotcha scrap the core casting! Moving on. If this is poured as a solid unit I would still need to have a seamless liner/bore, correct?

[GGaskill]

If the bore to wall thickness ratio is good, it wouldn't require a liner.  On the other hand, a steel liner wouldn't wear significantly while a bronze bore would, although you would have to use it a lot to get to the point it was too worn.

[Warlock1]

If the bore to wall thickness ratio is good, it wouldn't require a liner.  On the other hand, a steel liner wouldn't wear significantly while a bronze bore would, although you would have to use it a lot to get to the point it was too worn.

Thank you for your response, not something I would shoot often I'm thing now anyway. Breech end Is 5"+ bore is 1.723, so I would be fine at an 1 5/8" wall thickness, and even more behind the powder chamber. I was under the impression that any cast need a seamless liner, thank you for clearing that up.

[GGaskill]

You need a liner if you are going to fire it in the various organized shoots (N-SSA, etc.) according to their rules. 

Since you are drilling the bore, I would do a powder chamber that is smaller than the bore which is typical of smoothbore howitzers.  That way you have additional metal around the explosion yet can shoot larger shot.