Author Topic: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".  (Read 1757 times)

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Offline Cannoneer

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3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« on: March 20, 2012, 04:33:11 PM »
 I'm watching "Top Shots" on the "History Channel", and they're competing with an 1898 3.2-inch bag gun at 300 yards. I don't watch this show all that often, but this is a pretty darn good episode.
RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline intoodeep

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2012, 05:00:53 PM »
I've been waiting for that episode.... I'm too cheap for cable so, I have to wait till Thursday and view it via Hulu/HC.
If you make it idiot proof, then, someone will make a better idiot.


Offline BoomLover

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2012, 05:03:49 PM »
8PM here on the Best Coast right now...I'm taping it!
"Beware the Enemy With-in, for these are perilous times! Those who promise to protect and defend our Constitution, but do neither, should be evicted from public office in disgrace!

Offline Double D

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2012, 05:14:24 PM »
Just now came on in MT.

Offline Artilleryman

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2012, 05:20:46 PM »
I didn't catch the training session.  They actually did very well considering that they changed out gunners for each shot.  There is a crew at Grayling that shoots one of these guns.
Norm Gibson, 1st SC Vol., ACWSA

Offline Double D

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2012, 05:27:25 PM »
Norm,

Could they be shooting that gun?

I thought the did pretty good also.  Looked like fun.

Offline Cannoneer

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2012, 05:42:43 PM »
The 'Blue Team' bettered the 'Red Team' by an eighth of an inch, so some good all-round shooting. Rick Pohlers instructed the teams on how to use the cannon.

http://warmemorials.us/artillery/m1885_3.2in_waterford.html

http://warmemorials.us/artillery/m1885_3.2in.html


flickr, Mr. T in DC, Fort Washington.

RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline intoodeep

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2012, 06:03:28 PM »
The 'Blue Team' bettered the 'Red Team' by an eighth of an inch, so some good all-round shooting. Rick Pohlers instructed the teams on how to use the cannon.

http://warmemorials.us/artillery/m1885_3.2in_waterford.html

 Yeah, and Rick is also an AWESOME wood worker. Cannons and wood masterpieces. I must really be doing something wrong......  :(

http://www.rickpohlers.com/about
If you make it idiot proof, then, someone will make a better idiot.


Offline Double D

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #8 on: March 20, 2012, 06:53:18 PM »
I think he was on  Pawn Stars also.

Offline cannonmn

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #9 on: March 20, 2012, 10:37:30 PM »
Here's a video of Mr. Ed and me shooting a 3" Navy Breechloading Rifle-also a bag gun.  We like shooting this type of gun-having no cartridge case cuts the "antique cannon ammo" supply problem in half.  The gent we borrowed the 3"  "Trashcan" projectile mold from wanted it back, but loaned us his brand-new "air rifle pellet" 3" mold, so we've been casting projectiles with that in preparation for another cannon-shooting adventure one of these days.

Offline dominick

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #10 on: March 21, 2012, 01:46:18 AM »
The aluminum projectiles were interesting.  I didn't see a driving band on it to engage the rifling.  From the looks of the slo-mo of the round exiting the bore, it appears as if the round was soft enough to rifle.  What do you think?

Offline Max Caliber

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #11 on: March 21, 2012, 02:02:06 AM »
The gun they were shooting was the Model 1890 (like the one in Cannoneer's pictures), not the Model 1885. You can tell because the model 1890 barrel jacket extending forward of the trunnions is shorter than on the Model 1885 which also has a barrel sleeve that extends further up the barrel. The gun was leaking gas badly at the breech because the obturator head was visibly damaged and the fact that they were using reduced loads that probably were not producing enough pressure to seal the breech.
Max

Offline jamesfrom180

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #12 on: March 21, 2012, 03:19:34 AM »
During the show I thought one shot of the breach showed the obutrator pad split. :o Since I am not familiar with this gun I thought the leaking gas was par for the course.  Also seems the teams were man handling the gun alot and not using the wheels to get finer adjustments.  Overall enjoyable to watch just seems they should have been drilled better on its use.  Hard to take an amateur teach them safety and gun handling I guess. 

Overall was happy to see our hobby in a good light and not associated with a pipe bomb. ;D
AMMA Bosslopper 1988

Offline Artilleryman

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #13 on: March 21, 2012, 09:21:50 AM »
Norm,

Could they be shooting that gun?

I thought the did pretty good also.  Looked like fun.

Maybe, but I don't think so. 
Norm Gibson, 1st SC Vol., ACWSA

Offline Artilleryman

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #14 on: March 21, 2012, 09:25:07 AM »
The aluminum projectiles were interesting.  I didn't see a driving band on it to engage the rifling.  From the looks of the slo-mo of the round exiting the bore, it appears as if the round was soft enough to rifle.  What do you think?

Aluminum would be too light.  The guys at Grayling use zinc which engraves on the rifling along the body of the projectile which is what I believe was happening during this show.
Norm Gibson, 1st SC Vol., ACWSA

Offline Artilleryman

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2012, 09:27:32 AM »
During the show I thought one shot of the breach showed the obutrator pad split. :o Since I am not familiar with this gun I thought the leaking gas was par for the course.  Also seems the teams were man handling the gun alot and not using the wheels to get finer adjustments.  Overall enjoyable to watch just seems they should have been drilled better on its use.  Hard to take an amateur teach them safety and gun handling I guess. 

Overall was happy to see our hobby in a good light and not associated with a pipe bomb. ;D

I don't understand why they were manhandling the barrel.  All of the windage adjustments should have been made with the hand spike.
Norm Gibson, 1st SC Vol., ACWSA

Offline jamesfrom180

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Re: 3.2-inch bag gun on "Top Shots".
« Reply #16 on: March 21, 2012, 09:53:16 AM »
They did not have a prepared position also.  Gun seemed to have sunk into the sand of the range pretty good after the practice sessions or at least looked to be the same position.   
AMMA Bosslopper 1988