Author Topic: Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon replica #2 (Read 5371 times)

dominick · « **on:** March 30, 2012, 02:22:41 AM »

I started building another Hotchkiss cannon a few months ago and finally completed the barrel assembly. This is #3 of the rotating barrel cannons I made and is also a muzzleloader. The 5 barrels are 50 caliber and 10" in length and the overall length of the gun assembly is 17". It has a worm and pin wheel mechanism that rotates the barrel 1/5th of a turn for each revolution of the crank handle and a rotary sear and hammer mechanism that fires each 22 caliber percussion cap. I'll make a video soon of the mechanism functioning and then I'll make a video of it firing when I complete the mount in another week or two. A naval cage mount with shield for this one.

Dom

Max Caliber · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2012, 02:34:37 AM »

Dom, That is really nice work. Great pictures too.

jamesfrom180 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2012, 03:28:32 AM »

Very very nice. Can't wait to see it cycle. Hard to get an idea of scale. Looks monstrous right now.

Double D · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2012, 06:59:24 AM »

Leave it to Dom to come up with the next "cool".

Spuddy · « **Reply #4 on:** March 30, 2012, 07:08:33 AM »

Nice Dom! I can't wait to see what it looks like on the cage mount.

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2012, 07:57:05 AM »

Dom, Is this the "Cage Mount" which you spoke about? If this is the one, then I will repeat what I said a year ago, "Sign me up!" I really, really love the look of that one. It even has bullet shields for your legs. Isn't the Navy considerate? The "Old Salt", Mike, loves this one too.

If I remember correctly, the original had intermittent rotation also. Nice to see that your gun is authentic in this important regard. A tremendous safety advantage was thus incorporated into this Hotchkiss design. The intermittent action of the barrel group rotation has some "dwell time" in which extraction of the previous round, loading of the new round and firing of the new round all take place as the barrel group is STATIONARY, thus giving a "hang-fire" time to fire while it is still within the barrel.

Looking very nice, Dom!!

Tracy

37mm Hotchkiss Anti-Torpedo Boat Gun on it's Naval Mount.

onegreatshot · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2012, 10:35:38 AM »

That is some very talented work. The first photo makes it look a lot larger when fist observed, just beautiful.

dominick · « **Reply #7 on:** March 30, 2012, 11:18:23 AM »

Thanks all for the compliments.

Tracy, The photo you posted is the same photo I am using for copying the mount. It will look very close to it, shield and all. You are also correct, the original gun does have an intermittent rotation and firing sequence. I copied this feature into the muzzleloading replica.

Also, The gun in the photo is larger than 37mm. There were, I believe, 3 different caliber Hotchkiss cannons and 2 different size outer dimensions. The 37 mm is a noticably smaller version. Photos below.
You must have forgot, you should know that.

steelcharge · « **Reply #8 on:** March 30, 2012, 11:48:54 AM »

Quote from: dominick on March 30, 2012, 11:18:23 AM

This pictures shows the russian version of the 37mm revolving gun and I happen to own a shell and casing for one of those.
Once when my interests were only in handheld weapons, not cannons, I saw a 37mm cartridge for sale at some fleamarket and had to have it because it was "the biggest cartridge I had ever seen". When I got interested in cannons and came across these revolving guns.. I found out that my 37mm round wasn't a WW2 anti-tank gun round like I had been told, it was for a russian revolving cannon like this. I was really glad I bought that cartridge.

The model looks really great, can't wait see it with the shield on! One thing I wonder though, why .22 blanks and not just percussion caps?

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #9 on:** March 30, 2012, 02:10:25 PM »

Quote from: dominick on March 30, 2012, 11:18:23 AM

Thanks all for the compliments.

Tracy, The photo you posted is the same photo I am using for copying the mount. It will look very close to it, shield and all. You are also correct, the original gun does have an intermittent rotation and firing sequence. I copied this feature into the muzzleloading replica.

Also, The gun in the photo is larger than 37mm. There were, I believe, 3 different caliber Hotchkiss cannons and 2 different size outer dimensions. The 37 mm is a noticably smaller version. Photos below.

You must have forgot, you should know that.

You are correct, Dom. I should have known that that gun was the middle size, 47mm Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon. All of them, the 37mm, the 47mm and the 53mm were used on ships. In your photos below the Russian Navy sailor, the top one is a photo of Mike studying a 37mm Hotchkiss gun on a naval cage mount located in White Point Gardens at the southern end of the Charleston, SC peninsula about 100 yards WSW of the wartime location of the huge, 60,000 pound Blakely, 12.75 inch seacoast rifle.

The next is Mike squinting to see the breech markings on the 47mm Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon located at the north-east corner of the upper parade ground next to Dewey Hall at Norwich University in Northfield, VT. You can easily see the size difference between these two. Mike and I were at Mare Island Shipyard in 2008. There is a rare 53mm Naval Hotchkiss there. It might possibly be the only one left in the U.S. Unfortunately, the official sign next to it is in error. It has the bore size of the gun, which served on board the USS Thetis, as a 55mm. According to our copy of 1885 Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon, descriptions and illustrations of the systems, as designed for Naval Service, Field Service and Flank Defence, Firing Tables, Proving Ground Tests and Official Reports by Lieut. Edward W. Very, United States Navy, there were only three sizes made, 37mm, 47mm and 53mm. Is is interesting that the dia. of the 47mm brass cartridge case, just ahead of the rim measures 55mm. Could this be the source of the sign's error? This case is a slightly bottle-necked case, just as the 47mm and the 37mm are.

You are right, Dom, I should know that without looking in a reference book!

Tracy

dominick · « **Reply #10 on:** March 31, 2012, 02:15:07 AM »

Quote from: steelcharge on March 30, 2012, 11:48:54 AM

The model looks really great, can't wait see it with the shield on! One thing I wonder though, why .22 blanks and not just percussion caps?

steelcharge, Thanks for the compliment. To answer your question, .22 blanks are a personal preference mostly. They're less expensive, can be purchased at any hardware store, easier to handle [ask anyone who spilled a full tin of #11 caps] have a much hotter flame, no nipples to flatten out and replace, and no nipples to remove between shots.

Here is a video of a Hotchkiss mechanism at work.

Not a valid youtube URL

dominick · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2012, 05:42:45 AM »

I'm working on the mount and here are a few under construction photos. I should have the shield on it and completion in about another two weeks. Dom

onegreatshot · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2012, 08:02:44 AM »

Absolutely gorgeous revolving cannon Dom. Will we see a video of it in an actual firing??

dominick · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2012, 08:54:34 AM »

Quote from: onegreatshot on April 14, 2012, 08:02:44 AM

Absolutely gorgeous revolving cannon Dom. Will we see a video of it in an actual firing??

Yes, I will probably make a video over this weekend of the mechanism. I actually have time to do this for a change since I'm recovering from surgery. It will be a while before I can lift this thing and carry it and finish it. When I do this, I'll make a shooting at a target video. Thanks for the compliment and also the feedback. Dom

cannonmn · « **Reply #14 on:** April 15, 2012, 05:22:31 AM »

Here's a video with many live rounds fired from a Hotchkiss 37mm, as I recall that gun shows up halfway thru or so. Also see 3.2 in. field gun, Gatling gun, and 2-pounder Hotchkiss fired in this video.

dominick · « **Reply #15 on:** April 15, 2012, 08:14:31 AM »

John, Thanks for the video.

Here's a link to a video illustration of the mechanism in operation. The one I built has the same basic barrel rotating and sear set-up. Since I made it a muzzleloader, I did not need the shell loading and extracting part. Dom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkOP8Lwdmgg

armorer77 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 15, 2012, 09:36:11 AM »

Dominick , how can I get a copy of your video for detailed study at my own pace ? Armorer77

dominick · « **Reply #17 on:** April 16, 2012, 04:42:56 AM »

Quote from: armorer77 on April 15, 2012, 09:36:11 AM

Dominick , how can I get a copy of your video for detailed study at my own pace ? Armorer77

Ed, I'll be uploading a Youtube video soon detailing the mechanism. I will post it here. Dom

onegreatshot · « **Reply #18 on:** April 16, 2012, 06:11:47 AM »

Dominick, beings I'm new o this, I assume you will pre-load several foil packets that will then be loaded after a 5 round sequence??? I assume no projectile will be shot with this cannon, what do you think would be a reasonable charge

?? This for BANG and of course SMOKE.
Dennis

flagman1776 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 16, 2012, 06:15:37 AM »

dominick · « **Reply #20 on:** April 16, 2012, 07:22:25 AM »

Here's The video.

dominick · « **Reply #21 on:** April 16, 2012, 07:33:25 AM »

Quote from: flagman1776 on April 16, 2012, 06:15:37 AM

I'm just curious, what keeps your blanks in their chambers as the barrels rotate upside down.
I spent a very nice day at Springfield Armory Museum with the glass plate gatling prints... the curator lead me into the exhibits to explain the finer points of 45-70 in Gatlings.

Quote from: onegreatshot on April 16, 2012, 06:11:47 AM

Dominick, beings I'm new o this, I assume you will pre-load several foil packets that will then be loaded after a 5 round sequence??? I assume no projectile will be shot with this cannon, what do you think would be a reasonable charge ?? This for BANG and of course SMOKE.
Dennis

The barrel is quickly removable from the mount and set vertical on a stand with the hammer safety pin installed, the 22's are slightly squeezed and deformed with pliers where they tightly fit each vent chamber, measured powder is then poured into a barrel, then the ball and paper in front and rammed until all the barrels are loaded. Return gun to mount, remove pin and set hammer gently on the first cap. It is now ready to fire.

Spuddy · « **Reply #22 on:** April 16, 2012, 09:58:29 AM »

This gun is wicked awesome!

The Jeff · « **Reply #23 on:** April 16, 2012, 10:21:36 AM »

What a clever mechanism. Can't wait to see firing!

Double D · « **Reply #24 on:** April 16, 2012, 12:02:25 PM »

Leave to to Dom to come up with cool!! You need a special 6 barrel edition to for shooting he Postal match.

dominick · « **Reply #25 on:** April 16, 2012, 03:09:53 PM »

Quote from: Double D on April 16, 2012, 12:02:25 PM

Leave to to Dom to come up with cool!! You need a special 6 barrel edition to for shooting he Postal match.

1862 Gatling gun ! It's in the works too.

intoodeep · « **Reply #26 on:** April 16, 2012, 04:39:55 PM »

Quote from: dominick on April 16, 2012, 03:09:53 PM

1862 Gatling gun ! It's in the works too.

Dom,

That has got my attention .... Looking forward to those details!

shred · « **Reply #27 on:** April 17, 2012, 04:04:54 AM »

Quote from: dominick on April 16, 2012, 03:09:53 PM

Quote from: Double D on April 16, 2012, 12:02:25 PM
Leave to to Dom to come up with cool!! You need a special 6 barrel edition to for shooting he Postal match.

1862 Gatling gun ! It's in the works too.

Oooo... A guy built one full-size 1862 a couple years ago on one of the other forums (probably the gatling one) and a scaled down version would be really cool and a whole lot easier to move around.

onegreatshot · « **Reply #28 on:** April 17, 2012, 08:48:37 AM »

I didn't realize the size until your hand was in the video towards the end moving the barrel around it's a beautiful replica piece. I now under the firing of the charge with crimped 22 blanks. I was thinking maybe a 209 shotgun primer, but what do I know. AGAIN a beautiful piece Dom. You have to be proud. Dennis

flagman1776 · « **Reply #29 on:** April 17, 2012, 05:09:29 PM »

Broken Link