Author Topic: Cremains (Read 1799 times)

clum sum · « **on:** July 17, 2012, 01:07:02 PM »

Has anyone fired cremains from their cannon? If so how do you load them and if not, any ideas?

Artilleryman · « **Reply #1 on:** July 17, 2012, 01:19:07 PM »

It's been done. Although I was not part of the crew, I believe that they packaged the ashes in aluminum foil. I presume that the foil bag blew apart when the gun was discharged.

MattC · « **Reply #2 on:** July 17, 2012, 02:20:33 PM »

my friend George kiefling was a fired out of a black powder rifle. He had polio as a child, was crippled. Never had two quarters at the same time in his life, but he would have given you one had he. He was a craftsman making instruments and guns with primitive tools. A bluegrass musician and tinkerer. His cremains were loaded over 90 grains of ffg in a 45, and packed in with newspaper. Oakwood cemetery in Wilmington il overlooks the Kankakee river. We stood on the bluffs and fired him over the river. The ringing in our ears was a comfort. It was still and the smoke hung in the air and slowly drifted over the river slowly dissapating as the sky gently embraced his mortal remains. A fitting end. I was just a boy, but we were true friends. I look forward to seeing him again one day. Godspeed old friend.

Double D · « **Reply #3 on:** July 17, 2012, 02:36:03 PM »

I have looked into this and did a few test with the mortar. Don't have a cannon big enough and my 6PDR Mortar needs two shots to send them all. When the Bowling ball Mortar is done, I will make a funeral load for me.

I tried paper bags and foil. They did not disperse my test cremains (Cream of wheat) leaving material in the paper and foil. A box of cream of wheat is slightly smaller than a box of cremains.

What I did come up with was to use my 200 yard load of 250 grain Fg. Cover that with a bore diameter single cardboard wad. Pour the ashes in the bore lose. Fire! The bore is completely emptied. The sound in noticably louder and so is the concussion. The cremains are dispersed over a wide area. I looked for my test cremains and could not find any, but I was shooting over grass.

My personal funeral load will be 1 lb. of powder, 8.8 inch card wad, my cremains, fired by a friction primer, shooting me off out across the Montana prairie.

I hope by time it happens that I have a great grand kid to pull the lanyard....

Double D · « **Reply #4 on:** July 17, 2012, 07:37:35 PM »

Since I have the resources available I will share this info.

I have three boxs of cremains here right now that I will be taking on a road trip next week for final disposition. Two are in plastic boxes and one is in a bronze box. Here are the exterior dimension.

Bronze box 8.5" x 6.5" x 4.5" 248.6 cu in
Plastic box #1 8.75" x 6" x 3" 157.5 cu in
Plastic box #2 9" x 6" x 3.5" 189 cu in.

Using the smallest number to represent the volume of the cremains, (they are slightly less. ) you would need a 1" barrel over 165 feet long to shot the ashes. A 5 1/2 foot golf ball bore barrel would hold the cremains. You would still need room for powder.

My 6 PDR mortar has a volume of only 102 cu. in. in the 10" bore. The chamber is separate from the bore.

You are going to need a large cannon to shoot the cremains in one shot.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #5 on:** July 18, 2012, 02:27:10 AM »

The one I witnessed was fired from a 10 pdr Parrott.

clum sum · « **Reply #6 on:** July 18, 2012, 04:57:57 AM »

The bore of my cannon is 2 1/4" will have to try my math. I have one refrence that states that cremains weigh between 4 and 6 pounds. Looks like the fellow will take a few shots.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #7 on:** July 18, 2012, 05:28:15 AM »

Cheerful subject fellahs! Can you imagine having the job of sending the cremains of someone the size of the elder Orson Welles' up into the atmosphere. Heck, you'd need a gosh dang gun the size of a 15-inch Dahlgren to successfully accomplish the task.

Double D · « **Reply #8 on:** July 18, 2012, 05:50:17 AM »

Quote from: clum sum on July 18, 2012, 04:57:57 AM

The bore of my cannon is 2 1/4" will have to try my math. I have one refrence that states that cremains weigh between 4 and 6 pounds. Looks like the fellow will take a few shots.

I used this for a quicky solution http://www.basic-mathematics.com/volume-of-a-cylinder-calculator.html

Your barrel would need to be at least 18.5 inches long, just to hold the cremains, then you need more room for your charge.

Yes it is a somber topic. It is one I have been asked before. If you are known for owning cannons, you may get asked also.

A year or two ago, Southpaw had the occasion to deliver cremains with his bowling ball mortar. One of the bird hunters who regularly visited his property passed away. His last request was to have his cremains loaded in shot gun shells and fired by his hunting partners over his favorite bird hunting spots from Arizona to Montana. There were some left over ashes. Southpaw drilled out the finger holes in a bowling ball and filled the hole with the ashes. As Ernie tells it, he used a maximum charge and fired. They watched the ball go up and at the top of its trajectory, the ball must have rolled as the remains poured out in a cloud that drifted cross the prairie sky....that's the way I want to go!!!

...and it's in the doomsday list attached to my will.

Randell · « **Reply #9 on:** July 18, 2012, 05:52:36 AM »

My suggestion would be wrap the cremains in foil and ask other shooters to fire them off. Don't do as we did and fire in the rain with the wind blowing back on the shooters.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #10 on:** July 18, 2012, 06:10:45 AM »

Quote from: Double D on July 18, 2012, 05:50:17 AM

....that's the way I want to go!!!

I don't ever want to see you go, Douglas!

At least not until you've posted the results of the 3rd Annual GBO Miniature Cannon Club Postal Shoot.

clum sum · « **Reply #11 on:** July 24, 2012, 11:21:53 AM »

Made a prictice shot today, used 9 oz cream of wheat over 3 oz cannon grade powder. I made the shell with 5 layers of tissue paper with a cardboard disk between the shell and the powder. The best I could tell the paper burnt up in the barrel, all I could find was both ends of the shell and the cardboard disk. Could't tell how far the cream of wheat went it started raining just as I got the shot off. Trying the real deal Sunday afternoon , wont shoot more than 1 pound at a time maybe 2 shots they don't wont all of the remains shot. Looks like we will be good to go, I will let Yall know how it goes.

Blaster · « **Reply #12 on:** July 26, 2012, 04:41:03 AM »

I informed my family, about 20 years ago, that I want at least a small portion of my remains (cremains) to be fired off out of one of my BP shooters at the cemetery after the completion of the graveside festivities. Two years ago, after receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis, I thought I may as well assemble the ingredients for that shot even though I am feeling just fine and probably have a few more good years left in my 75 1/2 year old body.
Took a picture of my little set up including the medium size orange plastic ammo box that it all fits into.
The little mortar has a bore size of an empty 35 m/m film container. I have already test fired with some wood stove ashes just to make certain that it will do the proper job on ME.
Pictured is the mortar and an empty FG powder can (to meet the requirements of DD - for scale)

There's the mortar, and the already filled small plastic containers holding stick wood matches, premeasured amount of powder, cardboard disks (wads) to separate the BP from my ashes, fuse and the empty container for the ashes which will be poured into the mortar tube loose as I do not want someone injured or something damaged by any aluminum foil loaded with ashes which could act as a projectile. Also included in the orange ammo box is a set of step by step, easy to understand instructions on the loading, firing and cleaning procedure for the mortar. Whoever (limited to my kids and/or grandkids) fires my cremains off into outerspace will have the option of getting to keep the entire set up - if they even want it.

.
.
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IvarForkbeard · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2012, 04:49:21 AM »

Blaster,
You were a Boy Scout, weren't you? I like the idea, and as of today I am looking for a box, or building one, to do the same.

JeffG · « **Reply #14 on:** July 26, 2012, 06:09:29 AM »

Ok, one question. Anyone know the grid coordinates of the Pearly Gates?? I would hate to be a near miss.....

Zulu · « **Reply #15 on:** July 26, 2012, 06:46:44 AM »

Quote from: JeffG on July 26, 2012, 06:09:29 AM

Ok, one question. Anyone know the grid coordinates of the Pearly Gates?? I would hate to be a near miss.....

I suggest you aim high.

Zulu

carmy53 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 26, 2012, 10:40:52 AM »

Blaster, where can I get an orange box like yours?

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #17 on:** July 26, 2012, 11:21:09 AM »

Quote from: JeffG on July 26, 2012, 06:09:29 AM

Ok, one question. Anyone know the grid coordinates of the Pearly Gates?? I would hate to be a near miss.....

What a concept!

How would you measure time-of-flight?

Blaster · « **Reply #18 on:** July 26, 2012, 12:26:33 PM »

Quote from: carmy53 on July 26, 2012, 10:40:52 AM

Blaster, where can I get an orange box like yours?

Got mine at Cabela's. Called a Dry-Storage Ammo Box. Believe they sell for around $15.
They are worth the money!
You may be welcome to mine in a few years IF it's new owners wouldn't mind

Blaster · « **Reply #19 on:** July 26, 2012, 12:30:57 PM »

Quote from: JeffG on July 26, 2012, 06:09:29 AM

Ok, one question. Anyone know the grid coordinates of the Pearly Gates?? I would hate to be a near miss.....

I for one am not too concerned about the Pearly Gates because when I get blasted a few yards into the atmosphere, that'll most likely be as close as I'll ever come to those Gates.

clum sum · « **Reply #20 on:** July 29, 2012, 01:20:35 PM »

Well, to say the least all went well. Used three layers of tissue paper for the shell twisted and taped at each end. One end flat the same as a foil powder cartridge. Loaded over 3 oz cannon grade powder with a cardboard disk between the two. Only parts of the shell to make it out of the barrel were both ends. It apears that some of the cremains made it about 100 feet down range. The Gentleman was an avaid shooter. He had five ranges from 25 to 800 yards. A group of friends met and had a memorial shoot with every thing from a Glock to a light machinegun. Tossed back one of his favorites then everyone spoke their thoughts about the man, then we sent him down range. We only made one shell of just over 10 oz the rest were scattered by friends and familey over His ranges. All in all a nice way end a day.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #21 on:** July 29, 2012, 01:48:33 PM »

It's really good that when someone passes that those left can celebrate!

smokemjoe · « **Reply #22 on:** July 29, 2012, 04:05:57 PM »

Not for cannon shooting but I loaded up some 30-06 blanks, that were engraved, that had been fired at a Miltary funeal with his ashes and were given to the family.