Author Topic: Swamp Hunters find cannon. (Read 1774 times)

Double D · « **on:** February 19, 2013, 03:00:01 AM »

Guys take a look at this:

http://www.trutv.com/video/swamp-hunters/cannon-ballers.html#hpt=hp_l2

Well it looks like they found some sort of Parrot rifle.

But what is it realy that they found.

I'll buy its been in the ground a while--few years. But not much longer than that.

cannonmn · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2013, 03:32:14 AM »

Tube in general looked right for a 3" or 10 pdr. Parrott. Was a bit too smooth on outside, where was the foresight, rear sight boss or pendulum hausse bracket? View of muzzle was too brief to do a good check for rifling, which must of course be there. So I'd need a better look at it, but without any sighting gear at all, I'd lean toward repro buried for the show.

Zulu · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2013, 03:35:21 AM »

Maybe stolen and buried?

Would dry ground conditions limit the amount of rust over 150 years?

My replica Parrott rifle had a flared muzzle like that one. Didn't an original lack the flare?
Zulu

DieselNate · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2013, 04:27:41 AM »

Quote from: cannonmn on February 19, 2013, 03:32:14 AM

So I'd need a better look at it, but without any sighting gear at all, I'd lean toward repro buried for the show.

Yeah rust looks too even with no pitting like it was in an acid bath for a few hours before it was buried. These Shows are about as much reality as anything else on tv. Last day of hunting season guy in our camp was approached by a film crew they wanted to use his quads and boat (4x4 and a mud boat) because they did not plan on the terrain. They were filming for a fishing show I'm sure some know what show where the main guy catches "monsters". The guy told the crew that their are no orange mouth left in the salton sea and the crew told him that they had a prop to use for the show! I actually liked that show too I can't wait for the episode to air!

Nate

Zulu · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2013, 04:55:10 AM »

Looking at my drawings, it appears that the 2.9" parrott had a muzzle flare.
Zulu

Cannoneer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2013, 06:32:58 AM »

Quote from: Zulu on February 19, 2013, 04:55:10 AM

Looking at my drawings, it appears that the 2.9" parrott had a muzzle flare.
Zulu

For a guy who thinks that Paris is in Texas, you do pretty darn well, Zulu! The 2.9-inch Parrott is the only 10-pdr Parrott model I know of that has a muzzle swell, and step on the reinforce in front of the trunnions.

Edited 2/19/13

Zulu · « **Reply #6 on:** February 19, 2013, 06:35:30 AM »

Quote from: Cannoneer on February 19, 2013, 06:32:58 AM

Quote from: Zulu on February 19, 2013, 04:55:10 AM
Looking at my drawings, it appears that the 2.9" parrott had a muzzle flare.
Zulu

For a guy who thinks that Paris is in Texas, you do pretty darn well, Zulu! The 2.9-iinch Parrott is the only Parrott model that I know of that has a muzzle swell and that flair on the reinforce behind the trunnions.

Paris isn't in Texas??

KABAR2 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2013, 06:55:10 AM »

Zulu.... Fess up... that's one of your creations with a pho-rust..... we know you can do pho-corroded bronze.....

Cannoneer · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2013, 06:55:20 AM »

Bonjour, monsieur!

Like many of these so-called "reality shows", I'm guessing that this whole thing was staged.

RocklockI · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2013, 07:12:47 AM »

I watched the show , the confederate parrott gun had a muzzle swell IIRC .

The rust did not look right to me ,too even and just almost painted on.

They didnt make time to show much detail close up ......?

It looked like they scared up a couple of Thompsons too . Gotta get a metal detector ! Find some cannons and tommy guns!

cannonmn · « **Reply #10 on:** February 19, 2013, 07:28:38 AM »

Interesting how there was no dirt at all visible in the bore. Of course in reality that thing would have been packed solid with mud, sand, dirt etc. if it had been buried for anything over a month.

DieselNate · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2013, 03:22:08 PM »

Quote from: cannonmn on February 19, 2013, 07:28:38 AM

Interesting how there was no dirt at all visible in the bore. Of course in reality that thing would have been packed solid with mud, sand, dirt etc. if it had been buried for anything over a month.

I was thinking the same thing at lunch time I just got home and was going to say the same thing. dirt will flow into the bore and it would have been filled.

cannonmn · « **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2013, 09:35:33 PM »

Quote

For a guy who thinks that Paris is in Texas, you do pretty darn well, Zulu!

I thought everybody knew Paris was in Kentucky, I've been there a few times.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #13 on:** February 19, 2013, 11:23:27 PM »

I hope Zulu dresses warm when he visits Odessa, because I'd hate to see my pal catch a cold.

entsminger · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2013, 02:47:02 AM »

I've dug up 30 or more cannon balls from differing soils and the rust on them looks nothing like this phoney cannon. Everything about this show is bogus. I can't find the Thompson segment yet but I can't wait to see how they fished out a crate of Thompsons out of the swamp, ha ha.
Years ago I was on this treasure hunting site and one guy mentioned how he had found a big 13inch mortar cannon in the Swamp down in Savanna but it was to heavy to remove and my guess was it was on park property so bringing in a derik might have been tough to do.

Scott

Zulu · « **Reply #15 on:** February 21, 2013, 03:50:52 AM »

Little Seacoast,
If I recall correctly, didn't your Parrott Rifle that you bought have a similiar coating of rust as the gun dug up by these guys?
I tried to find the rusty picture but it must have been removed because it was at an auction.
This is the link to your barrel after the rust was removed. Do you have a picture before the removal?
Zulu

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,244124.0.html

entsminger · « **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2013, 04:29:05 AM »

Hey Rocklock, which episode did you see the Thompson stuff?

Scott

boomerralph · « **Reply #17 on:** February 21, 2013, 11:52:17 AM »

There is nothing remotely connected with reality connected with this show. I caught part of one episode where they were trying to get something out of the ground, went back to the truck and got some dynamite to assist in blowing it out of the ground. As a licensed blaster in Louisana, and many other states, I am aware of the multitude of Federal and state laws that they violated. In short, if it happened as shown, that would have been the last episode as all, including the producer would be in jail. Totally faked.

Ralph

RocklockI · « **Reply #18 on:** February 21, 2013, 02:20:59 PM »

entsminger , I only saw the Thompson/s at the begining of the show .
Gary

Cannoneer · « **Reply #19 on:** February 21, 2013, 08:44:05 PM »

Quote from: RocklockI on February 19, 2013, 07:12:47 AM

I watched the show , the confederate parrott gun had a muzzle swell IIRC .

Yes, they do have muzzle swells. The 2.9-inch "Confederate Parrotts" that were cast at Tredegar during the war basically copied the Federal model's profile, but the survivors weigh a few hundred pounds more than their northern counterparts, and many of the extant rifles have bevelled fronts on their reinforcing bands.

Zulu · « **Reply #20 on:** February 22, 2013, 02:00:24 AM »

My ten pounder Parrott rifle (that I don't have anymore) was made be Cannon Limited in 1998. It had a muzzle swell and a 3" bore which was not proper for that gun.
So replicas do exist that could have been used in that show to fool the public.
Zulu

little seacoast · « **Reply #21 on:** February 23, 2013, 05:41:56 AM »

Zulu, the pic in that thread showing the barrel in the jeep is the rusty state. No where near as rusty as theirs thank god. The barrel has been cleaned up and repainted now and looks like new! Still working on the mount but I will get there eventually.

Victor3 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 24, 2013, 12:07:49 AM »

Note that when they were pulling it out, the tailgate was straight. Then, before they tried to load it, the tailgate was already bent. Musta been a "take two" in there...

In watching reality shows, part of the fun for me and my family is pointing out details to one another that reveal fakery. They've been useful for instructing my teenage Son on critical thinking.

entsminger · « **Reply #23 on:** February 25, 2013, 02:35:03 AM »

Swamp Hunters is like so many other shows on TV now like Searching for big foot that are so bad they are good. Have you seen the prices they get for the junk they find! Worthless junk must be worth a fortune in swamp areas. It seems like there is a show for just about any stupid activity. If they really want a reality TV show they need to just come out with a show hosted by some oaf like Jr Samples called... Fat redneck meat head goofs in a swamp fake their way to stardom !!