New Cannons

[docbob5707]

Some friends of mine acquired these two cannons from a Pawn shop - they are Cast Iron painted to look bronze The larger one has a bore of 1 1/8 inch - I do not think they are sleeved - If they are sleeved are they ok to fire blanks? - The only history that I know of is that a Civil War Renactor sold them to the Pawn Shop - I am concerned they may have purchased a couple of pipe bombs instead of cannons.

[KABAR2]

If they are not sleeved they are decorators nothing more..... if you can you really need to get better photos ... close ups of muzzles etc....  it may be possible to sleeve them and make them safe to shoot something one of our cannon makers should be able to fix the question will be the quality of the castings and will it be worth the trouble....

[Doc Brown.]

One time I was selling an old cannon on gunbroker machined from steel. A guy bid and won it and then 2 minutes later sent me a message asking how big it was. It was the first thing stated in the listing and there was a quarter and a can of  black powder in the picture. So I told the guy and then all of a sudden he was having financial difficulties and couldn't come up with the mere 200 bucks he won the barrel for.  So I had to sell to next highest bidder.  Then this guy emails me asking tips on how to fire his newly acquired cast iron cannon barrel that he will eventually put on a carriage. I told him it needed sleeved and that it would be a bad Idea to fire it without a sleeve. I told him to confirm my sentiments on graybeard. I think the answer he got here was as long as you hit it and it sounds like a bell its safe to fire!

[Double D]

d. I think the answer he got here was as long as you hit it and it sounds like a bell its safe to fire!

I seriously doubt he got such answer here!

[Doc Brown.]

 Heres the link. He never mentioned about it not having a liner but he told me it didn't have one. http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,259644.msg1099536460.html#msg1099536460
He never replied to the post asking if it had a liner.
 

[Double D]

It doesn't say if it rings like a bell its safe to fire.

Hi Oldcannon1969, Welcome to the forum.


Cast iron does not do well with "shock loading" the porosity of the metal tends to make it fragile.  If you can hang the barrel from a rope, and hit it with a rawhide mallet, or a heavy piece of wood.  If it rings like a bell proceed with further investigation, if it does not have a clear ringing tone, NEVER consider shooting it.

It does not say safe to fire, it says proceed with investigation.  Sadly the thread ends there.  I just updated it.