Author Topic: BC, ballistic, and golfball mortar  (Read 2292 times)

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Offline jsa0100

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BC, ballistic, and golfball mortar
« on: September 04, 2004, 12:48:38 AM »
Hi !
Does anyone know the BC (ballistic coefficient) of a golf ball
or a round ball ignoring the dimples or groves
(the groves reduces drag )
What is the BC if it vas made of iron or lead ?

Hear are some fact about golf balls :
size 1,67"  weight 45 gram or 695 grains.
1,67" lead ball : 440 gram or 6790 grains

i am trying desperate to calculate the path of a golfball
Fired from my long barrel golfball mortar.
Also the programs i have tried won't accept input
above 0.6" bullets higher than 1000 grains or
range more than 1000 yd. and so on.

any experience with this type of calculations out there ?
has anyone measured the range of a 1,67" mortar or cannon
and what kind of powder did you use ?
And what was the elevation.

tnx.
Jorn, Norway

Offline Cat Whisperer

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BC, ballistic, and golfball mortar
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2004, 10:21:09 AM »
Here's what I do know from experience:

Golf-ball mortar - 1.75" bore that's 2 calibers long gets 100-200 yards with golf balls with 1 to 2 45acp cases full of FFFg.

Napoleon cannon - 1-7/8" bore will put them out of sight and faster than be seen when watching from behind the cannon.  Former owner reported shooting a lead ball over a mile (measured it) winning a $50 bet.  Don't know charge or elevation.

Conclusion:  ensure you've got a GOOD backstop.
Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline jsa0100

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Range
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2004, 10:48:25 PM »
The longest range i have achieved with a gold ball
is 500 yd with 300 grains of ff powder.
What i am looking for is a scientific / computer prog.
or a table to estimate max range. for round ball projectiles.
however i like to her from all of you
regarding loads, projectiles and range (at what elevation).

tnx.

Offline Cat Whisperer

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BC, ballistic, and golfball mortar
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2004, 12:36:42 AM »
Have you thought of digging out the formulas and doing the math yourself?
Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline Double D

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BC, ballistic, and golfball mortar
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2004, 02:37:12 AM »
Quite frankly, I have to ask, why does it matter? Why do you need to know this maximum range?

Are you shooting to establish some sort of record or to achieve a maximum record distance? Is there some sort of restriction where you shoot?

First I am unaware of any software ballistics calculator that compute this data for larger than one inch. But I will bet it's out there.  Send an email to all the different groups advertising ballistic software and see if one of them will help you.

Most likely you are going to have to figure it out yourself.

You are going to have to do some careful studies. You are going to  need to learn as much as you can about golf balls.

I would start with www.google.com. Query  "Ballistics calculators", "Greenhill Formula" or "Ingalls tables". Query phrases like "determining ballistic coefficients", "ballistic coefficient of a golf ball", "golf ball speed"or "golf ball velocity".

The better way to do it is the old fashion way.  Shoot your mortar.

Don't worry about muzzle elevation. First keep it simple and leave that variable out. Second Coehorns were of fixed elevation and range was adjusted by adjusting the powder charge.  Third maximum range of your gun is restricted by the maximum charge of your gun.

Use a starting load and fire a series of shots recording charge weight, time of flight and distance.  Als record temperature wind velocity and wind direction. Establish an average figure for the charge.

Increase you charge weights in increments until you reach maximum charge, recording the data as you go along.

Something you will learn fast is that shooting golf balls beyond 200 yards isn't very enjoyable.  They go out sight to fast and you can't /don't see the impact.

I know this doesn't answer your question, but I hope it helps you find it.

By the way should you follow through and do this testing, please report to us the results. We would all like to see it.

Offline jsa0100

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BC, ballistic, and golfball mortar
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2004, 12:18:59 PM »
Hi !
yes i have thought of making the math my self, but  i was
putt of by the complexity (many parameters like altitude and temp.).
how ever i have thought of making a program tailored
for old cannons (i will post it when it's ready, and it will be free.)
And thrust me i have used google, and have found a lot,
but all the programs thing there is an error when dealing with
BC values over 1.

since there are so many out there competing with
parrot rifles an mortar's i was surprised not to find anything, but
perhaps i haven't looked hard enough.

I can't explain why i would like to know, i guess it
would give me some pleasure to calculate the path of
a cannon ball.
also viewing article like this :

http://www.civilwarguns.com/9612.html
http://www2.control.com/~emoore/AAA/mrt.html

I am not hooked on golf ball's but i don't dare to shoot
lead ball's.
And longest possible range isn't the goal, put pecision is.

Offline Double D

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BC, ballistic, and golfball mortar
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2004, 04:12:43 AM »
I thought you had to know before you were allowed to shoot the mortar at your range or perhaps in you country.

One of the things you will find in using computer ballistics programs or math models the results are very general and often time will not equal the results achieved on the range.

There just to many variables in this game.  You will get better information following the procedure I outlined earlier.  Start with a starting load and record the data and gradually work up until you find the maximum load for your gun.  This approach will help you find the precison you are looking for.

Is there any reason you can't shoot lead balls?

Offline jsa0100

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BC, ballistic, and golfball mortar
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2004, 09:15:18 AM »
shooting lead balls isn't practical around her (Norway).
But i do have plans to go out to the sea with my boat
and try it out there.