Author Topic: Whitworth Rifle (3in-50 Barrel) (Read 4083 times)

moose53 · « **on:** July 23, 2006, 10:55:11 AM »

Here is my new project ,a 3in Whitworth rifle,hope to have it done for New Years.The barrel came from the shipyards in Portland Oregon on Dec 22 1978.It is a 6ft 3in long 3in-50,three feet shorter then the Whitworth breech loader.Feel all happy inside and stuff

Thorn · « **Reply #1 on:** July 23, 2006, 11:35:00 AM »

DANG,..... I need to hang out with you

. Please post every step of your build, with LOTS and LOTS of PICs !!

I really need to build me a shop

.

mac_hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** July 23, 2006, 12:18:52 PM »

I wish I knew how you guys come up with stuff like this. I guess it's all about being in the right place at the right time and or knowing people that know people that know other people and so on. Some folks are luckier then others. I'm jealous.

guardsgunner · « **Reply #3 on:** July 23, 2006, 03:06:31 PM »

moose53,
6' is the correct length for the 3pdr Whitworth B.L.R. rifle. Just thread on the trunnion ring and the re enforce with door carrier.There was only one known 3pdr breech-loader imported into the states and its location is unknown. I plan to make one to the right length but as a scaled down version of the 12pdr.(its rumored to have been anyway.)
What is the bore on that?. Are you going to re-cut to a hex bore?

moose53 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 23, 2006, 07:24:30 PM »

Did not know about the 3pdr Whitworth.The barrel I have is 6ft 3inches of a naval 3in-50.The bore is 3in, and the rifling is chromed and in good shape.Can`t bring myself to cut out good rifling even to replace it with a hex bore.What are the dimensions of the 3pdr, sounds interesting.

guardsgunner · « **Reply #5 on:** July 24, 2006, 02:23:36 PM »

The 3pdr. is listed as being 72" oal , that including the the door.

moose53 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 24, 2006, 05:45:45 PM »

The only information that I can find comes from Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War by Warren Ripley.It said that the 3pdr Whitworth had a bore of 1.5in, had 6x6 rifling, was 200lbs, shot 8oz of powder,and was 72in long.Does not have any photos or drawings.

moose53 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 24, 2006, 05:54:26 PM »

Double D · « **Reply #8 on:** July 24, 2006, 07:16:31 PM »

I think the Narrative says it all. Ornamental Iron carriage.

Here is another example of the same theme.

The metal carriage is sitting on an iron Garrison Standing Carriage.

moose53 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 25, 2006, 04:28:44 AM »

What I needed was more photos of the Whitworth iron carriage so I could get a better idea of scale and how it was built.That is the carriage I would like to use for my Whitworth 3in-50 barrel.

Double D · « **Reply #10 on:** July 25, 2006, 05:25:33 AM »

The Whitworth is a British Gun. Where you might want to look is on the British Cannon board http://www.mlagb.com/cgi/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=cannon

Drop over there and see if those guys have an pictured for you.

Double D · « **Reply #11 on:** July 25, 2006, 06:26:17 PM »

Actually from looking at the picure it appears to me that all you are missing of the Iron Carriage is the wheels. You can see the original carriage on the Stand.

Go to google and see if you can find a contact for the Washington Navy Yard and Fort Fisher and see if they can provide you with additional info.

You might also contact Don Lutz at Antique Ordnance Publishers and see what he might have.

intoodeep · « **Reply #12 on:** July 26, 2006, 02:38:59 PM »

DD,

You are correct by stating that the carriage is just missing the wheels. If, you were to remove that "A" shaped frame. You can see the trail and axle. Below is a Whitworth on a wooden field carriage as displayed at Gettysburg.

Now, style wise for a metal carriage you can use the photo below. This carriage originally had wooden wheel.

Michael Az · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2006, 02:50:13 PM »

Nice find Moose. But somebody tell me what a hex bore is?
Michael

moose53 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 26, 2006, 05:41:57 PM »

That is a beautiful Whitworth rifle at Gettysburg, thanks for the photo!

The whitworth rifles had a hex bore like photos below.

Michael Az · « **Reply #15 on:** July 26, 2006, 07:25:51 PM »

Thanks Moose.
Michael

guardsgunner · « **Reply #16 on:** July 28, 2006, 12:19:13 PM »

Moose,
Here are some projectile photo's I posted a month or so ago.

Rough Dem.'s Accross the flats 1.7 accross corners 1.850 oal. 4.30

If you were to scale the 12pdr. to make a 3pdr. it would be around 62%.
APO does have a packet but it is not detailed enough to build.

guardsgunner · « **Reply #17 on:** July 28, 2006, 12:22:11 PM »

INTOODEEP,

Is the gun on the metal carriage a early model Krupp gun ?

moose53 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 28, 2006, 06:34:06 PM »

Its to bad that the Navy had to cut their barrels so short ,another 3ft and it would have made a full length Whitworth.

I did manage to salvage a 75 mm sky ranger antiaircraft barrel while I was working in New Mexico.It was cut but the barrel section I got was 11ft long.I will work out the bugs on the 3in-50 and then try the 75mm,in between making a living.

Thorn · « **Reply #19 on:** July 28, 2006, 10:24:46 PM »

Moose, i dont suppose you still have that breech and slide mechanism in the pic ? It looks like it got torched pretty good (it looks like the sliding breech block got mutilated), if by chance you do and are willing to part with those parts let me know. I buy demilled crew served wpns.

moose53 · « **Reply #20 on:** July 29, 2006, 04:12:09 AM »

Sorry the breech and slide were too heavy to pack on the drill truck all the way back to Oregon.The shop in New Mexico scraped it out,your right the breech was demilled with enthusiasm.Some people just like to cut things up

Max Caliber · « **Reply #21 on:** July 29, 2006, 05:29:31 AM »

The bronze breech loader has an early Krupp slow screw breech mechanism. Here is a picture of a model I saw at a show in Arlon, Belgium in 2004. Outstanding craftsmanship.

moose53 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 29, 2006, 06:09:26 AM »

Sure a lot of good information floating around out there.Nice to have a place where some of it can come together.Very nice Krupp model

Thorn · « **Reply #23 on:** July 29, 2006, 01:19:53 PM »

Moose, It figures.....I cant even get myself to destroy a .22 derringer that i found, but is too far gone to save.

Is anyone putting out blueprints, or very detailed building info on these different breech designs?

I for one would love to see more of these breech loading guns built.

I would also like to see more recoil mechanisms.

moose53 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 31, 2006, 09:26:43 AM »

Here is the trunion band I have to add metal to get the right shape arround the trunions.Then bore it on a taper for a sweat fit on the barrel.It is so tight that even with a taper the only way to get it off is to cut it off.

Powder keg · « **Reply #25 on:** July 31, 2006, 01:09:45 PM »

Now I know what to do with all the Grocery carts that blow into my yard from the store across the street.

They make good BBQ grills also

Wes

KABAR2 · « **Reply #26 on:** September 01, 2009, 03:42:29 PM »

I was wondering what ever happened with this build? Moose53 are you out there?

Cannoneer · « **Reply #27 on:** September 01, 2009, 04:37:38 PM »

Interesting thread, thanks for bringing it back up Allen.

Max, do you have any other photos of the scale model Krupp's cannon?

KABAR2 · « **Reply #28 on:** September 01, 2009, 05:53:36 PM »

BoomJ,

Not to go too far off topic...... I know a fellow who has the real thing, needs to have the seats restored but it still goes Boom!

moose53 · « **Reply #29 on:** September 01, 2009, 08:00:25 PM »

Yes I am still here and my project is still waiting , got sidetracked by working on my truck modifying it for alternate energy.