Coehorn Project

[slikrickabn]

I'm thinking of building a coehorn mortar.  The barrel offered by hern Iron Works is 2.25".  What could I use for projectiles in this gun?  Also thinking about the Dixie Gun Works coehorn barrel.  Any recommencations?

Thanks

Rick

[intoodeep]

slikrickabn,

 Welcome to the board. Most people will shoot a concrete filled juice can from a 2.25". However, there are a few other options such as lead or zinc balls, billiard balls or even wood balls. I'm sure there are a few other things that some members may post. If, I remember correctly a Dixie Gun Works tube is a Hern Iron Works. I think the only difference is that Dixie supplies thier tube with a vent hole drilled. Best of luck with your decision and welcome to a new addiction......

[gary michie]

  HI
Rubber chickens are my favorite!!!!! welcome.

[Rickk]

Intodeep is correct... the barrel Dixie sells is a Hern Barrel. Hern makes the hardware kit that Dixie sells as well.

You can also shoot 2# lead balls made either in a custom mold or in a Do-It 2# fishing sinker mold. The ball from a Do-it 2# (2/3# combo) mold is a little bit loose in a 2.25, but the mold is relatively inexpensive.

[slikrickabn]

Thanks for the info!  I have some experience with cannons, as I served with Reillys Battery 10th NC for three years.  Can this mortar be used with a friction primer?  Would I be better buying a base or building one?  Is it a hard process to build?

Rick

[jeeper1]

If you chose your wood correctly, it is easy to build.

[Cat Whisperer]

I'm thinking of building a coehorn mortar.  The barrel offered by hern Iron Works is 2.25".  What could I use for projectiles in this gun?  Also thinking about the Dixie Gun Works coehorn barrel.  Any recommencations?

Thanks

Rick

WELCOME, Rick -

You know the game of competition and the requirements of it.  Generally spheres of iron or zinc.  Obviously this means purchasing or casting your own; store-bought moulds, or custom (see our sponsors).

Other than competiton there is a wide variety of things to shoot.  I choose my calibers based on availability of ammo - PVC pipe filled with concrete, golf-balls, beer-cans and soda-pop bottles to name a few.  Lot's of choices; examine your lifestyle and pick the caliber to use something common in your life.

[Rickk]

The barrel and a base weigh over 200#, so a friction primer isn't going to move it... it would be fine with them.

I use "quills" made from straws, home made quickmatch and a linstock with slowmatch myself... way cheaper (or easier to make) than friction primers.

The base is not hard, and it is not easy. It too me about a month of spare time to make, starting with some rough cut white oak planks and going from there. A drill press (with forstner bits) and table saw are a handy things to have, but it could be done without them I am sure (they didn't have tables saws 150 years ago and they managed OK).

I don't know where you could buy a base, so you are probably pretty much stuck building one. In Massachusetts that kind of project is what winter is for :-) .  If you paid someone a fair price to make a base for you the price of the barrel would be only a small percentage of the cost of the base.

I learned quite a bit by making mine. The best advice I can give you is make sure the wood is dry before sticking it all together.

You are probably not going to use a Hern barrel in any sort of formal competition, as it is not full bore, does not have a sub chamber, and probably a few other things that make it not quite up to the rules some organizations have. N-SSA rules it won't meet... It may be AAA legal, not sure yet. Still, mine is a heck of a lot of fun to shoot both with blanks and lead balls and it is a pretty inexpensive way to go. Besides the barrel and the hardware kit, I only put another $70 or so into it in materials ($40 for wood right from the sawmill and maybe $30 for paint, glue, pegs, and other assorted stuff).

That being said, non-competition projectile choice can be more "creative".  (BTW, does anyone know the O.D. of a "Red Bull" can?)

Of course, I used the mortar as an excuse to invest in a new drill press, lots of fancy drill bits, a few new chisels, quie a few adjustable clamps (the kind made from 3/4 inch iron pipe), etc, etc, etc.... but I will still have those tools this winter when I start on my next project... possibly a Hern barrel on a naval carrage. When I start that, I will be a bit more prepared having already used the mortar project as a learning experience.

[intoodeep]

Rickk,

 Red Bull can = 2.09"

[Rickk]

Thanks Intodeep. A friend works at a bar and asked me if I wanted a couple million of Red Bull empties.

Sounds a bit loose, but they are free, so maybe I'll try some and see what happens.

[slikrickabn]

Rikk and others

I have no plans for competition, just want it to play with.  Rikk, what I want to build is what you have in your picture- (i think?) a confederate coehorn.  I think I will go with the Hern.  Is the vent hole fully drilled, or will I have to drill it?  Now to find a source for white oak planking- don't have many sawmills around here anymore.  Lowes and Home Depot have taken care of that.

Rick

[Rickk]

Yes, my picture is of my Hern Barreled Coehorn. I believe it is a Union style... I think the confererate style base would be a much simpler and lighter "sled".

You will have to drill the hole yourself if you buy it direct from Hern. I had mine EDM'ed (no drill bit to break) by someone with an EDM machine that owed me a favor. If you drill it with a drill, a drill press is prefered over a hand drill. There are better experts than me on that subject on this forum.

If you shop at Lowes or Home Depot, expect to pay lots more for the wood. It will be smoother and dryer than what you would get from a sawmill, but they will most likely only have it in 1 inch thickness. Mine were 2 and 3 inch thick, so there were less pieces to stick together. At what you will be paying for oak at Home Depot (about $3 a board foot, and you will need about 35-40 board feet), it will be painfull but not unbearable.

[slikrickabn]

I'm not familiar with the sled- do you have any pictures or plans to give me an idea of what they are?

Rick 

[moose53]

If you can find fir laminated beam it will hold up very well .I made mine out of fir laminated beam and have had it for years with no problem. 

[Rickk]

Here is a link to Troipco's really nice looking sled based mortar


http://tropico.ph/Gallery/Coehorn-Mortar?page=2

[accuratemike]

That being said, non-competition projectile choice can be more "creative".  (BTW, does anyone know the O.D. of a "Red Bull" can?)

2.092"
MIKE

[CU_Cannon]

The sled was used on large mortars they were not used on coehorns.  The confederate mortar was the same as the union but much less ornate.  The confederate barrel had straight sides lacking the reinforcements seen on the union coehorn.  The base for both was a solid block.  The ends of the confederate bases were square or had large chamfers.  The union was more ornate with rounded ends. 

The ordnance drawings call for white oak for the base but any hard wood would work.  I’m sure that during the war any available wood was used. 

The base is quite easy to build but does require a significant amount of time.  It takes me about twice as much time to build the base as it does the barrel.

[Double D]

If you live inthe are where there trees, just ask at any lumber depratment if they may know of a sawmill in your area.  Also ask any of the tree trimmer or at any site clearing land, they know.  I can assure you they aren't hauling those logs to the dump.

[Artilleryman]

When obtaining wood blocks for the bed, make sure that it is well seasoned to avoid shrinkage problems later.