I want a black powder Mortar/Cannon!

[BowHunter252]

Not sure if this is the correct forum, but it is kind of about casting boolits(cannon balls?)

I am looking for a mortar or cannon for just having some fun in a field. I have seen many golf ball sized, but I want something bigger. Here is what I would like:

2" or more diameter.
Capable of shooting lead balls
200 to 300 yard range
Adjustable angle would be nice
Price tag less than $300 including a mold for the ball


I have seen some like what I am looking for but the walls of the mortar look very thin, maybe .25" for a 2" bore. Would this be strong enough for lead balls?

Anyone have any suggestions?

[geargnasher]

how about this: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67622

Gear

[fishhawk]

in a word NO! you want 2 inch bore look for 2 inch sidewalls and make sure the breach end is just as thick. many have been made with any old chunk of scrap iron and they can make a nice grenade at some time. steve k

[waksupi]

Check with Dixie Gun Works. No idea what they sell for now, but they do carry mortars I believe.

[Kraschenbirn]

Uh-uh!! Not with cast lead ammo, anyway!! Muzzle-loading BP cannon and mortars fire CAST IRON balls (or equivalent) and lead is roughly 1.6 times heavier than iron. Think of seating a 220 gr. RN over the max. charge for a 130 gr. spire point in a .30-06 case...then firing it in a rechambered M91 Mauser!! Not a matter of "if" it will blow but only a matter of "when."

Bill

[BowHunter252]

That bowling ball mortar is very tempting!

Maybe lead isn't the best choice. Maybe drink cans filled with concrete is a better idea.

[chris in va]

Potato gun?

[many ponies]

This brings back some memories.
A friend who was a deputy sheriff made a cannon back in the day.
He filled coffee cans with concrete and a bunch of the quys were shooting it on his farm.
Tiring of seeing it plow up the field, and tearing up the sumac thickets, he turned it on his barn and shot it.
The round hit the barn near the roof, broke several timbers, went completely through and weakened the structure so that the part that hangs over where you pull hay up crashed to the ground.
A collection was taken up to make repairs, and a good time was had by all.

MP

[HABCAN]

I suggest you check these out...............

http://www.buckstix.com/howitzer.htm
http://www.buckstix.com/CoehornMortarHunt.htm

Should be fun!

[mpmarty]

Careful there those look like open ended pipe bombs.

[Shiloh]

One used to be able to by plans for making a beer can morter.

Fill empty beer cans with sand, seal the ends with wax or roofing tar, load in your mortar and shoot. Seen one fired numerous times in the Pawnee Nat'l Grasslands in North Eastern Colorado.

http://www.armynavymilitarysurplus.com/index.cfm?action=cat.prodInfo&productID=499

[blaster]

There is a guy, I believe in England, that makes molds for cannonballs. They are hollow and you epoxy the two half spheres together. If you want to use lead.

[timkelley]

Fella I used to see once in a while in Alaska made Cannons at about three inch. His cast cannonballs were made from plaster. Got lots of smoke and fire but not much chance of damage to anything.

[Houndog]

Call Stan Widner at Widner's Reloading Supply! He has/had a parrot rifle (rifled Cannon) that was proofed by IMI! He can give you all the info you need to build one, but you won't even get close to the cost for the amount in your post!

[45-70 Chevroner]

I have a 20MM barrell from a M61 gattling gun. I cut it off to about 24" long. Mounted it on an angle iron carridge> A 12 guage shot gun shell with the rim ground off will fit quite snuggly. I fill it with sand and crimp it down tight. It will shoot out of sight with a 1/2 ounce of 2fg black powder with a cotton wad spacer.

[44wcf]

<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/albums/pp82/RMRANKIN/?action=view&current=canon.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp82/RMRANKIN/th_canon.jpg" border="0" alt="canon" ></a>

well ****, don't know how to do it.


Not sure if this is the correct forum, but it is kind of about casting boolits(cannon balls?)

I am looking for a mortar or cannon for just having some fun in a field. I have seen many golf ball sized, but I want something bigger. Here is what I would like:

2" or more diameter.
Capable of shooting lead balls
200 to 300 yard range
Adjustable angle would be nice
Price tag less than $300 including a mold for the ball


I have seen some like what I am looking for but the walls of the mortar look very thin, maybe .25" for a 2" bore. Would this be strong enough for lead balls?

Anyone have any suggestions?

[skeeter1911]

On a tangent, this reminds me of a short story by Patrick F. McManus in one of his collections called "Never Sniff a Gift Fish". The story was titled "Poof-No Eyebrows" and is absolutely the funniest thing I ever read. Check your local library, its a real treat.

[garandsrus]

44WCF,

Fixed it for you :)

http://s400.photobucket.com/albums/pp82/RMRANKIN/?action=view&current=canon.jpg

Click on the globe and chain link (or whatever it is) icon and then post the URL in the box. You can also add a text description of the link if you want to.

John

[Buckshot]

...............I have a 4.5" x 18" piece of 1045 steel I intend to turn into a beer can morter. However the steady rest of my 11" Logan wouldn't begin to work. So a couple years back I bought a 12"x12"x1" steel drop to fab up a larger steady rest. Kinda tames the "Gotta have it now" urgency when you have to make something to make something to make something :-P I already have a stainless steel golfball cannon. No carriage or anything. You just lay it on something or simply hold it.

..................Buckshot

[44wcf]

44WCF,

Fixed it for you :)

http://s400.photobucket.com/albums/pp82/RMRANKIN/?action=view&current=canon.jpg

Click on the globe and chain link (or whatever it is) icon and then post the URL in the box. You can also add a text description of the link if you want to.

John

Thanks
Maybe I get it right some day.

[Jack Stanley]

I suggest you check these out...............

http://www.buckstix.com/howitzer.htm
http://www.buckstix.com/CoehornMortarHunt.htm

Should be fun!

If you haven't read these yet please do , but only if you feel like laughing your guts out . I would provide a strong warning not to have food , coffee or other drinks nearby unless your keyboard and surrounding area has been covered with plastic . I don't deer hunt anymore and it was funny but feral cats on the other hand ......... I wonder what it costs to Fed-ex my wifes cat to Wisconson .

Jack

[Baron von Trollwhack]

What has been asked for is just not reasonably possible. BvT

[NVWalt]

Go to GreyBeard outdoors and they have a blackpowder mortar and cannon forum and you will find just about anything you want to know.

[The Double D]

We have a complete forum dedicated to safely shooting and building just such gun at www.GBOcannons.com. You will find a lot of information there about cannons.

Just this weekend the board held a Ring in the spring shoot. Where ever the board members where in the country, at Non Mountain time every one fired there cannon.

Unless you have the skills and tools to build you own cannon, you are going to be hard pressed get something meeting you criteria for $300.

Lead projectiles above 1 one inch call for a carefully and strongly built gun. The mass of a round lead ball is significant and charges have to be pretty substantial to make the ball move. Then you get equally substantial recoil which is rough on carriages. Experience cannoneers shot larger bore guns use projectiles of other than lead.

Here is my 6 PDR mortar and my friend bowling ball mortar. Click on the picture to see the video.

http://www.fototime.com/1AE9631B8D31272/thumb.jpg (http://www.fototime.com/1AE9631B8D31272/conv.wmv)

Here some mortars from our shoot last year. In order of firing:

Dictator popcan mortar. 6PDR scrapyard mortar, Bowling ball mortar, Monster mortar shooting 10 gallon water bottle full of cement. Click on the picture. 9 MB file be patient when opening, it's worth it.

http://www.fototime.com/16B0C9ADD593388/thumb.jpg (http://www.fototime.com/16B0C9ADD593388/conv.wmv)

Here is my one inch cannon shoot a 9 oz slug.

http://www.fototime.com/096D94A2EF96E49/thumb.jpg (http://www.fototime.com/096D94A2EF96E49/conv.wmv)

Same gun with 1/8 steel ball.

http://www.fototime.com/4742EA962446213/thumb.jpg (http://www.fototime.com/4742EA962446213/conv.wmv)

[Hoosier49er]

I sent 'ya a PM Bowhunter about this post Bowhunter252.
Love this forum!