quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
Yes, I do have one in the attic, but it doesn’t shoot steel or lead shot.

It fires potatoes. It has a five foot barrel, and the “chamber” is 16”x6”. The end cap has a square (hollow) that works as a measurement for propellant. It is built entirely of schedule 80 pipe.

Starting fluid (ether) is the propellant. It is ignited by a Coleman lantern striker.

I have had it since my early 20’s. Back then I thought nothing of Getting a few bags of taters and launching them into Lake Ray Hubbard. The last time I looked at it, when we moved and I stowed it away in the attic, I thought I must be getting old, as the thought of lighting off an ether bomb in my right thigh, terrifies me.

You're never too old. The first time I met my great uncle up in Montana he had to be 75 years old. He had a beautiful house overlooking a private lake that was only accessible to homeowners. We were sitting on his deck admiring the view and he said "Want to have some fun?" He went out to his garage and came back with an 8' Potato Gun. A few of his neighbors didn't seem all that thrilled but he really didn't care what they thought.

I meant getting old, as in getting wiser, or at least losing the feeling of invincibility.

Now I think; how does ether and the flash, affect the structure of the pvc? Does ether cause pvc to breakdown? How does 20+ years affect the ability of the pvc to contain the pressures? What kind of pressure are we building?
It launches an extra large potato well over a hundred yards. With a hot load, you would lose sight of the tater, and only see a splash when it touched down.

So now my concern is going to the hospital with pvc shrapnel in my leg, or other parts of the body, because the cannon failed and I am now seriously injured.

I know someone with a 7.5cm Pak40 anti-tank gun and a 5.0cm Pak38 anti-tank gun.

I have a cannon. Several actually.

The “primary” cannon looks something like a WW1 Howitzer. It has a 8” bore and the tube is 8’ long (a bit long for a howitzer). On 24” wheels with tires on the wheels. It also has the slanted plate front to protect the gunners from small arms fire. I would categorize it as “full size”. Guess I should figure out how to post a picture.

As far as firing it, the design (I built it) is as basic as the Civil War smooth bore guns. Tube, closed at one end, open at the other, touch hole at the closed end. While it would shoot a projectile, finding 8” diameter items to send down range has not been pursued. What I do is use oxygen and acetylene. I put a plastic bag over the muzzle and tape it in place. Then, using a welding tip I set the gages and turn on the torch (not lighting it) then put the tip in the touch hole. Counting to 20 gives me a pretty good charge. Pull the torch, light it and sweep the flame across the touch hole - BOOM!

I have considered growing squash to fit the bore. I have some 8” pvc pipe that conveniently has an 8” ID. Putting a young blossom in the tube would grown a 8” diameter squash. It would be something like a cork in the old Pop Guns. Determining the right charge would be the challenge. That and the flight path of a tumbling might be hard to judge. Considering the other extreme, to much of a charge might cause a giant (spectacular?) sneeze.

It is quite loud. In our area we hear a lot of fireworks (and guns) celebrating around the Fourth of July. I’ll set the charge and fire the cannon at such a time. It seems that when I do the other noise stops for a bit, kind of a moment for people to think “What was THAT?”

Unlimbering a cannon would certainly reduce the bravery of these miscreant rioters! Grapeshot, canister or maybe that load with two projectiles with a chain between them should disperse a crowd very quickly.

my brother has a 1/2 scale Napoleon he and dad rebuilt,


we have this one for sale,
1861 Ord Cannon, modern repro,



gb id#869778457

I have an old line throwing cannon in my garage, and we have 3-4 more in the shop,


+ a couple of the Winchester 10 ga models,

A friend's family has a functional Civil War cannon, used in regional reenactments.

One year as a teen I was the flag bearer in an annual reenactment of a local Battle.

The concussion, even firing blanks, was substantial. They're awesome.

Thanks for the mini cannon ads popping up in the FB

You're welcome?

I just think it's hilarious that ads pop up for things that I have read online. I get friend suggestions for people I have email conversations with only, through work.


Fuckers are definitely watching me and swapping info

A cannon?

I don't need anything like that...yet.

quote:

Originally posted by DaBigBR:
A cannon?

I don't need anything like that...yet.

need?


nothing like the cloud of Smoke, and the sound of a round ball or multiple projectiles ( ) going thru the woods,

Even though it does not count, I have a mini cannon

About 5 years ago the wife and I were vacationing in the keys and came across a very cool 3 inch deck cannon from the early 1800s. the guy was asking about $500 but did not know if it worked. Unfortunately, the wife said absolutely not...

One has popped up for sale near Tulsa. I can't tell quite how big it is by the pics, it appears to be small but not too small, I think.

Link to Tulsa area cannon

I put in my will that I want my ashes shot out of a cannon over our hay fields. I wish I could be there when they read it and start looking for one...or should I buy one and keep it on the porch?

Theres a guy who lives on the opposite side of the lake from the town that I work in who owns a cannon. He fires it off a couple of times a year on special occasions. He's pretty reasonable about it...shoots it a loss less frequently than I would if I had a cannon, and never too late at night.

Inevitably when he fires it, some NIMBY lakehouse dweller in my town calls in to complain. The last one claimed it was terrifying his dog, who he claimed had been diagnosed by the doggy-psychologist with PTSD. He was not at all pleased when I explained to him that a.) This is America and it's perfectly leagal to own a cannon, b.) That our town noise ordinance does not take effect until 10:00 and it was currently only 7:00, and c.) The owner of the cannon resides outside of our town limits, and fires it on his own property, so he is not subject to our town ordinances anyway.

The closest I came to owning a cannon was the five foot by four inch potato cannon I built out of PVC with a push button igniter. We lived in a house with a large open field behind us. We launched four inch Idaho spuds for well over 100 yards with an amazing flame from the bore from the hairspray.

When we moved to another state, I gave it to a good friend who was a Police Sergeant. He is retired now and still has it twenty-five years later.

quote:

Originally posted by LimaCharlie:
The closest I came to owning a cannon was the five foot by four inch potato cannon I built out of PVC with a push button igniter. We lived in a house with a large open field behind us. We launched four inch Idaho spuds for well over 100 yards with an amazing flame from the bore from the hairspray.

When we moved to another state, I gave it to a good friend who was a Police Sergeant. He is retired now and still has it twenty-five years later.

friend and I built a few,

we did learn that using Starter Fluid was just a little too hot, (one split, w/o injury to either of us thankfully)

OH yeah. Several toys, actually. The first being a 10 gauge Winchester. Its a blank starter cannon, like for yacht races or whatever. Ever tried getting 10 gauge black powder blanks. Hint: Wally World doesn't carry them, much like 22s. Doesn't matter, I've still got a couple of boxes, and I don't waste them. It speaks with authority.

And then there's my golf ball cannon. Mortor, really. Saw it at a gun show one time. then spent all the money I had along so I couldn't buy it. A few years later oldest son came along and saw it (birdogged) This old boy wasn't missing it twice. Went straight over and bought it. No negotiations, just paid his price. Some things I've learned. Golf balls aren't all the same size. Some fit the bore just right, others are too loose. Powder charges are measured in "cap fulls". I like the smell and the cloud of smoke.

The Napolean 2 kit wasn't worth much until a buddy did me a favor. He bored it to 12 gauge. Allowed me to use poly wads. Even reuse them!)

I use FFFg with them. I'm more interested in noise and smoke. Except with the Winchester, I use factory 10ga black powder blanks.

Everyone needs a cannon or two. Just for fun.