Replica Cannon

TerryGwinnett

Senior Member
I have a miniature cannon that I inherited from my grandfather. He used to fire it at special events. I'd love to fire it on July Fourth, but I have no idea how. Is there a good source for black powder in general, or this kind of cannon specifically, in or near Gwinnett? I don't want to just experiment with it for obvious reasons.
 

mattech

Deranged Throat-Puncher
Here is one a guy made for my dad recently. They worked together for over 30 years and when the guy retired he gave it to my dad. We shoot it a good bit. We juat use a about a cap full of black powder and make a ball with a paper towel and stuck it in. It makes a big bang, the video doesn't do it justice.


 

mattech

Deranged Throat-Puncher
Here is a close up picture of it.



 

TerryGwinnett

Senior Member
Very cool. This is what I'm working with.

IMAG1342_zpsalmwrvhx.jpg
 

JustUs4All

Slow Mod
Staff member
Black powder or pyrodex, paper wadding, no projectile, and I use cannon fuse the diameter to go into the touch hole. The fuse keeps my eyes from being over the touch hole when the gasses come out there.
 

rosewood

Senior Member
I want a cannon....
 

TerryGwinnett

Senior Member
I have the cannon, I just need the stuff to shoot it. I didn't see any powder on Dixie's website.

I also need somebody to supervise to make sure I don't destroy something the first couple of times. :)
 

j_seph

Senior Member
I have the cannon, I just need the stuff to shoot it. I didn't see any powder on Dixie's website.

I also need somebody to supervise to make sure I don't destroy something the first couple of times. :)
I'll bring lots of beer and lots of black powder and sit back and watch the learning curve:hair:
 

mattech

Deranged Throat-Puncher
First time I shot my dads, I was terrified. Lol just used a half a cap and build up. After the first shot, its nothing.
 

tv_racin_fan

Senior Member
I have the cannon, I just need the stuff to shoot it. I didn't see any powder on Dixie's website.

I also need somebody to supervise to make sure I don't destroy something the first couple of times. :)

Got a place to shoot it?

Bass Pro Shops has the powder. Tho there are other places that may have it. You have to ask specifically for black powder. It can't be on the shelf due to explosive regulations.

I have powder and we can make it work without fuse.

What size is it?..
 

TerryGwinnett

Senior Member
I don't know the size. Do you mean caliber or barrel length?
 

tv_racin_fan

Senior Member
I meant caliber, it aint that important unless you have intent to shoot a projectile.

I am across the lake from you in Forsyth County. Pretty sure we could find a place to light that thing off if you aint got one handy.
 

TerryGwinnett

Senior Member
I'll just shoot it off in the backyard. I'll bet it'll sound great echoing off the hills across the river. When I got it, it had some lead cannonballs with it. They've been lost, though. I probably wouldn't have fired projectiles anyway. I'll hit up Bass Pro for some powder and start small.
 

tv_racin_fan

Senior Member
Pretty sure it is 50 cal... they made most of em in that size.

Ok... How do you intend to "light er off"?

One way is cannon fuse.. that may be a bit hard to do. Not sure what sort of "touch hole" that has you may just be able to trickle some powder in and on and light it off with something long enough to keep you out of danger. YOU don't want to have any body parts over the "touch hole". Flame is going to shoot out of there or could and ask any flinter about that. You don't want anyone directly behind it either.

Bird feathers that are large enough to have hollow quills used to be the method of choice for normal sized cannon. Partly because they had ready made charges and with quills you had ready made fuses. You just trickle some powder in and when the time comes trim the point off small enough that your powder dont just pour out then stick the quill in the "touch hole".

If you find a tube the right size you can use it to cut some pressed cardboard. Like you find on a note pad or in a new dress shirt and cut some wads. I'd start with about 15/20 grains of powder and honestly if all you intend is to make noise that may well be all you need to make the noise you want. Pour the powder in push a couple wads in on top, make sure to push the wads all the way down, and light er off.
 
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