building a cannon...

bladegrinder

Well-Known Member
Fixing to build a cannon, while it's impractical to shoot where I currently live I'm moving to 30 acres in 4-5 months and I'll have fun with it then.
something told me my government covid check was meant to buy some sort of bad ass weapon, and since I already have a few guns I thought the next thing in line that they would like me to buy with that money was a cannon barrel.
So I bought a cannon barrel, not to big, I'd need a bigger check from Uncle Sam for that but it'll be a nice starter model.
I should have the field carriage done in a few weeks with the first firing the end if Feb.

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Cool! In the last century I was volunteer crew on an old sailing ship and they had a small black powder deck cannon originally meant to be used as a line-throwing gun. A Coors can filled with plaster of paris was just the right fit and made a great projectile. Similar to this:1611802858427.png
 
Yea it'll be a blast, I'm also going to tell people that visit my shop...buy a knife and you get to fire the cannon! :D
specs on the barrel are...
2 1/2"- 1018 steel cold blued, 21" long, 1" bore 19" deep, weighs 20 pounds.
 
I'm having a blast making this thing, next is painting all the steel hardware black. then adding brake chains to the sides, an elevation screw for the barrel, two ramrods to attach to the sides, and finish off the trail with a steel foot plate and pinion ring.
 
The cannon is finished except for the axle caps, I need to take it apart to put it in my truck and move it to my other place where I can shoot it. it was a fun build, while it's certainly not historically correct it still looks cool and I'm sure it'll be fun to shoot off for years to come.
I'll try to get a video posted in a couple weeks of it firing.

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