Finally, like waiting for a tax refund check the day is here. Bruce, the Badger Blaster of the Wild Frontier, has raised his mighty voice with a magnificent roar and left a trail of decimated badgers in his wake. Or at least really annoyed them. A long, long, much longer than anticipated trip up what was supposed to be a gravel road but more resembled an ancient oriental torture device, tired, dusty. and with bruised posteriors we arrived at the tall end of a boxed in seldom used landing strip out in the middle of nowhere next to a mostly dried up lake. There Bruce was unveiled in all his half scale glory. :applause:
(http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Cannon/Cannon%20001_zpstc7cdpxm.jpg) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/hotfxr/media/Cannon/Cannon%20001_zpstc7cdpxm.jpg.html)
Looks pretty mean sitting out there in the middle of 200 degree rocks. (http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Smileys/smiley-cool04_zps5fba8225.gif) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/hotfxr/media/Smileys/smiley-cool04_zps5fba8225.gif.html)
(http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Cannon/Cannon%20002_zpszkswrojg.jpg) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/hotfxr/media/Cannon/Cannon%20002_zpszkswrojg.jpg.html)
Look at that target sitting there , oh, about a 1000 yards away. Really, I wouldn't lie about that would I? Never! :o
(http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Cannon/Cannon%20003_zpsbm7tuxck.jpg) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/hotfxr/media/Cannon/Cannon%20003_zpsbm7tuxck.jpg.html)
We learned many things today. One, the firing of a cannon draws a crowd. &) [hmm] hi: dntn Two, when the terrain rises and you are holding the barrel level, golf balls bounce a long way. (susp) Three, golf balls being shot from a cannon at a high velocity tend to act like golf balls in flight and, not unlike my golf game (the reason I gave it up years ago) golf balls tend to go where they want to, despite the best intentions of the cannon master. 'shok' Four, When lighting the cannon fuse, right after yelling "Fire in the Hole" when playing with golf balls you should also yell "Fore". rdfce Five, when shooting golf balls out of a cannon with a lot of black powder behind them, golf balls tend to revert back to their basic elements and are no longer identifiable as golf balls.(http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Smileys/smiley-confused013_zpsdervvmso.gif) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/hotfxr/media/Smileys/smiley-confused013_zpsdervvmso.gif.html) Six, in order to take out a Badger of the Red kind, use a lot of black powder to strip the golf ball of it's outer layer and let the hard core do the damage for you, straight on, up the middle. (http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Smileys/smiley-sick002_zpsbc2c1b85.gif) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/hotfxr/media/Smileys/smiley-sick002_zpsbc2c1b85.gif.html)
(http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Cannon/Cannon%20007_zpst9zlmpah.jpg) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/hotfxr/media/Cannon/Cannon%20007_zpst9zlmpah.jpg.html)
Seven, and probably the most important, don't let Red Badger trick you into agreeing that you challenged him to a duel. fncg Although satisfying in the end, it will cost you a lot of time, some burnt hair, several cuts & scrapes, loss of sleep, grinding and welding burns on your face, and your wife just slowly and sadly shaking her head while explaining to family and friends what you are up to. srndr
Satisfying? Yes it is. (http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Smileys/smiley-score009_zpsbe5af41d.gif) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/hotfxr/media/Smileys/smiley-score009_zpsbe5af41d.gif.html)
(http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Cannon/th_Cannon%20005_zpsx4ch338p.mp4) (http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Cannon/Cannon%20005_zpsx4ch338p.mp4)
The kill shot. (http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Smileys/smiley-score010_zpse21ba8b2.gif) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/hotfxr/media/Smileys/smiley-score010_zpse21ba8b2.gif.html)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqreWGaONrw
We took another way home that someone, who will pay dearly for the lie, said the road was paved. Not only was it not, it was 20 miles longer than the way we came in. So, hot, tired, very dusty, but with big smiles on our faces we finally arrived safely home, thus ending the inaugural voyage of "Bruce, Badger Blasting Cannon of the Wild Frontier"
(http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a603/hotfxr/Smileys/macarena-1110_zps8d5699f1.gif) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/hotfxr/media/Smileys/macarena-1110_zps8d5699f1.gif.html)
Stay tuned for upcoming further adventures of BBBCotWF!!
thmbsup
Very nice. Don't you have any place closer to shoot it?
Now, load that beauty with an iron ball and let's see some real damage .. from 200 yards instead of 50(?). :applause:
;D ;D thmbsup thmbsup thmbsup Job well done o wearer of the fez. We may just have to make you official armourer of the site. Think ya could come up wif some chain mail ????
That was sweet. thmbsup I got cannon envy (susp)
You have my vote for master armorer....and wheel wright.....Great gun....Tom
Quote from: Patocazador on September 24, 2015
Very nice. Don't you have any place closer to shoot it?
Now, load that beauty with an iron ball and let's see some real damage .. from 200 yards instead of 50(?). :applause:
There are places that I can shoot it legally but most are not prudent choices. We wanted to test it out where we wouldn't be bothered by any annoyed neighbors or attract a crowd. Not knowing where the projectiles would actually go with heavy powder loads, not wanting to even take a chance of starting another fire (we were right in the middle of where the last three major fires were, and one still is),and knowing that in the direction we were shooting there wasn't a human for at least 20 miles and we were shooting into the side of a hill.The remoteness of the airstrip, the lake being at 20%, and all the evacuations from the Valley fire means that there was not more than 50 people in a 20 mile radius and almost all of them were a couple of miles in the opposite direction of where we were aiming. That and we had an unobstructed 1,200 yard range to play with. It was worth the drive, once. I hadn't been up there in over 15 years, and most likely won't for another 15 years if ever. Well maybe when I collect enough alternate ammo, just to get the safe long distance again.
I was thinking of trying to make some lead balls, I never even thought of steel. Plus I want to try grape shot of different materials to see what kind of distance we can get along with some way to increase the smoke for demonstration purposes. I need to collect some canisters. I was told that tomato paste cans are the perfect size for this bore, but since I married the only Italian in the world who can't cook, I have to go to a store and measure them. I have about 50 pounds of various sized ball bearings that might be entertaining coming out the end of the barrel.
Oh, we stared at 75 yards when we took the pictures and hit the target from 125 yards. Just don't tell Red Badger, given his advanced age and diminishing eyesight, he will still believe that we hit the target at 1,000 yards. Badgers aren't really too quick on the uptake, if you know what I mean. ROFL
must say that I am truly impressed ! you fit the motto where I used to work , "We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing." boss did`nt like it , but he had to admit that it was true ! ROFL
Quote from: beowulf on September 24, 2015
must say that I am truly impressed ! you fit the motto where I used to work , "We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing." boss did`nt like it , but he had to admit that it was true ! ROFL
I was really trying to keep with our "On the Cheap" theme. The total cost got a bit out of hand. Since I really had no plans and was just trying to make what I could scrounge work I wound up (as usual) making a lot of mistakes along the way. This caused me to have to break down and actually purchase some of the steel that makes up the outside. Total cost including a lot of welding wire, shield gas, and flap disks (for grinding), which went up due to the aforementioned mistakes, bought materials and spray paint came in at just under $300.00. It would have been $25 less if my wife had just let me steal the hand wheel off the treadle machine that just sits folded up in it's cabinet in the hall, but women sometimes don't see the overall picture. We won't even talk about the well over 100 hours I have spent working on it and travelling around finding all the scrounged material I used.
If for some reason I lose my mind completely and decide to build another one, I believe I could do it for less than $100 and about 20-30 hours, given what I learned doing this one, plus the templates I made already. And I think the next one will actually be better built, if I ever do it again. Of course my driveway
does have two entrances, hmmm. I'd ask our burrowing leader for advice, but he is too busy patching up golf ball sized holes in his clothes right now. You do notice that he has not chimed in since the shooting started, didn't you? ROFL
I would rethink that lead ball bit since I have been told that lead balls approaching bore size in a cannon tend to expand and cause a blockage that can have disastrous results,I think cast iron balls are what are used.
Quote from: punjab on September 24, 2015
I would rethink that lead ball bit since I have been told that lead balls approaching bore size in a cannon tend to expand and cause a blockage that can have disastrous results,I think cast iron balls are what are used.
Oh man, more stuff that I do not know.I guess I will look around for cast iron cannonballs. I am heading out to do a small job, I think I will stop by a grocery store and check out the sizes of small cans. I have not been able to find much information of canon balls , either lead or iron, but there is a lot of chatter about stuffing small cans full of everything from lead balls to rocks to marbles. I guess it is the same principle as shotgun shells and sabots. I do know now that two ounces of powder rips the skin right off of those golf balls.At least the parts of the ones we could find.
for many year a family member had the use of an original cannon from the 1860`s . it had been used on a( maryland oyster patrol boat ) apparently there had been some contention over oyster rights in the bay ,. and both maryland and virginia had a minor tiff over it . the cannon in question is the only one ever fired in defense of "marylands" oyster rights ! pnic well , each year at the fourth of july picnic , there would be a little claybird shoot , some fireworks , and ....THE CANNON ! my uncle has a target range of a little over 100 yards , at that range the cannon would lift a large flat bed truck almost completely off the ground , and one shot blew the rear axle out the other side ! they loaded the beast ( I believe it was a 5 or 6 inch bore ) with a couple pounds of powder , and a large conical cast zinc round with a roll of toilet paper duct taped to the back as wadding ! it was impressive to say the least ! few years back the cannon was sold off to ,I believe the local historical society . but , it was fun while it lasted ! :mini-devil-28492:
When you find the correct dia. can, fill 'em with concrete.....Great wad cutters on targets.
Quote from: gunmaker on September 24, 2015
When you find the correct dia. can, fill 'em with concrete.....Great wad cutters on targets.
Now that's a great idea, I will implement that as soon as I get some empty cans.
My vote goes to Lead balls an epoxie!!!!.... [hmm] with a tungston nose cap!!! YAH! That oughta do it! pnic thmbsup bunkr
Good range report. Haul ol Bruce down her ta South East Texas an well put ya on a suitable live pig of gargantuan proportions, that will tax its moxy far more than mear paper badgers! Then well have a a Pig Pit....fer bout 500 people,....say round Super Bowll Sunday! Got a big screen, an a real quite inverter for power! BYOB!
Oh, we stared at 75 yards when we took the pictures and hit the target from 125 yards. Just don't tell Red Badger, given his advanced age and diminishing eyesight, he will still believe that we hit the target at 1,000 yards....
I did like the photo shop work you put up.... :mini-devil-28492:
Concrete is the way to go if you can't get proper cannon balls... and a brass monkey...
Quote from: Red Badger on September 30, 2015
Oh, we stared at 75 yards when we took the pictures and hit the target from 125 yards. Just don't tell Red Badger, given his advanced age and diminishing eyesight, he will still believe that we hit the target at 1,000 yards....
I did like the photo shop work you put up.... :mini-devil-28492:
Concrete is the way to go if you can't get proper cannon balls... and a brass monkey...
To photo shop something I would actually have to have the ability to run Photoshop, or whatever it is, an ability in which I am sorely lacking. That is a target I made the night before, a 48" X 48" target area standing 72" tall. Almost as tall as our one eyed leader. But I digress, since you have a cannon of roughly the same bore as mine (1 3/4" if I remember correctly) so where does a budding artilleryphile find such things? I have been searching Ye Old Net and outside of overpriced (probably fake) civil war era cannonballs I have really not found much. If one has a proper fitting cannonball, does one patch it like a PRB? Or is it meant to loosely and casually roll down the barrel held in place solely by the law of gravity? (That is a rule I always obey) If one does find a metallic or maybe even a plastic canister that just barely glides down the smooth sides of the barrel, is it lubed or dry? I have many questions and look to our fearless but squinting leader for answers.
Check for ball bearings. They come in a variety of PRECISE sizes and materials.
Here is one place I found in California that makes balls from a WIDE range of materials, including cast iron. Didn't see a price list but a phone call is cheap.
http://www.usball.com/balls/default.html