Up to the top of the hill

[hotfxr]

Last week, we defied the stay at home rules and took Bruce to a friends ranch to test out the new cannon balls/projectiles. Getting it to the ranch was no problem, using my quad and some pulleys I got it up the ramps into the truck.



Driving the 50 or so miles to the ranch was kinda fun. It really made the tailgaters back off.

With three of us holding on, we safely got the cannon down on the ground. Now, to get it up the logging road to the top of the mountain. How, chained to the back of a quad and towed to the top. No one was as surprised as I was that it made it up (and back) unscathed.



Fortunately they had the paths bladed the week before and they made this flat at the top for skeet shooting, and of course cannons.



.That bluff was 1200 yards away. they ranged it last week so we would be prepared. However, as much fun, smoke and 45 second echoes we enjoyed, we had absolutely no idea where the cannonballs were hitting. With everything still green and so far away, there was no way to tell where they hit. So after shooting a couple of modern weapons at some tannerite, just for echo measuring purposes, we chained Bruce back to the quad, and down the mountain I went. Loaded it up in the truck, and it is still there today.

[bmtshooter]

Looks like a ton of fun.  Glad you were able to slip out and have a blast. 

[Red Badger]

    

[Patocazador]

Last week, we defied the stay at home rules and took Bruce to a friends ranch to test out the new cannon balls/projectiles.

P[ease tell us about the cannon balls. Caliber, weight, and powder charge.

[hotfxr]

Last week, we defied the stay at home rules and took Bruce to a friends ranch to test out the new cannon balls/projectiles.

P[ease tell us about the cannon balls. Caliber, weight, and powder charge.

The projectiles are 1 5/8" in diameter (1.625 Caliber) and weigh an average of 17 3/4 ounces. They are hollow on the bottom so in theory the skirt expands to seal up against the rifling. I spray them with dry lube before shoving them down the barrel. A side note, the last 6 or so I cast were out of Linotype lead which, with it's lower melting point, made smoother sides and they weigh an average of 16 3/4 ounces. Powder is in 1 ounce foil packets. We started with two per shot before we quit. I know that with one ounce of powder the projectiles will pierce a porcelain and steel bathtub at 100 yards. 



Right now we are trying to come up with a way to figure out where the shots are landing. When I first made it, I made up some plaster projectiles with chalk line chalk in the nose, hoping they would make colored smoke on impact. However, they turned into tracers, which was really cool. Trying to see if we can come up with something similar with the lead ones.

[Patocazador]

Last week, we defied the stay at home rules and took Bruce to a friends ranch to test out the new cannon balls/projectiles.

P[ease tell us about the cannon balls. Caliber, weight, and powder charge.

The projectiles are 1 5/8" in diameter (1.625 Caliber) and weigh an average of 17 3/4 ounces. They are hollow on the bottom so in theory the skirt expands to seal up against the rifling. I spray them with dry lube before shoving them down the barrel. A side note, the last 6 or so I cast were out of Linotype lead which, with it's lower melting point, made smoother sides and they weigh an average of 16 3/4 ounces. Powder is in 1 ounce foil packets. We started with two per shot before we quit. I know that with one ounce of powder the projectiles will pierce a porcelain and steel bathtub at 100 yards. 

Thanks for the rundown. 

[Red Badger]

SAFETY FIRST

You stated that Right now we are trying to come up with a way to figure out where the shots are landing."... When I first made it, I made up some plaster projectiles with chalk line chalk in the nose, hoping they would make colored smoke on impact. However, they turned into tracers, which was really cool. Trying to see if we can come up with something similar with the lead ones."

The only way to tell where a lead projectile has landed is to hunt for it or have spotters visually searching - but from the terrain shown in the pictures you would need to be very lucky to spot an impact unless it was a tree...  I don 't have any suggestions for you  - I shoot for ranging at Ft. Sill when they let us bring out the cannons... about 1 every 5 years... I'll find out when they schedule the next event and Your welcome to come here  Heck we could even video it for the rest of the site

[hotfxr]

SAFETY FIRST

You stated that Right now we are trying to come up with a way to figure out where the shots are landing."... When I first made it, I made up some plaster projectiles with chalk line chalk in the nose, hoping they would make colored smoke on impact. However, they turned into tracers, which was really cool. Trying to see if we can come up with something similar with the lead ones."

The only way to tell where a lead projectile has landed is to hunt for it or have spotters visually searching - but from the terrain shown in the pictures you would need to be very lucky to spot an impact unless it was a tree...  I don 't have any suggestions for you  - I shoot for ranging at Ft. Sill when they let us bring out the cannons... about 1 every 5 years... I'll find out when they schedule the next event and Your welcome to come here  Heck we could even video it for the rest of the site

Perusing the borders of his property, with cannon shooting in mind, we found another spot that might work. Keeping in mind the third rule of forearm safety, knowing what is behind your target (paraphrasing), we found a spot where we can shoot into a cliff face. This distance is only about 500-600 yards, but we hope to extrapolate from there to estimate aiming at further distances.

[flintboomer]

You might try the chalk powder in the cavity with a wooden base under the slug. I can't promise that it will work but its worth a try.

The Linotype lead will be harder, a little lighter and possibly unable to expand into the rifling.