Dixie Cannons

[kmeyer]

Hey all. I been into bp for almost 20 years, but just getting the cannon bug. Below are two links to Dixie cannons. Has anyone shot either of theses? Any opinions on their quality? Thanks.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=1675

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=1688

 

[CrufflerSteve]

Hey all. I been into bp for almost 20 years, but just getting the cannon bug. Below are two links to Dixie cannons. Has anyone shot either of theses? Any opinions on their quality? Thanks.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=1675
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=1688

I have the second. Its a fun little shooter but it will lead to bigger and louder toys.

Its cheaper at Cannon Mania

Steve

 

[donk]

I have the second. Its a fun little shooter but it will lead to bigger and louder toys.


Steve [/quote]

This is so true. I keep telling my wife I'm going to sell my present gun about every 2 years and use the money to build a bigger one. I figure buy the time I'm ready to retier I will have a couple of full scale Napolians setting in the front yard.

Hey someone has to keep the property values down in our neighborhood. :haha:

 

[Bountyhunter]

I checked out the Dixie cannons and then did a little research. They are made by Hern Iron Works at Couer d'Alene, Idaho. I bought mine directly from Hern for quite a large savings.

http://www.hernironworks.com/

I am in the process of making a carriage for it, and will post it sometime when it is finished. It is researched extensively to be historically accurate.

Bill

 

[kmeyer]

These appear to be the larger ones only though. Not the .50cal ones I have linked above. Am I missing something? If you see the .50cal on their site, can you post the link? Thanks.

 

[CrufflerSteve]

These appear to be the larger ones only though. Not the .50cal ones I have linked above. Am I missing something? If you see the .50cal on their site, can you post the link? Thanks.

You are right. Hern only sells the larger ones. Dixie resells lots of products. The .50 caliber Yorktown I got from Cannon-Mania was labelled Traditions and I think it was made in Spain. (The box is long gone.) I did a search on 'Traditions Yorktown Cannon' and Cannon-Mania and Dixie were at the top of the list. You might find them on auction sites like gunbroker or auctionarms.

If you are buying the larger barrels from Dixie, they probably will be Hern. Dixie drills a vent hole and charges a lot more. I'd go direct with Hern. Think big! I started with a couple of small cannon. I still have the .50 caliber Yorktown but it hasn't been fired in years. Once I got some larger cannon, they were WAY more fun.

I probably fired about 50 balls out of the Yorktown plus lots of blanks and it held up fine. Some wood got cracked when somebody stepped on it but it glued back together okay.

That's the problem with small cannon. There's something inherently wrong with a cannon that you can step on. A proper cannon is one that where the opposite is true. You worry about it being dropped on you.

If you're looking for something in between how about a Golf Ball Cannon? I bought one from Gunsmoke on gunbroker and I've been happy with it. It makes a heck of a bang and really sends golf balls downrange. Its well constructed and a great deal for the price. Its something of a howitzer and the barrel/carriage is not period correct but it looks great. To make it period correct would have made it too expensive. The sellers are good people and I hope they do well so I can spend more with them.

Steve

 

[Bountyhunter]

The cannon I got from Hern was a scale model carronade. It has about an 1-1/2" bore, and is about 3 feet long. Weighs about 90 pounds. 5/8 scale.

It is fun to shoot. I hope to have it on the carriage by the end of the year. I have the plans drawn (AutoCad) and have the parts cut, I just have to find/make the proper period bolts and hardware and put it together.

Bill

 

[threepdr]

I'm thinking of ordering one of the Hern full scale carronades. But be aware, these are not "carronades" but just a small naval style gun. The name Hern has applyed to it is just for marketing.

The carronade was a very specific short barreled gun with a swelled bore at the muzzle to facilitate swift loading. They also had no trunnions, but had "eyes" on the bottom of the tube to attach to a incline sliding carriage.

See web page for a little info on carronades


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