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Replica breech loading swivel gun

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Nyckname

45 Cal.
Joined
Feb 6, 2019
Messages
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Location
Fifteen minute walk from Independence Hall.
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No further details. It came up on my Pinterest feed, and people on there are notorious for mangling information.
 
Although it is interesting to look at I don't know that posting a picture of it without any information about it serves much purpose.
 
"repel all boarders!" I like it. Looks like an early breech-loading 16th/17th century type with the barrel construction like that. I hope it is functional, but given the potential liability issues from gasses escaping at the breech, I it may not be. As above, any details?
 
Greener has a picture of a similar breech system in his book and IIRC says it was 14th century. There was a show about such cannons on TV a few years back. The Englishman talking about the design called the breech a thunder cup, (not mug.) and he fired one that was a bit more primitive.
 
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No further details. It came up on my Pinterest feed, and people on there are notorious for mangling information.
It’s of a type used on King Henry 8th’s ship Mary Rose. I have a friend who has made a couple of replicas. As long as the wedge is in tight, there aren’t too many problems with escaping gases.
 
One will note the reinforcement timber "knees" behind the railing where the pintle is installed for the swivel gun. Needed for recoil!

For those who don't speak Spanish:
1. Barrel, 73mm caliber, made in bronze or iron, with an approximate weight of 95 kg. [In the American Revolution, a swivel gun weight over 150lbs., but a "wall gun" with a smooth bore weighted about 50 pounds, albeit subject to considerable variance.]
2. Breech, area where the interchangeable firing chambers loaded with powder and shot were placed.
3. Stone ball of 1 pound/ approx. 400 grams.
4. Wooden shoe/sabot or tampion to fix projectile within the chamber.
5. The interchangeable firing chamber, a unit containing the powder and shot. Several shots for the piece could be prepared and held in readiness.
6. Vent or touch-hole for firing the charge. ...
10. Tiller for aiming the piece.
11. Wedge for fixing the charge/ interchangeable firing chamber into the breech.
 
They were called barrels as they were made from slats held with those bands shrunk on. They were fired with serpentine powder. Could it hold corned powder?
It could certainly HOLD corned powder, but it would probably blow up as soon as it was lit.

I think the old breech loaders were abandoned when corned powder came along because they couldn't handle the increased pressure until metallurgy caught up.
 
How late did breech-loading swivels last among European/western nations?
 
You say replica in title. If it's so then by definition it is non firing show piece.
If a reproduction then it is capable of use. As I understand the defines of the terms.
Only point this out because stated , hope it functions.
 
Bang. Your being just a little pedantic . Ime sure most except Replica means fireable if it cant then its a prop . Such a piece if well wrought should fire OK, might be a bit of gas escape whats that on the scale of things ? ' Mons Meg' did burst took the King with it maybe the stone ball stuck a bit who knows , We all have off days Did fire a replica of Puckles 'Machine gun" slow as old Nick but interesting Regards Rudyard
 
The French Canadians were using them thru the F&I War. Some Canadian forts have repros laying around like cord wood. They were popular as they could be made by a good blacksmith.
 

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He would want some good strikers too! Been there with Blacksmiths .Wonder what Sulayman the Magnificence battered down the walls of Constantinople with did he use serpentine or corned powder ? The Turks might know whatever it was it didn't burst the bronze breech loader now in the Tower of London whopping great bore firing stone balls .I've called it a breech loader it screws apart but might be just easier to transport in two bits. I seem to recall they cast them outside the walls That's .SOME casting job . Got to hand it to the Turks they did some clever stuff .
Rudyard
 
I reckon there would be a thick leathern gasket between the mug and the back of the breech. I think it would have been the gas leakage that would have beat them in the finish. That was not solved until the metallic cartridge came along.
 
I reckon there would be a thick leathern gasket between the mug and the back of the breech. I think it would have been the gas leakage that would have beat them in the finish. That was not solved until the metallic cartridge came along.
As stated previously, as long as the wedge is tight, there isn’t too much of a problem with gas leakage
 
As was pointed out to me by a member, the CANNON section says

Discussions about Traditional muzzleloading cannons. No breech-loaders, pipes with end caps, PVC, or "potato guns". Historic cannon design only.

Because the guidlines says "No breech-loaders", I am closing this topic.
 
It was pointed out to me that Forum Rule 7 now allows the discussion of breech loading guns as long as they use a separate priming method.
Guns that use a cartridge that contains a primer are not permitted on the forum but if the cartridge or powder bags do not have some type of percussion cap included in it to provide ignition, it is allowed.
This makes this particular cannon legal for discussion so I am reopening the thread.
 
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