Active sellers of handgonnes

Greetings. My name is Dave and I am a medieval recreationist/collector with the SCA and Kingdom of Lucerne. Are there any makers of Handgonne barrels that are currently active? I am looking to do a historical build of a Tannenburg or some variation of a 75 cal. I realize that the scene has lessened somewhat. Compounding the issue is that I live in NJ and we are not allowed to buy kits to make our own firearms (even BP) because they are considered "ghost guns" by the State.

Respectfuly yours,

Dave

For handgonnes, especially if you are going to use them just to make noise and flashes, look on YouTube for videos of people casting bronze cannons, and scale it down.

Or there's http://therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/hand_gonnes/hand_gonnes.htm

David Cline said:

Compounding the issue is that I live in NJ and we are not allowed to buy kits to make our own firearms (even BP) because they are considered "ghost guns" by the State.

Respectfuly yours,

Dave

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Umm! If it's illegal for you, why ask ?
I hear prison food is terrible.

Making the cannon itself is a felony in my state. Buying a barrel, having it transfered to an FFL, going through a backround check, and paying a $60-80 transfer and NICS fee makes it legal.

So I can buy from a private seller as long as it is a finished barrel. I have calld TRS and they did not have the barrel I wanted in stock so I thought I would ask around for alternate sources.

I am more grateful every day to live where I do.

There are a couple of other sellers listed on the Net that you might try although they don't seem to have any stock right now. TRS is SLLLLLLOOOOOWWWW but their stuff is pretty good for the DIyer, if you can stand to wait awhile. Other than that I've got nothing.

Hi Dave. I'm also in the SCA. I have built my own handgonne along with other projects(living in the Kingdom of Northshield). In fact I recently entered this one in our Kingdom Arts and Sciences contest and got first place.

The lack of suppliers has actually made me ponder the thought of starting to build/sell them myself to people. Just a pondering thought at the moment.. Not sure if I have the time or if there is interest. I do own an old 1930's lathe though so I have some of the equipment needed.

Nice to meet you again. Greetings from Barony of Carillion, East Kingdom. I remember you posting this on the SCA Firearms page or the Guild of St. Barbara. It is annoying because it would not be a great task to make the barrel myself, but I cannot unless I want a knock and pop. So I am forced to ask someone from out of state to do it for me.

There was a CSA Member used to do Pensic sold a brass or bronze copy of that curios ' Hand Gonne' that featured the half figure of a bearded man . pan was below the figure, Pretty things, I bought two but they went to friends who just" had to have one " I just looked up the Gentlemans name Brad Spear of St Augustine Florida .his trade mark a rat like outline encloseing B S but this was 1995 maybe worth a try to locate he wasn't an old man & keen SCA trader . Hope that helps But if you know a brass or bronze founder out side of NJ it wouldn't be that hard to whittle up a pattern & get cast It is illustrated in Blackmores ' Guns & Rifles Of the World' .if you can find a copy Regards Rudyard

Active?
http://www.handgonne.com/arsenal.html

http://www.lodgewood.com/Custom-Handgonne--Historys-First-Firearm_p_3534.html

http://therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/hand_gonnes/hand_gonnes.htm

Just a note the gun is 7 & 1/2" or so and known as the Morko gun being dredged up at that location There was a video by a Swiss man Ulrich something He replicated the curiously made' hand gonnes' with large anti chambers rather like the Indo Persian barrels often have . Who was influenced by who historicaly is an interesting speculation but we would never do that sort of breach today .But I do know the principal works but much must have depended on the quality & make up of the powder . .I mounted a Indo Persian / Omani ? barrel of some 50"long and about 54 cal the piece a matchlock in Scots style ( Since though surviveing long guns are like hens teeth the records write of'''' Lunt Werk' (Matchlock ) &'' Rowet Werk '( the Wheellock) . and some where taken from Henry the 8th s Soldiers , Ancrum Moor I seem to recall .But NO example seems to have survived .(So I made two like you would ) The other' Lunt werk' piece being after the style of the Venietian snap matchlocks Henry bought in large quantity .I went for 40 cal best for MLAIC type matches Didn't tackle the Scots wheellock No idea of what it might have looked like. Fascinating stuff. fascinates me anyway . Regards Rudyard

DaveC said:

Active?
http://www.handgonne.com/arsenal.html

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I just checked archive.org; they seem to have been out of stock on all products for quite some time.

Whoops. Sorry.

I guess the cannon manufactories like Herrn in Coeur d'Alene, ID or Steen in KY make 1-3/4in. bore swivel guns but nothing smaller...

I guess there are some claims that the square-rectangular-bore "hailshot peeces" found aboard the Tudor-era Mary Rose wreck are weapons that go back to the 1400s. These were cast iron, with a seam where the two halves were joined, a long wooden tiller, and a rudimentary hook for placement on a pavise or ship's rail... They fired square-section "dice shot." Maybe one or another nautical/maritime armament reproduction might be something that could stand in for the Medieval-era "hand-gonne?"

Can't help on New Jersey law, but I think the ATF has a form for manufacture of a particular firearm? It may not help much, but if the legal hoops can be jumped through one could at least consider making a state-registered "hand-gonne?" Put the date on it and call it a "serial number" to avoid the "ghost gun" charge? "1450" or whatever...