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C.V.A. .62 caliber 70s napolean cannon

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cannon007

Pilgrim
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I just was given a 1970s C.V.A. napoleon cannon and was wanting to know what they are worth. I have fired it about three times with just toilet paper wading and it is loud! I measured the bore and it is 5/8 roughly which I think translates to .62 caliber. I had to clean off some surface rust but it cleaned up great. I have looked on line but the closest thing I can find is a Traditions version that is.69 caliber I believe my carriage is Oak the barrel says Spain in the middle. I would be thank full for any information on this cannon.
 
I think the kits sold for about $130 back in the day. They were not cheap. The finished guns were around $160.
 
I appreciate the information from you all that answered. My next question is I was given the original instructions and it says to load with 75 grains of black powder and the can of powder that came with it is the original can a white and red can that says Geahart-owen super fine gunpower. Yes I checked and it says gunpower not gun powder.
My question is roughly how much is 75 grains because I loaded it up with 2 cap fulls which was quite loud. I do not want to hurt the cannon so any more information on my questions would be helpful.
 
I just weighed a capful of 3F powder. Leveled off it weighed 75 gr. and slightly mounded over, 95 gr. That means your load was somewhere between 150 and 200 gr.

Now wonder it was LOUD
 
Go to your local gun store and pick up a powder measure. They usually run around 5 bucks. they run in 10 grain increments. and have a slider with a locking knurled knob that you can set for the charge you need.
 
Thanks guys for the help. If I was to try a load with a ball in it what caliber ball should I buy and where is the best place to get them? I did measure it and it is 5/8 bore roughly .062 but if I remember right I should buy a ball smaller than the bore. I don't want to buy the wrong caliber ball. Thanks for your help in advance.
 
"Roughly" just doesn't cut it. You need to measure the diameter of the bore with something better than a 25 cent ruler. If it's a 62 caliber, .570 or.575 roundball (RB) would fit, albeit rather loosely, and are readily available. Either .600 or .610 would be better.
However, if it's a 69 caliber as I suspect, none of those balls would be even close to the right size. A .678 RB would be a much better fit.
And you should restrain it when you fire it, because the recoil will send it muzzle over teakettle.
 
I didn't see any .62 caliber cannons listed in my 1980 or 1987 Dixie Gunworks catalogs but they did show one .75 caliber and several .45 and .50 caliber versions.

I'm sure a 70 grain powder load would be more than enough for getting a lot of noise but loads that large should not be used in your cannon if it is shooting anything more than a tissue paper wad.

Several of the .50 caliber cannons Dixie sold mentioned shooting a lead roundball but with all of them, they said the powder load should be in the 15-30 grain weight. Nothing anywhere near a 70 grain powder load was mentioned for any of their "Small Scale Cannons" when shooting a projectile.
(The 30 grain powder load was for their .75 caliber Napolean Cannon).

While I'm on the subject of powder loads you should note that a 30 grain powder charge is a full house load for a Colt .44 caliber cap and ball pistol and a 25 grain powder load is more commonly used in those revolvers.

Be very careful with your powder loads if you are shooting anything more massive than a wad of tissue paper.

If the cannon was mine I would limit my "noise making, tissue paper wad" load to 45-50 grains and my "heavy projectile" loads to something around 15-20 grains.
 
I have .69 caliber balls that will not fit in the muzzle. I think .50 would be to sloppy. I just measured the bore again and it is 5/8 bore no question about that. I also know this cannon is from C.V.A. and from the 60s or 70s thank you guys for the help.
 
Cannons were generally not patched so as to allow "windage" to escape around the ball. They allowed windage due to the fact that powders of the day didn't always burn evenly, and a momentary over-pressurization could escape through the muzzle around the ball rather than though the sidewalls or breech in a catastrophic failure. A catastrophic failure in a small arm might injure the shooter. A catastrophic failure in a cannon can kill the whole crew and the rest of the battery, maybe even sink the ship.
 
That Gearhart-Owen can is a collectible. When it is empty, don't throw it away. The name is a precursor to today's Goex company.
 
It would be very helpful to show a picture of his cannon. I have three of the older CVA cannons and they are all in 69 caliber, (the bores being about 70 to 71 caliber), and the barrels are 14.5 inches long. This cannon was called the "Napolion III" by CVA, and they also had a smaller 45 caliber, rifled barrel, about 7.5 inches long on a naval carriage caled the "Old Ironsides". CVA also had other mini cannons imported but they did not sell as well and were discontinued. I have seen several 50 caliber cannon called the "Custer Field Gun" that looks like a Mountain Howitzer, and I have seen one example of a Mountain Howitzer, scaled up, and using Napolion 11.5 inch wheels, but a first model Mnt. Howtzer carriage. This could be what you have as I have no idea what caliber they were, and I have never seen a Napolion in anything other than 69 cal.
 
As for what load? I have only fired mine as blanks. So once it builds up pressure it just blows the rest of the powder out the barrel.
If you want to fire live, it is true you should never use a patch around the ball. The other question is are you measuring your powder by weight or by mass? I have always measured my powder mass or grains so a powder gauge would be a good thing to pick up. On 69 caliber muskets they use 60 to 65 grains so I see no reason not to use 65 to 75 grains...... By mass not weight!
 
Almost forgot! Your first question was about worth.
A few pictures would help to be most accurate, but I pick them up off Evilbay for about $300 if rusted barrel and damaged/missing wood, $450 if like new.
 
Paul Bennett said:
On 69 caliber muskets they use 60 to 65 grains so I see no reason not to use 65 to 75 grains...... By mass not weight!
:confused:

Weight is a vector force, the result of gravity acting on mass. Assuming you are near the surface of the Earth acceleration due to gravity (g) is 9.8 m/s^2 (32ft/s^2). Mass is an inherent property of an object determining its resistance to a change in its inertia. Measuring the weight of a sample of powder is the way to get its mass (mass = weight/g) unless you apply another force and see how that force changes the inertia of the sample. All objects (or powder samples) having the same weight on the surface of the Earth also have the same mass.

I think you mean to distinguish weight vs volume. :wink:
 
I think you mean to distinguish weight vs volume. :wink: [/quote]

Yes, That is what I meant, Thank you!
I have used weight in the past, but the easiest way to measure powder is with a standard powder measure. I would avoid this whole thing about "A cap full" if I could.
 
Double check the bore...all the CVA ones I've seen of that vintage are .69's and we used to use the .680" balls they sold in baggies of 20. Keep the powder charge below 45 grains of so. The barrel can take it but those babies will jump around under recoil and you can snap the wood trail...just ask how I know! :wink: :haha:
 
WOW! Wes/tex, how did you break the trail? I always thought the axle would go first. On these CVA's I always worried about how they drilled the hole for he elevator way too big.
 
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