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Coastal Mortar Replica
- Thread starter Heinrich
- Start date
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It works... :applause:
My wife shot it as can be seen on the picture, this is the third shot, did not make her test it. A link will be posted early in the week to view the video of it being shot.
We have only one problem, advice on solving it is highly appreciated. The cans with concrete kept rupturing.
My wife shot it as can be seen on the picture, this is the third shot, did not make her test it. A link will be posted early in the week to view the video of it being shot.
We have only one problem, advice on solving it is highly appreciated. The cans with concrete kept rupturing.
PitchyPine
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Awesome, looking forward to seeing the vidio. :bow: :applause: :bow:
HarborMaster
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Me too., I am looking forward to more photos and video., Super Job Heinrich :thumbsup:
I am not sure your sub chambers size ? or how much powder and what type f? you are using.
My mortar has a 1" X 1 1/2 " deep sub chamber., we filled it up and used soda cans filled with water then froze into ice. POOF !!! Instant disentigration-Vaporized :applause:
After a bit I started to cut the top out of the can., then fill about 30 cans to 1 bag of a CHEAP fence post mix about 2.49 a bag. let that stand for about 1 week . Now the concrete is HARD. Then we reduced our FG to 150 grains....,I know it does not sound like much but it really does well. The blackpowder gets pretty volitile having to lift a projo that heavy. With this amout I get a good report., and a decent flight that we can visually track (Which I believe adds to the fun). I would say you will launch 150ft high and 150 yards out perhaps 200 yards ?
Try this powder charge and let us know....,Less I think is better in the mortars. *it cant hurt*
Here is a 150 grain beer can launch.
My Bronze Beer Can Mortar with 150 Gr. FG Oh and Good luck :thumbsup:
I am not sure your sub chambers size ? or how much powder and what type f? you are using.
My mortar has a 1" X 1 1/2 " deep sub chamber., we filled it up and used soda cans filled with water then froze into ice. POOF !!! Instant disentigration-Vaporized :applause:
After a bit I started to cut the top out of the can., then fill about 30 cans to 1 bag of a CHEAP fence post mix about 2.49 a bag. let that stand for about 1 week . Now the concrete is HARD. Then we reduced our FG to 150 grains....,I know it does not sound like much but it really does well. The blackpowder gets pretty volitile having to lift a projo that heavy. With this amout I get a good report., and a decent flight that we can visually track (Which I believe adds to the fun). I would say you will launch 150ft high and 150 yards out perhaps 200 yards ?
Try this powder charge and let us know....,Less I think is better in the mortars. *it cant hurt*
Here is a 150 grain beer can launch.
My Bronze Beer Can Mortar with 150 Gr. FG Oh and Good luck :thumbsup:
PitchyPine
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Whoa, :shocked2: that was a blast, literaly :thumbsup:
TheDoubleD
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The problem with the cans rupturing probably is because of an over load of powder. Reduce you load a whole bunch.
The maximumun load should be 2 ozs of cannon grade powder per inch of bore diamater. For Mortars the diameter of the your powder chamber is the bore diameter for this purpose.
I don't know about up in Pretoria, but down here in Durban we are lucky to even get black powder powder let alone alone be able to ask for and get a specific grain size. For the past 5 or 6 months all we could get was Wano 3Fg. I would be very reluctant to follow the 1 oz per inch rule with any 3Fg. In fact I would be a bit frightened to use a 1oz. per inch of 3Fg in a cannon. The much faster burn rate 3Fg is going top produce substantial pressure, which will rupture the can and who knows what else.
Matt Switlik rule of thumb for cannon loads in his book "The More Complete Cannoner" is start ridiculously low. If you are using other than Cannon grade, most likely 2Fg or 3Fg in South Africa I would start doublely ridiculously low and work up.
Several things will happen when you reduce the loads. First your cans won't rupture. Second you will see the cans go up and then come down. and last you won't break your equipment.
The maximumun load should be 2 ozs of cannon grade powder per inch of bore diamater. For Mortars the diameter of the your powder chamber is the bore diameter for this purpose.
I don't know about up in Pretoria, but down here in Durban we are lucky to even get black powder powder let alone alone be able to ask for and get a specific grain size. For the past 5 or 6 months all we could get was Wano 3Fg. I would be very reluctant to follow the 1 oz per inch rule with any 3Fg. In fact I would be a bit frightened to use a 1oz. per inch of 3Fg in a cannon. The much faster burn rate 3Fg is going top produce substantial pressure, which will rupture the can and who knows what else.
Matt Switlik rule of thumb for cannon loads in his book "The More Complete Cannoner" is start ridiculously low. If you are using other than Cannon grade, most likely 2Fg or 3Fg in South Africa I would start doublely ridiculously low and work up.
Several things will happen when you reduce the loads. First your cans won't rupture. Second you will see the cans go up and then come down. and last you won't break your equipment.
I think that there is plenty wisdom that you guys have shared with me. Thanks.
I was shooting 300gr FFg. That is probably my problem. I will have some other wads cut so that I can put a wad in the powder chamber as well, and not only a wad between the charge and the can. :hatsoff:
I have however found a recipe to make SUPERhard, concrete using silicon. I know that it is nearly impervious to machine tools.
I was shooting 300gr FFg. That is probably my problem. I will have some other wads cut so that I can put a wad in the powder chamber as well, and not only a wad between the charge and the can. :hatsoff:
I have however found a recipe to make SUPERhard, concrete using silicon. I know that it is nearly impervious to machine tools.
TheDoubleD
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Skip the wad between can and charge, not needed and will also raise pressure.
I did the lead projectile in my first beer can mortar. I made a mould that cast a lead slug shaped like an airgun pellet. Even had a hollow base. The Slug weighed over 7 lbs. First shot broke my carriage in half.
Take a look at this website.[url] http://lassengunsmithing.com/html/ShotWeight.htm[/url]
If you had a concrete round ball it would weigh about 3/4 of a pound. A Lead ball will weigh 3 3/4 lbs. Pressures will raise dramatically moving from concrete to lead.
The beer can mortar I am building now I opened the bore to 6 PDR 3.67 in. bore. I had a ball mould made for a 6 PDR solid zinc ball 3.58 in diameter. 500 grs of Cannon grade powder tosses that Zinc ball 125 yards
Trust me when I say you take a good chance of breaking your gun going over to lead. If you do I wouldn't start with more than 200 grains of 1Fg.
Every body has do it at least once.
I did the lead projectile in my first beer can mortar. I made a mould that cast a lead slug shaped like an airgun pellet. Even had a hollow base. The Slug weighed over 7 lbs. First shot broke my carriage in half.
Take a look at this website.[url] http://lassengunsmithing.com/html/ShotWeight.htm[/url]
If you had a concrete round ball it would weigh about 3/4 of a pound. A Lead ball will weigh 3 3/4 lbs. Pressures will raise dramatically moving from concrete to lead.
The beer can mortar I am building now I opened the bore to 6 PDR 3.67 in. bore. I had a ball mould made for a 6 PDR solid zinc ball 3.58 in diameter. 500 grs of Cannon grade powder tosses that Zinc ball 125 yards
Trust me when I say you take a good chance of breaking your gun going over to lead. If you do I wouldn't start with more than 200 grains of 1Fg.
Every body has do it at least once.
Last edited by a moderator:
HarborMaster
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No Sabot 1 can of concrete and 150 grains.
I learned this from DD and you can see in my video that combo works very well . Also its cheaper, no special concrete stuff to buy., no sabot to make., no 7 lbs of lead ., no broken gun., and can be done soon., and cheap., on less powder. Dont knock it till ya tried it :thumbsup: Good Luck Heinrick and please post results photos and video., that mortar of yours is a beautiful piece.
I learned this from DD and you can see in my video that combo works very well . Also its cheaper, no special concrete stuff to buy., no sabot to make., no 7 lbs of lead ., no broken gun., and can be done soon., and cheap., on less powder. Dont knock it till ya tried it :thumbsup: Good Luck Heinrick and please post results photos and video., that mortar of yours is a beautiful piece.
No worries guys, after some calculations on the power required to move the lead, and the impact on the trunnions, barrel and bed, I decided there is no logical reason to shoot a lead projectile, and do you know how expensive that would be for me to do?? :shocked2: :shocked2: :shocked2: :shocked2:
Nope, cans of concrete is MUCH cheaper and easy.
Thanks for the good quality advice. :thumbsup:
Nope, cans of concrete is MUCH cheaper and easy.
Thanks for the good quality advice. :thumbsup:
Did a decent amount of shooting this weekend, got the most distance into a headwind when shooting at 25deg, not that makes sense, cause the longer the hang time, the more the wind can influence the projectile.
I managed to get 396 meters (1300ft) as a 4 shot average.
Can anybody just maybe give me some info on the original that I have copied??
I managed to get 396 meters (1300ft) as a 4 shot average.
Can anybody just maybe give me some info on the original that I have copied??
PitchyPine
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Great pics, your having fun now !!!! :thumbsup:
Can anybody just maybe give me some info on the original that I have copied??
Although your mount is similar to an 1841 seacoast mortar, your barrel resembles a Coehorn. The 24 pounder Coehorn had a maximum range of 1200 yards with a charge of 1/2 pound of powder. The 13" seacoast mortars had a maximum range of something like 4000 yards.
Although your mount is similar to an 1841 seacoast mortar, your barrel resembles a Coehorn. The 24 pounder Coehorn had a maximum range of 1200 yards with a charge of 1/2 pound of powder. The 13" seacoast mortars had a maximum range of something like 4000 yards.
