Swivel gun

[cynthialee]

It took me four years and moving into a forest to get my sweetie to relent on the firearm issue. And there are stricter gun regulations coming from my better half than the local big brother puts on me.

It has been ten years together and I still haven't been able to get Sevan to shoot.
I quit barking up that tree long ago.
But when I reload when Sevan is home, I spend allot of time blabbing the loading sequence I am using to load and basic rules of engagement and firearm use.
I have done it so many times I would put money on Sevan being able to load and safely shoot a BP revolver or percussion long gun on the first try.

 

[satx78247]

You'll LIKELY succeed sooner or later. - Furthermore, as she came from an ANTI-gun & VERY conservative/religious Church of Christ family, I never thought that "Duckie" would turn into a markswoman "of some note".
(Even now, a person would be wise to NOT break into our house, as the intruder will soon resemble a Swiss cheese. - She still shoots her little Colt's Cobra quite well.)

yours, satx

 

[nkbj]

After coming to Texas from Illinois my better 2/3's was chasing jacks on a mountain bike and became quite the markstress. The kin back home wondered for years what happened to Aunt Spyder. :haha: Don't ever say never!

Say, about that swivel gun, yall have a hog problem up there too?

 

[satx78247]

We (at least on our family farm) don't have a "hog problem". - In point of fact, I wish we had MORE of them, as a lady (out of Durant, OK) that we "contracted with" to trap/sell them sends Mother a check for "her cut" of the sales about every 60-90 days.
(Mother calls that, "her Christmas fund". - Once Mother got a check for 770.oo. - As we have ZERO invested in feral hogs, that's a "welcome profit center".)

yours, satx

 

[greytop13]

Joolz--Just wondering if you have had a chance to fire your fine swivel gun with a ball yet. I'm wondering in particular about the recoil and if you have to anchor your stand or if it is stable when fired.

 

[Julian Reynolds]

There's a hole at the end of each 'leg' of the stand, through which I hammer steel spikes to anchor it. Not fired any ball through it yet but I will be trying it very soon with a load of 24 x .36 balls....

 

[greytop13]

Thanks. I'm working on a stand of similar design. Staking it down is likely the safest thing to do. I'd love to know how yours performs when the lead flies.

 

[Alden]

Joolz;
In that bore with .36' s (I use too as largest buckshot generally available) I would use loads in multiples of 7 balls, i.e. 7, 14, 21, 28, 35... "Weigh" them and don't fire too heavy...

 

[Treestalker]

Joolz, when I was a member of the 1st Ark. Light Artilley, we found that grapeshot and cannister (an iron can full of lead or steel shot)tended to shoot higher than solid shot. The muzzle of a ML cannon dips in recoil, then rises, and I believe this influences the diffrent types of ammo. Also when a piece is fired over water, a pond for example, the projectile will dip downward a little, then rise to it's previous trajectory. I'm by no means an expert, but these are things to look out for. Also solid round shot will travel up to 1700 yds. airborne, and can bounce up to that much further from a Ml cannon. Your swivel may or may not exibit these tendencies. Just want you to be safe. :shocked2: For the best safty instruction, contact Art Street, President, Loyal Train Chapter, U.S. Field Artillery Assn, Fort Sill, Ok, USA. Cheers, Treestalker. :thumbsup:

 

[Paul Buchel]

Well, technically, as a cannon it shouldn't really be patched and should just be wadded, so as to allow for windage. However, this is quite a small calibre one, somewhere between 3 and 4 bore, so a patch could well be safely used with ball.

Anyway, here's a video still from this weekend's fun at Featherstone Castle. Gives you some idea of the joy to be had in blasting one of these 'toys'....

I love your swivel cannon, that smile says it all, great capture :thumbsup:

 

[Julian Reynolds]

And here's a couple more shots from another public event today.....the fact that someone from the crowd can hold on to the tiller whilst it goes off, in complete safety, has made it a big hit at such events. If you are into doing this kind of public demonstration, I really recommend this type of cannon.....

http://i325.photobucket.com/albums/k375/Joolz45/SwivelGun4_zpsc0dcb860.jpg

 

Well, my swivel gun's first outing went well. I had a demonstration event at beautiful Featherstone Castle, on the South Tyne river in Northumberland. Spectacular venue, blazing sunny day, enthusiastic crowd. I was just using 1 & 1/2 oz blank charges but they were LOUD, the sound crashing down the steep-side river valley and bouncing off the castle walls! I also did a demonstration of 'guns through history' with gonnes, matchlocks, flintlocks, percussion locks and cartridge guns. A very enjoyable day....

Wonderful piece! I gather it was made locally? What type of steel did they use?

Demos are great fun. And draw good size crowds. How did you come to decide on an 1 & 1/2 oz blank charge?

The echoes of the report must have been astounding, given the lay of the land.

Have you thought of a folding tripod or pyramid, made of oak, for the base?

Please grace us with a video!

 

[Julian Reynolds]

I have no idea what steel it is made from....I trusted entirely the experience of the professional cannon builder (with over 30 years experience) who made it. More importantly, and unlike you guys in the US, we cannot buy this kind of ordnance without it first having been proofed by a National Proof House (Birmingham, in this case) to CIP standards, and marked as such. The 'working' load is 4oz powder with 8oz of ball. The proof charge was obviously much greater. I seriously doubt I would ever approach these loads (particularly given the size of the bore).
It is also separately proofed for a 4oz blank charge. As I do not have money (or powder) to waste, I chose a charge which gives a very loud report without sending half the load down the barrel unburnt.....
As for the stand, I had many options to chose from, as I designed and made it myself, but this design is not only very stable (and can be anchored) but comes apart into two pieces with the removal of just one through bolt and a castle nut!
I may have some video of the last event (above) as it was filmed by the organisers, amongst others. I'll see what I can find.

Joolz

 

[Julian Reynolds]

This is how we bust clays in my club - none of these new-fangled side-by-sides or over/unders:

Link

And another, if in doubt, fill the sky with lead....

Link

 

[Wes/Tex]

Blanket the sky! YEE-HAH!!!!!! :bow:

 

[Poor Private]

I just picked up a 1/3rd scale cannon barrel. Yeppers it's going to be turned into a swivel gun. I have a buddy who makes cannons (on his 3rd full Mt. Howitzer) who is going to so the conversion. He said it would be esy to do. 1" bore.

 

[Poor Private]

Can you show the accessories, like rammer, linstock, etc.?

It looks like it could put a grin on your face from ear to ear!

I second Trent, can you show your implements, and what you use for a limber chest? I am in the process of building mine and need examples of them.

 

[Julian Reynolds]

PP - the tools I made myself, they're pretty straightforward, I'll take some pics as soon as I get some time. As for the powder etc. boxes, I made a pair like this, based on early artillery boxes from the late medieval period, because I like the angular shape (although getting all those angles right is a pain.....):

 

[Julian Reynolds]

Today, I also made up another batch of 1 & 1/2 oz charges for a forthcoming demonstration. As usual, these are three-ply 80gsm paper (aluminium foil charges are very much frowned upon over here).

 

[buzz]

Love your box i think i copy it can you show us me pics of its insides