I want to build a Cannon

RTR · Aug 3, 2016

Anyone on here familiar with old cannons with the "field carraige" (big wood spoke wheels)? I want to build one homemade from some steel pipe in my boneyard. I can purchase original style wheels online, and can fabricate the rest from wood.

Wondering if anyone here has built one or know anyone that has.

wjytexas · Aug 3, 2016

I have been wanting to do that too. I did a miniature by taking measurements from pics off the web and sized them proportionally. It came out OK. Also did a naval type.

hadley · Aug 3, 2016

No offense but you must be insane! I don't think I would want to even be in the same county as you when you fire it the first time. The pressure on the walls of the pipe would be unreal. I would be amazed if it didn't somehow explode! Good luck. Keep us posted on how it goes.

old · Aug 3, 2016

I have been planing on building one my self. I already have a barrel for it. It is a thick wall pipe with a 2 inch bore. When I say thick wall it is 2 inches thick. I have the wheel off an old hay wagon which are steel wheels. It is just of of those things where I need a round to it

Greg K · Aug 3, 2016

Google mountain howitzer. Some people make
them to sell and use. Just takes some $

Geo-TH,In · Aug 3, 2016

When I was a kid story, My brother's BIL just about killed himself with a hand held cannon. Lost some fingers, Intensive care for long time. Metal was mm away from heart. It was touch and go for a long time.

After that, I have no desire to build a cannon. Be safe.

Chum Lee was always guy who test fired scary fire arms on Pawn Stars. I hear he's unemployed, might want to look him up is you need a test subject to be the first to fire off your cannon.

farmerwithmutt · Aug 3, 2016

Look up myth busters they built a lot of
cannons fired with air . Also potato guns
then there's the Punkin chuckr all kinds of
ways to have fun and get in trouble with
the officer I was just having fun crowd

GordoSD · Aug 3, 2016

His next post will be in the memorial section.

Janicholson · Aug 3, 2016

I created a 10 inch long deck gun W/carrage of sassafrass wood out of a truck axle (4140 STEEL) and a golf ball mortar (400 yards) The cannon is .375 (38 caliber) and uses 3fg
black powder to propel a ball. It is not real accurate, but manages 1500fpc. The mortar is about a 2.5 inch long barrel and uses a tablespoon of 2fg powder. Sand bags are your
friend. Lots of fun Jim

Mike M · Aug 3, 2016

If just for a noise maker and stuffed with some paper wading to hold the powder tight it should not make much pressure. The pressure WILL build up if you try and propel something out of it.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 3, 2016

Pawn Stars always used Chum Lee as the village idiot to test fire things. I hear he is currently unemployed after a drug bust.

Russ from MN · Aug 3, 2016

I built one when I was young, it was a 1 inch pipe inside of a 3 inch and poured full of lead in between. It fired a projectile 1 inch in dia. and about
2 inches long, and lob them out 1/4 mile, you could see them hit the snow. I eventually overloaded it and it went in the scrap iron. I used a fuse and
was a safe distance away during firing, I did not consider it to be dangerous.

RTR · Aug 3, 2016

(quoted from post at 00:25:34 08/04/16) Google mountain howitzer. Some people make
them to sell and use. Just takes some $

Yes those are the ones I saw. They really don't seem like they are unsafe and don't seem that expensive to build.

53ihgarand · Aug 3, 2016

Be careful with just a pipe, I know it might be some what thick but there is a lot of force made at the ignition point when that powder goes off. A two inch bore is way to big to shoot anything heavy, especially out of a pipe, it doesn't have near the tensile strength you need. You had better wrap the the chamber in wound strips like a Damascus barrel or put plenty of bands around it. How are you going to to do your breech? I would stick with The Golf Ball size gun or potatoe cannon, unless it's just a yard ornament.

Ultradog MN · Aug 3, 2016

Click on the link for a guy who built a
mountain howitzer and supposedly shot a buck
with it.
click here

tomturkey · Aug 3, 2016

A women was killed here in Iowa a month or so ago when at a gathering of friends they fired off a homemade cannon. My understanding is the back end of the cannon blew out. She was killed by flying shrapnel. Years ago When I was at Boy Scout camp we had a miniature that fired a 12 gauge shotgun shell. I believe all the shot was removed. Anyway whatever you do, you cannot be to safe. gobble

old · Aug 3, 2016

Ya I call it pipe but it is not your run of the mill pipe not sure what to really call it but the place we got it from when asked if it is cannon barrels will laugh and tell you ya we sell that stuff.

RTR · Aug 3, 2016

(quoted from post at 02:23:35 08/04/16) Click on the link for a guy who built a
mountain howitzer and supposedly shot a buck
with it.
click here

Yeah, that's the one I saw. Poor buck, I would just want to shoot it for fun and not harm anything with it. I will stick to harvesting deer with a rifle.

01gentdc · Aug 3, 2016

don't,, atf agents will want to know your life history and will eat you alive if you do not comply

dr sportster · Aug 3, 2016

On Harley drag bikes they used to say Iron Barrels -good to go-- Steel barrels a grenade waiting to blow the engine. Ductile iron .

gordy from Iowa · Aug 3, 2016

Please prenotify your next of kin.

WAYNE-N-TX · Aug 3, 2016

I have one, it's made with 4" sch 160 cs pipe, welded on the back 1" plate. I bought it from craigs (sp)list. The carriage was 4 X 4 lumber with a piece of pipe for the axle. Since then, I added the wooden spoke wheels from, I think SD, and go with their axle, it's tapered on each end with one right handed & one left handed ends with nuts. I took a 6" X 4" cs reducer, cut the small end off, slid it over the 4" pipe and a small donut type flat plate to cover the gap between the 6" & 4" pipe. Looks good with the end flared out. I've also drilled and tapped a 1/2" hole where the 1/8" hole was for the fuse. You can get a knocker type thing from Dixie gun works that you use blanks to fire the thing, don't have to use a fuse. You can get black powder & fuse on line, of coarse uncle sam get a fee for this. You can get up to 50 pounds with out a special permit the last time I got some. Might have changed with anti-gun people in DC.

I can shoot a 15.5 oz can of what ever on sale, beans, greens or what ever and 1 oz of black powder and shoot it 359 yards, so watch where you aim. The best things I've done, a friends daughter was going to have her second baby and wanted a way to announce the gender. My friend come by and told me what she wanted. I went on line and found a powder at a India Temple in Utah that made different colored powder, Got that (both colors) and waited. I shot 4 oz blue powder out of that thing and all had a good time and for sure, something new. By the way, the colored powder is corn starch & food coloring. A fun thing to play with, just have to watch everybody so no one gets hurt.

Billy NY · Aug 3, 2016

There is some engineering to consider in regards to chamber pressure and what you have for the barrel. I've seen what it takes the U.S.gov't to build artillery/cannon barrels, there's quite a bit that goes into it. That does not make me knowledge-able about it just the same, but I spent some time observing at a nearby arsenal when I was inside delivering the lumber used to crate these massive barrels. 5 years worth of regular trips inside, long before all the security craze and terrorism problems. Its amazing what it takes from raw material to build these. They spare no expense when crating and packing these, top grade lumber was always used.

I'd want to run some calc's on the material you propose to use, and if its scrap/boneyard material, it won't be new, include that in your considerations of the build. You can't have flawed material for this.

On the fun side of it, and I'd enjoy one of these to no end, once you know the specifications of what you build, know the safe loads, its been proof tested, stands to reason you may not have to worry so much about catastrophic failure.

What I am wondering is what are the rules on things like this, given the way things are today, you can't have fun like you used to.

Donald Lehman · Aug 3, 2016

I assume you are talking about a black powder cannon. Local fellow built one with a bore size for golf ball. But he used NEW SS round stock. Don't remember any of the particulars and wouldn't state them if I did. But I'd be REAL careful about the construction and consult someone who actually has some engineering experience it this field.

If you are talking about building a cannon for smokeless powder, go take a cold shower and forget it!!!!!!! You would be dealing with all kinds of ATF permits and such to start with. The pressures generated by smokeless powder is MICH higher than black powder! I haven't been in the firearms business for several years now and considering the atmosphere in this country right now, I'd do a bit of discreet inquiry as to ATF rules on black powder cannons before I did anything at all. This isn't the country it was even ten years ago.

Gary from Muleshoe · Aug 3, 2016

When you build it hide it well or external_link
and nnalert will take it away from you.
😃

gab · Aug 3, 2016

Something like this

Greg1959 · Aug 3, 2016

I see this guy making and hauling cannons all the time. Maybe it's a good thing he owns a
funeral home! LOL

He makes some nice looking cannons.
Poke here

ss55 · Aug 3, 2016

Didn't Mythbusters get into some troubles when one of their cannonballs flew over a safety berm, bounced down a long hill, smashed through a mini-van and crashed into a lady's house?

AlinArk · Aug 3, 2016

you'll shoot your eye out....

jeffcat · Aug 3, 2016

What you had was a 10ga salute cannon made by Winchester. Had one at our Scout camp in the early 60s. Just black powder salutes. Start boat races and such.
Going back to the first question. Go to a couple of Civil war reinactments. Talk to the cannon guys and they will fill you in on anything you want to know. Talk to the Johnny Rebs. Union guys are a little stuck up. There are founderys that make new cannons and if you only want the cannon itself they are not too bad. Couple of thousand BUT they are safe and proofed. You can buy Everything to make a new one from the ground up! If you want to see something that will blow your mind see if U tube has the American Shooter series on there. Look for the north south skirmish in Viginia I think. Whole weekend of cannon and rifle competition civil war style. Also see if you can find the live cannon shoots they covered on that same show. Out at Cumberland Gap they were shooting out to 1200 yards with civilwar cannons at FULL powder charge. WWWWWOOOOOOW! These guys were holding 3 to 4 foot groups at 1200 yards with a black powder cannon! They are on utube so just start watching them till you find these episodes. Have fun.

tractorguy2 · Aug 3, 2016

Several years ago and friend that owned a welding shop. Just for
fun. Made a small cannon that shot .22 shells. He was raided by
the ATF. Spent a night in jail and made the front page of the
local paper. They search his shop illegal firearms. He had to go
to court pay fines and almost lost his business.

He thought he was just building a toy.

M-MAN · Aug 4, 2016

I've seen several decades ago but they were all fairly small. The guy's used black heavy wall steam pipe. If you do decide to build a non functioning one don't tell
anyone and don't make anyone in ear shot mad at you. Years ago a neighbor had one that he lit off on Christmass and Independence day but he's long gone now. I alway's
worried that someone would make a bad phone call when he did. Kinda miss hearing it go off.

showcrop · Aug 4, 2016

RTR, You should know having been on here for as long as you have, that you need to include a comprehensive disclaimer when making a post of this nature. There are literally thousands of people reading these forums daily who assume that even though you want to build a cannon that you would have no idea what they are used for or that they could be dangerous :lol:

RTR · Aug 4, 2016

(quoted from post at 17:35:39 08/04/16)
RTR, You should know having been on here for as long as you have, that you need to include a comprehensive disclaimer when making a post of this nature. There are literally thousands of people reading these forums daily who assume that even though you want to build a cannon that you would have no idea what they are used for or that they could be dangerous :lol:

That is a good point. I thought about adding a disclaimer actually.

RTR · Aug 4, 2016

(quoted from post at 10:00:18 08/04/16) I've seen several decades ago but they were all fairly small. The guy's used black heavy wall steam pipe. If you do decide to build a non functioning one don't tell
anyone and don't make anyone in ear shot mad at you. Years ago a neighbor had one that he lit off on Christmass and Independence day but he's long gone now. I alway's
worried that someone would make a bad phone call when he did. Kinda miss hearing it go off.

Yeah, I think if you could get a good barrel for about $800-$1,200 it isn't that bad. Something engineered or designed for firing at least so you know it is supposed to be safe. The rest would be super easy to build. Not much money for some fun with a cool conversation piece and toy. I could use an old Farmall tractor to pull it around too!

chuck2015 · Aug 4, 2016

(quoted from post at 11:44:58 08/03/16) Anyone on here familiar with old cannons with the "field carraige" (big wood spoke wheels)? I want to build one homemade from some steel pipe in my boneyard. I can purchase original style wheels online, and can fabricate the rest from wood.

Wondering if anyone here has built one or know anyone that has.

maybe build a non functioning replica but not something that can actually fire. that would be crazy.

Rons b · Aug 4, 2016

Your Pipe needs to be seamless a extra-extra heavy wall pipe.
If you can put a pipe within a pipe and a prefect fit.
Any Seamed pipe will peel open like a banana.

C. Amick · Aug 4, 2016

A friend of mine used an oxygen welding tank. He cut the bottom out of the tank, slid a steel pipe inside it and filled the annular space with concrete. I think he shot concrete cylinders. Said he could shoot about a mile, but I never saw it fire.

derwen1959 · Aug 4, 2016

don't do it

Eldon (WA) · Aug 4, 2016

(quoted from post at 11:44:58 08/03/16) Anyone on here familiar with old cannons with the "field carraige" (big wood spoke wheels)? I want to build one homemade from some steel pipe in my boneyard. I can purchase original style wheels online, and can fabricate the rest from wood.

Wondering if anyone here has built one or know anyone that has.

My mom's cousin was a shop teacher in LA back in the 70's. He built one with a 1" bore out of solid steel that was real heavy. Also built a 4 wheel wood carriage that it set on. He would bring it out to SD to fire it. We would set up 4x8 sheets of plywood as targets. He also poured his own 1x1 lead rounds. I remember that thing was loud! He died young of a heart attack, not sure what ever became of the cannon. It was a work of art.

J.Wondergem · Aug 4, 2016

Build one out of seamed pipe, and it might give you a major headache.

RTR · Aug 5, 2016

(quoted from post at 07:18:38 08/05/16)

Build one out of seamed pipe, and it might give you a major headache.

I totally understand that! I would only use seamless pipe. The oxygen tank idea sounds pretty good if I were to make a homemade barrel.

thdrduck · Aug 5, 2016

Go to Dixie Gun Works site and search cannon. If you want to spend the bucks, you can still get the whole full scale deal with all the goodies or just the barrel.

jeffcat · Aug 6, 2016

I have actually been to several punkin chunk. It is a WAY crazy thing to see. When those really big air cannons go off there is just no way to describe what they sound like. Totally COOL!!! Now last year they didn't have it cause some idiot on an ATV dumped over and got hurt. You guessed it......they shut everything down! Don't know if they are going to start up again or not. I hate lawers and the govement anymore!

I want to build a Cannon

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