Arrows in Handgonnes, work real well!

Patrick Hemken · Apr 1, 2006

I have heard all about it, now I'm hooked, will never waist a ball in my hand handgonne again. A photo of one just about to get touched off and a photo of the 12 inch darts, they fit the 69 cal handgones.

Enjoy

Pat

spitfire · Apr 1, 2006

Wow

thanks for the photos.What was the shaft diameter?How did you over come fin deformation?At what range was the target?Finally what accuracy did you achieve? :hmm:

Apr 2, 2006

The fletches, fins, are thin leather, they are tied in place, and looks as if they have been glued as well, the shafts are probably .50, 1/2 inch, that's the only way they could fit in a .69 caliber bore. The fletches would be rolled around the shaft and would extend upon exiting the bore of the gonne. The action, of the fletches extending, would also give the bolt a bit of spin that would help to stabilize it in flight.

CP

Patrick Hemken · Apr 2, 2006

Correct,

Shafts are 12 inches long, slotted with a 1/16 thick leather insert. I epoxied, but my buddy Chuck used regular elmers carpender glue, which will work better not making the vains too stiff. They work real real well. We had a 24x24 target across a small pond, and it shot where we aimed it, but our aiming needs more work. Close range very effected, but the backstop helped find stray arrows. Shooting these almost straight up in the air was a sight to be seen. I started with 19 arrows, came back with 12, and we had two handgonnes roaring at all times, oh well cheeper than shooting lead. We reshot the arrows over and over, they held up real well.

Should also add, 30 grains of FF, had a little punch to it!

Pat

Slowpoke · Apr 2, 2006

Awesome... I saw something on the History Channel that the arrow's fletching was made of brass but you seem to have something there... outstanding !!

David Teague · Apr 2, 2006

They look like a standard crossbow bolt of the era, without the iron head.

Hmm... I just happen to have (6) 1/2 inch heads for a windless weight crossbow...

and a .56 cal gonne...

a bunch of thin leather...

and a 1/2 inch hickory blank... :hmm:

benvenuto · Apr 3, 2006

I have seen period illustration that show a a sort of sabot, maybe leather strip wrapped around the middle of the dart to keep it central in the bore...might be something to try later on

madbrad · Apr 3, 2006

Hey Pat did you build that gonne or buy it?

Patrick Hemken · Apr 3, 2006

My buddy Chuck and I have been building them for some time. We have a match comming up in June around Green Bay Wisconsin using them. I've shot just about everything under the sun out of them, jelly candy Dots work the best, but little apples shoot just as good as anything, but arrows are load of choice right now.

Pat

madbrad · Apr 4, 2006

CAre to share some info on how to build them?

faw3 · Apr 5, 2006

Just like the RPGs. FRED :hmm:

Patrick Hemken · Apr 7, 2006

Just a little bit quieter on the report!

Pat

Rudyard · Nov 4, 2024

You fellows are obviously having too much fun ! Good to learn of such ideas , my unintended 'arrow' that shot a running Salmon wasn.t so planed but never tried beyond that hence all the' Likes'.
in admiration Rudyard

The Miner '49er · Nov 5, 2024

Great job, Patrick. I gotta try that.

Arrows in Handgonnes, work real well!

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