1/4 scale Napoleon

[GunnyGene]

A fellow I know on another forum builds reproduction carriages and equipment. Thought some of y'all might be interested in seeing his work. Here's his build pics of this scale firing Napoleon carriage. Includes a image of the original blue prints for this 12 pounder.

Also in the thread is a link to the customer firing it for the first time.

One of the images of the completed canon:

http://www.woodworking.org/InfoExchange/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33416

 

[Coot]

Looks to be very nicely done! :thumbsup:

 

[satx78247]

NICE PIECE.

What's the bore size??

yours, satx

 

[GunnyGene]

The original Napoleon 12 pounder had a 4.62" bore, so the 1/4 scale would be slightly over 1".

 

[satx78247]

THANKS. = I wondered if this was a "golf ball bored" gun, as there seem to be a LOT of such reproduction cannons out there that were designed for golf balls.

Fwiw, in the 19th century there were MANY 1-1.5 inch bore individually-owned cannons in use for a variety of defensive uses on dry land & afloat. = For example the famous GONZALES CANNON, of the TX Revolution, is 1.1 inch bore, has a tube 21.3 inches long & with a diameter at the largest point of about 4.5 inches.
("The little cannon that could" during the skirmish at Gonzales was loaded with "about 2 hands full" of BP & about a pound of shot and/or nails during the Revolution, according to period documents.)

Also, Robert Potter, who was the President of the Caddo Republic in Northeast TX from 1830 to his murder in 1842 and was also Secretary of the Texas Navy during The Revolution & the first 6 years of The Texas Republic, owned/used a cannon of 1.30 inch bore that he used to "protect the family property at Karnack" from outlaws, Comanches & "- - - - night-prowling renegades".
(According to his diary, President Potter's little cannon was loaded with 1/2" lead "pistol balls".)

yours, satx

 

[GunnyGene]

Zulu (real name Michael Elledge) has been building scale and full size carriages for many years. Usually the customer will buy a quality barrel from a supplier and deliver it to Michael for mounting and related items. He also does mock ups with wooden barrels for display only. You can see more of his work here: http://www.jmelledge.com/

 

[BillinOregon]

Gene, your friend has some real talent.

 

[GunnyGene]

Yep. And he gets paid pretty good for that talent to. :grin:

 

[BillinOregon]

Judging by the skill that went into shaping the spokes and fabricating a single wheel, he deserves it. I have messed a bit with boatbuilding, and can tell you he is a master woodworker!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Very cool Gunny!

I thought that there were 6-pound Napoleons too, but I found that while there were 6-pound field pieces (which today folks erroneously call "Napoleons") , it was the 12-pound 1857, that was the "Napoleon". Thanks for sparking my interest. :thumbsup:

LD

 

[GunnyGene]

It's a family business. He does the woodwork and iron work and his wife does the painting and other stuff for the non-firing barrels and helps with the finishing of carriages, etc. He is dedicated to accuracy and quality in his art, and travels as needed to research a particular cannon or accessories.

 

[TFoley]

Absolutely beautiful. And, of course, totally legal here in UK - IF you have somewhere to shoot it.

My granddaughter's inheritance is looking over its shoulder right now... :wink:

tac