Just curious if any of you have fired wood balls from your swivel guns or cannons? I talked briefly with a couple of guys last weekend who had been on an artillery crew that fired wood balls from their 3 pounder. They didn't have any details about powder charge, wadding, etc. The idea intrigues me. I'd like to fire wood balls out of my swivel gun. It's a brass half pounder with a 1 1/2" bore. I'm looking for recommendations/advice on the size of the powder charge and what I should use for wadding. I have never fired this piece live but have used it for reenactments for many years. I'll be looking forward to reading your responses. Thanks, Cahokia
Firing wood balls from a swivel gun?
- Thread starter cahokia
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
The only thing I've seen fired from a cannon, is a bowling ball.
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2020
- Messages
- 7,495
- Reaction score
- 21,016
- Location
- On the Border in Idaho looking at BC
i have seen squash balls fired from the 1.5 inchers. only observed and drooled!! wife said not just no but H no!
after about a week i decided whining was unbecoming of an old man and gave up.
after about a week i decided whining was unbecoming of an old man and gave up.
Youngblood
40 Cal
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2022
- Messages
- 301
- Reaction score
- 362
Wood is fine provided you get the right size. There needs to be windage, ie the ball is slightly smaller than bore and has some wiggle room so you dont get excess pressure.
Standard windage is 1/40 the bore size.
Powder charge, start small, you do not need a ton. Im just guessing but i bet MAX charge should be less than 1/4 pound, more like 2.5-3 oz, but go smaller. You dont need much for wood balls. Use cannon grade or 1F, again less pressure. Standard formula for max charge is 2oz per inch of bore.
I would not use any wadding or patches, again can cause excess pressure. Put your powder charge in a tin foil package the size of your bore and use masking tape to secure your ball to the powder. A simple X shape, dont wrap the heck out of it, you are just trying to hold it in place. Lightly ram it home to eliminate any air pockets. Gaps and such cause excess pressure. These cannons and their “pounder” designation are based on an iron ball, if you use lead it will be twice as heavy and cause possibly excess pressure. Zinc is good, most balls used are zinc these days.
If you want to do canister style you can use a loose fitting tin can or just wrap your BBs in a separate foil pouch and attach with tape again.
Cannons are no joke so be careful and always think about pressure. Nothing tight like our rifles, or you could be playing with a pipe bomb.
Do your research and start slow n low.
Standard windage is 1/40 the bore size.
Powder charge, start small, you do not need a ton. Im just guessing but i bet MAX charge should be less than 1/4 pound, more like 2.5-3 oz, but go smaller. You dont need much for wood balls. Use cannon grade or 1F, again less pressure. Standard formula for max charge is 2oz per inch of bore.
I would not use any wadding or patches, again can cause excess pressure. Put your powder charge in a tin foil package the size of your bore and use masking tape to secure your ball to the powder. A simple X shape, dont wrap the heck out of it, you are just trying to hold it in place. Lightly ram it home to eliminate any air pockets. Gaps and such cause excess pressure. These cannons and their “pounder” designation are based on an iron ball, if you use lead it will be twice as heavy and cause possibly excess pressure. Zinc is good, most balls used are zinc these days.
If you want to do canister style you can use a loose fitting tin can or just wrap your BBs in a separate foil pouch and attach with tape again.
Cannons are no joke so be careful and always think about pressure. Nothing tight like our rifles, or you could be playing with a pipe bomb.
Do your research and start slow n low.
Youngblood
40 Cal
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2022
- Messages
- 301
- Reaction score
- 362
Recommended reading is
The More Complete Cannoneer by Matt Switlik.
The More Complete Cannoneer by Matt Switlik.
WHY??????
user 48702
Richard Turner
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2020
- Messages
- 1,142
- Reaction score
- 2,799
I love squash balls, but never thought of shooting them out of a cannon.
The only thing I've seen shot out of a canon is a bowling ball.
appalichian hunter
75 Cal.
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2018
- Messages
- 5,828
- Reaction score
- 9,476
Used to shoot tennis balls out of a beer can bazooka using hair spray as a charge, When on barracks duty there were a lot of fire fights with those rascals
I think croquet balls would be a blast.
I think croquet balls would be a blast.user 48702
Richard Turner
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2020
- Messages
- 1,142
- Reaction score
- 2,799
I believe you said that earlier. I've seen just about everything shot from cannon from marbles and potatoes all the way up to 155mm HE rounds that weigh about 98 lbs.
I just looked on ebay. 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 wooden balls can be had pretty inexpensively.
hey dock, when does the flick start???
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2020
- Messages
- 855
- Reaction score
- 956
What about 2.25?
Ditto on the squash balls! Used them in my coehorn. Charge is formed using a 35mm film canister. It went up 200yds and was just starting to arc before losing site. Most swivel guns I've seen are under 1 inch, so wood balls may be your best alternative for a non-destructive projectile. Or just shoot blanks...
Attachments
She will only stay angry for so long.
Also, I find the fait accompli somewhat trumps the tantrum.
Not to mention, I have a hunch she spends more on plants than I do on guns.
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2020
- Messages
- 7,495
- Reaction score
- 21,016
- Location
- On the Border in Idaho looking at BC
i am the plant spender, and gun spender, and the car spender, and the motorcycle spender, did i mention gun spender?
the boss is Scot and i think she squeezed the first penny she ever had in half and still has half!
she isn't averse to the spending money on a cannon. she just has this crazy idea i might blow myself up. or have to buy the neighbors house after bombarding it!
the boss is Scot and i think she squeezed the first penny she ever had in half and still has half!
she isn't averse to the spending money on a cannon. she just has this crazy idea i might blow myself up. or have to buy the neighbors house after bombarding it!
The Fourth is upon us. Thinking about a BP beer can mortar that has gotten dusty. I do not want to get into stupid trouble, but would like to fire off something that would burst in air. Rural here, surrounded by nothing that would be damaged.
We are in our 70's and my wife still has her lunch money from grammar school.
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2020
- Messages
- 7,495
- Reaction score
- 21,016
- Location
- On the Border in Idaho looking at BC
bingo! and grammar school ended for my wife in 1964. maybe those coins are worth something. Lord knows the new ones are worthless!
