New Grenade Mortar

[threepdr]

I bought this mortar tube recently and just finished the bed.

The repro tube was made in the 60s by Bill Muese. It is bronze, wieghs about 13 pounds and is 8 inches long. The bore is 2.25 inches and has a chamber that can hold about 1.5 oz. The tube has a very nice "GR2" royal cypher hand chased into the bonze just above the vent.

The bed is solid oak. I made it based on the stats in Muller's Treatise on Artillery. It is scaled from a 12 lb Coehorn bed. It probably should be painted gray, but I just could not bear to cover up the oak grain. Maybe later.

I hope to fire it soon. Anyone have a source for 2 inch balls? If not, it will be raquet balls filled with concrete.

Click on the small pic to get to get a full size picture

 

[Russianblood]

It sure is nice looking. My only advice would be to NOT load it with the powder from the can in the picture. :grin:

 

[threepdr]

No...but I can sure prime with it!

 

No...but I can sure prime with it!

That's an accident waiting to happen. :shake:

CP

 

[Toomuch_36]

I hope to fire it soon. Anyone have a source for 2 inch balls? If not, it will be raquet balls filled with concrete.

V-8 juice cans work real well. :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

Toomuch
............
Shoot Flint

 

[schizuki]

Sweet. I want one. Two questions:

Where did you get the hardware?

How were these things used historically? Seems a tad small for seige work...

 

[threepdr]

That's an accident waiting to happen. :shake:

CP

What accident do you refer to? I use 4f to make straw primer tubes for my Three Pounder. Most original small 18th Century mortars were primed with loose powder (that is what the vent shell is for). On this mortar I will cheat and use cannon fuse.

 

[threepdr]

Sweet. I want one. Two questions:

Where did you get the hardware?

How were these things used historically? Seems a tad small for seige work...

The forged handles were made by a blacksmith buddy. The cap squares are just 3/16 inch iron strap that I cut and drilled. It has 1/4 inch carriage bolts that come up from the bottom to hold the cap squares on. The ring came from Lowells and is held on by a very long iron staple.

Small mortars like this were simply area denial weapons. The bursting radius was too small to inflict much damage. It idea was to drop the grenades into areas you wanted folks to stay out of. For example if there was a trench line with bad guys in it, this would help keep them out of that area of the ditch. Might not kill or wound many, but it would make it very uncomfortable to stay there.

 

[schizuki]

Small mortars like this were simply area denial weapons. The bursting radius was too small to inflict much damage. It idea was to drop the grenades into areas you wanted folks to stay out of. For example if there was a trench line with bad guys in it, this would help keep them out of that area of the ditch. Might not kill or wound many, but it would make it very uncomfortable to stay there.

So we're talking use in and against fixed positions, not any kind of mobile field use, correct? For instance, they wouldn't have grenadiers behind the main line lobbing them at an advancing enemy, right? Seems like it would be a good use for them, being as portable as they are...

 

[threepdr]

So we're talking use in and against fixed positions, not any kind of mobile field use, correct? For instance, they wouldn't have grenadiers behind the main line lobbing them at an advancing enemy, right? Seems like it would be a good use for them, being as portable as they are...
[/quote]


Correct, only against fixed positions. These were not assigned to Infantry units. Infantry and cavalry engaments were much too mobile to have any hope of having a stationary target.

 

It sure is nice looking. My only advice would be to NOT load it with the powder from the can in the picture.

No...but I can sure prime with it!

Sorry, but, it sounded to me that you were talking about priming from the can.

My mistake,
CP

 

[TheDoubleD]

Putting the powder can in the picture next to the gun gives you a perspective as to how big the gun is.

 

[Gary]

I learned from a Confederate Marine (reenactor) that they sometimes use bicycle spokes wrapped with tape (sticky side out) that is afterwards rolled in 4F. It's cheaper than friction primers but he cautioned that no one should stand behind it lest they be impaled by a piece of bicycle spoke.

 

I learned from a Confederate Marine (reenactor) that they sometimes use bicycle spokes wrapped with tape (sticky side out) that is afterwards rolled in 4F. It's cheaper than friction primers but he cautioned that no one should stand behind it lest they be impaled by a piece of bicycle spoke.

That's doesn't sound too bright. Here's what I use for my gonnes. These are squibs made from cellophane tape coated with FFFFg and thin drinking straws.
And yes, I did notice the rust, UGH! Humidity has been extremely high here.

 

[Gary]

BTW, he also mentioned soaking string in a potassium nitrate solution. The bicycle spoke thing was an alternative to a lit fuse (ala 17th Century) and the more expensive friction primer (eighty cents to $1.50 each). When reenacting, he uses friction primers but when playing, he uses either the lit match or the spoke.

 

[WRussell]

That's not rust, that's the beginning of a beautful patina :grin: