Tannenberg Gonne

[Powder Keg]

Hello All,
Here are a couple of pictures of a Tannenberg style handgonne I make. I like the look of the tapered octagon. You don't see it much. They are 13" long with a 50 caliber bore and 3/8" powder chamber. The brass one is mine. I still have to drill the vent hole. I'll post some action shots after I get the Tiller installed.
Later, Wes

 

Nice looking lot. What sort of steel and brass did you use?

Just :m2c:

 

[Powder Keg]

Hi, Glad you like them. The steel is 1018 and the bronze is 660. I'm going to shoot the bronze one this weekend.

 

What's the length of the powder chamber and bore?

just Curious

 

[PedroB]

Those are gorgeous Gonnes!
Do you sell them? If so how much?
I've always loved that little gonne.

 

[Powder Keg]

Thanks, Glad you like them. Wheellock_Fan, PM me for Details

 

[Powder Keg]

The powder chamber is 3 inches deeper than the bore which is 7" long for a total of 10" deep. Later,

 

[PedroB]

PM Sent! eace:

 

[benvenuto]

good stuff!

 

[Powder Keg]

I drilled the vent today and I bought a shovle handle for the tiller. I'll fit the end and mabey get some shootin done this weekend :thumbsup:

 

This is my Tannenberg handgonne, made by the same machinist that did CrufflerSteve's. Looking forward to doing my best to destroy it.

Just :m2c:

 

[CrufflerSteve]

This is my Tannenberg handgonne, made by the same machinist that did CrufflerSteve's. Looking forward to doing my best to destroy it.

You won't even mildly damage it. Even using the unholy pyrodex required by subjects of Ted Kennedy won't hurt it. I know you're using different steel than mine but it is a solid gonne. I suppose you could damage it with smokeless but that would not be a real test.

I got mine back last week. It now has the same chamber as yours. With a patched .662 ball, it made a satisfactory bang. I'll try to take some pictures next range trip.

Since it is so heavy, I made a heavy tiller to balance it. I have no lathe so I made an octagonal tiller 5' long out of cherry. Its about 1 13/16" thick so I tapered it towards both ends. It joins fairly flush with the gonne. It handles well and looks great.

Steve

 

Well, I'm gonna be using ffffG, my bore is .703 and the ball I'll be using is .690. I, also, plan to under load it and see how the powder chamber handles that. Flashover and detonation. Not all damage comes from overloads. No question its a beefy gonne, and I want to see how 12L14 steel holds up.

Just :m2c:

 

[benvenuto]

I hope you'll be behind sandbags for the underloading....
::

 

[Powder Keg]

Has anyone had a problem underloading a cannon? These are basically cannons on a stick. They should have propper windage. Even with a tight patched ball won't the large 1/8" vent hole release a lot of pressure? Just curious?

Later, Wes

 

[benvenuto]

these have a sub-calibre powder chamber, so basically he's talking about deliberately short-starting the ball...

Now this doesn't always cause barrel damage, but the correlation is signifigant according to Dr Sam Fadala's tests

 

I hope you'll be behind sandbags for the underloading....
::

This will be a pit test. Basically, I will dig a pit 2'x2'x2', over this I will place several dragster tires. The gonne will be strapped to a mount. It will be underloaded with powder and over loaded with three patched balls. I will either use a long fuse or electrical ignite the load from a distance. Estes rocket starters with a squib work well for this. What I am doing should not be attempted by the untrained or ineperienced gonner.

 

Has anyone had a problem underloading a cannon? These are basically cannons on a stick. They should have propper windage. Even with a tight patched ball won't the large 1/8" vent hole release a lot of pressure? Just curious?

Later, Wes

If I were using Pyrodex, the pressure would escaped through the vent due to Pyrodex's slow burning nature. But I will be using ffffG, (4f) and slow is just not in its nature.

Being loose pack, it will "flash over" and create pressures higher than normal. I feel that even so, I doubt that the 12L14 steel will be much effected. I think it will absorb the energy by "breathing", it will slightly expand, then return to its original state. And since I will be using round ball projectiles, this is yet another safety factor. I don't think the results would be the same if I were to use minieball projectiles.

The testing will tell.

Again, this sort of testing should not be attempted by the untrained home hobbyist. This will be a pit test in an unpopulated area.

 

[benvenuto]

glad to hear it!
let us know your results