The Continental

[Poor Private]

I just picked up a South Bend (should say my wife did)cannon. It's called The Continental". It has a 5/8" bore with a barrel length of 14". Weighs in at 45 lbs. Does anybody know anything about it? Info will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Cris

 

[Rifleman1776]

I might have a very-very old South Bend catalog kicking around somewhere. But, I do know, if Barney made it, you got a good one. Is he still in business?
BTW hotoSmile:

 

I might have a very-very old South Bend catalog kicking around somewhere. But, I do know, if Barney made it, you got a good one. Is he still in business?
BTW hotoSmile:

He was the last time I looked.
One of my fondest memories of the sixties and early seventies at Friendship was all the cannon and coehorn barrels laying on the ground right by the main gate. They were beyond my reach then. But I still lust after a coehorn bored for a one quart oil can. (just realized that ammo would be harder to get these days)

 

[Poor Private]

When the wife picked it up yesterday at a gun show in Grand Rapids Mi. yesterday, it came with a swab, and rammer, and a 2006-2007 and a single sheet of paper on how to operate the thing. We both happen to see it peeking out from undr a table. I stopped and looked at real quick and then told her how neat it was and wished I owned one. A couple minutes later she told me she had to use the restroom. She came back later and said "you now own a cannon".
By looking at the sheet the swab and rammer are both original.
It is all cast iron, with a steel sleeve, supposedly fires a 60 cal ball, with 60 grains of powder, says it will fire a 120 grain blank charge. I am going to blank fire it on sunday(today), I don't have any rouond ball this big to fire it yet. It has a 14" barrel and is 2 foot long overall. weighs 45 pounds. She found a neat army green surplus chest at the same show for transport and storage. She said the wooden box is going to get a fabric cover and act as our coffee table in the living room. Pictures will follow as soon as the cell phone recharges.

 

[Paul R]

I think you'd better hang on to that wife. Any women that would buy her husband a cannon barrel is a keeper.
Paul

 

AMEN!

CP

 

[Matt85]

I think you'd better hang on to that wife. Any women that would buy her husband a cannon barrel is a keeper.
Paul

+1000 :thumbsup:

if you werent already married to her id suggest you marry her! now if i could just find a woman like that for myself...

-matt

 

[Rifleman1776]

Found my catalog, 1998 version.
Below are pics of the Continental. At that time the price was about $345.00 retail.
Neat. Wish I had one.

[/img]

 

[KABAR2]

Sorry to inform you Barney has passed on....
from what I understand he had been looking to close or sell the business before that... the good news is his son has taken over and continues making cannon.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Sorry to inform you Barney has passed on....
from what I understand he had been looking to close or sell the business before that... the good news is his son has taken over and continues making cannon.

Thanks for the information, albiet sad news. Barney was a nice person. I met him several times other than at the front gate of Friendship. He photographed one of my cannons for a book. Don't know if it ever got published.
He did a lot to preserve our heritage with his unique business.

 

[Poor Private]

Found my catalog, 1998 version.
Below are pics of the Continental. At that time the price was about $345.00 retail.
Neat. Wish I had one.

[/img]

Sorry about not posting about this picture and your info before now (30 lashes) . Belatd Thanks for finding the picture and info.
Cris