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Joined: Jan 2012
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"Shooting the BIGGEST of the BIG BORES" Hello All, Here is my Ultimate Big Bore ! ! (well, several of them) The largest one shoots a 12 pound projectile using 1/2 pound of black powder. I look forward to doing this each and every year .............. This is the 14th year that I've been holding demonstrations at the 4th of July, Sawdust Days Festival in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This is the 48th year that this event has been held. It celebrates the early 1700's Frontiersmen, Settlers, and Indians that gathered at this location to celebrate the success of their past harvest of Furs, Game, Food, and Goods. All these to be traded among those gathered. To this event, I bring my REALLY BIG BORE(S). They are brought to the waters edge of Lake Winnebago, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, at a place known as "Cannon Point". (for obvious reasons) In addition, I have a display of several Cannon Balls of various sizes and many examples of original Civil War Artillery accessories. As was done in the "days-of-old" I fire a 12 pound Mortar every-hour-on-the-hour to keep track of time. The other cannon are fired by donation for the cost of the powder. Those donating for the powder actually get to shoot the cannon of their choice, and they receive a parchment certificate acknowledging that they fired an original vintage cannon. Participants choosing to fire the Mountain Howitzer (as most do) are run through the standard loading drill according to the Civil War Artillery Field Manual. Although this loading procedure was done by a crew of 5 men, I direct the participant to rotate through each of the various positions, and they perform each man's task individually - worming the bore, loading the charge, raming the charge, pricking the charge, priming the charge, and firing the cannon. For your interest, are links to my web-pages, showing my cannons, and mortar. Also shown are several links to "you tube" video's, showing the firing of cannon and line gun. They are at the bottom of the page following the pictures. Here's the list of my Cannon that I bring to the event each year. Original 1863 Ames Co. 12 pound Mountain Howitzer. Original 1840 1 pound British Insurance cannon. Original 1945 Naval Co. FB - Lyle Gun - (line throwing cannon) Original 2005 12 pound Brass Coehorn Mortar Original 1898 Manotowoc Foundry Signal Cannon (swivel gun mount) As always, your comments are welcome. CANNON POINT . FIRST YEAR - 2005 - FRONT PAGE NEWSPAPER COVERAGE . LAST YEAR - 2017 - FRONT PAGE NEWSPAPER COVERAGE . FIVE CANNON ON CANNON POINT . CIVIL WAR ARTILLERY DISPLAY . THE DONATION CLOCKevery time $$ money is donated, the pointer moves. when it reaches $12 - the last donator gets to fire the cannon. (Mt Howitzer uses 1/2 pound of FFFFg powder which costs $24 per pound - hence the $12) .
You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early.
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Joined: Jan 2012
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CONTINUED ........................... . THE ORIGINAL AMES CO. 12 POUND MOUNTAIN HOWITZER . THE ORIGINAL 1840 1 POUND BRITISH INSURANCE CANNON called an insurance cannon because, if you wanted to insure your ship's cargo, the insurance company required you to have a cannon on board to defend your cargo against pirates. No Cannon-No Insurance . LOADING THE INSURANCE CANNON . THE ORIGINAL 1945 LINE THROWING CANNON AND THE 12 POUND COEHORN MORTAR . LINE THROWING CANNON READY TO FIREThis model is often called a "Waffle Gun", because the barrel construction looks like a "Waffle". The barrel is Bronze. The ribbed pattern reduced material by over 40% but still retains the strength of a sold barrel. Brass, Bronze, and Copper were in short supply during WWII. This Cannon is capable of shooting a light line out to over 600 yards. . THE 12 POUND COEHORN MORTAR .
You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early.
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CONTINUED ............................ . ORIGINAL 1898 MANOTOWOC SIGNAL GUN . LOADING THE SIGNAL GUN . LOADING THE MOUNTAIN HOWITZER . FIRING THE COEHORN MORTAR . FIRING THE MOUNTAIN HOWITZER . SIMULTANEOUS "NIGHT-TIME" FIRING THE COEHORN MORTAR AND THE MOUNTAIN HOWITZER .
You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early.
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 655
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
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You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early.
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 38,871 Likes: 3
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 38,871 Likes: 3 |
Very interesting - thanks!
Not a real member - just an ordinary guy who appreciates being able to hang around and say something once in awhile.
Happily Trapped In the Past (Thanks, Joe)
Not only a less than minimally educated person, but stupid and out of touch as well.
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,896
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,896 |
Very nice. Thanks for posting and keeping history alive.
Some mornings, it just does not feel worth it to chew through the straps!~
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,217 Likes: 21
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,217 Likes: 21 |
Local fella has a bowling ball mortar. cool to listen to the ball whoop-whoop-whoop downrange!
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
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Joined: Jan 2018
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Thank you for your posting. I wish I was close enough to visit and fire the cannon.
In training to be an obedient master to my two labs
Shooting, fishing and hunting
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,600
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,600 |
Thank you sir. That's one of the best history lessons ever.
I'd be curious to here the story about how you acquired each one if it is not to personal.
Whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad.
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Joined: Feb 2007
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Posts: 2,600 |
Impressive is an understatement. Sorry i did not click on the links originally. If i had paid attention i would seen that the story was there.
Thank you again.
Whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad.
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 655
Campfire Regular
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Hello krupp,
Thanks for the reply.
The links in my original post also show videos.
You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early.
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,133 Likes: 9
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,133 Likes: 9 |
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Joined: Sep 2011
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 45,159 Likes: 5 |
buckstix,
Thanks Sir,
Brings back memories of the cannon shoot that a range I belonged to 20+ years ago in Northern Calif held every year. Signal guns, line guns, howitzers and one person had a "bowling ball" mortar. He'd go to alleys and get the chipped and dinged balls for his ammo. The whole show was quite the spectacle, as is yours.
Thanks again for sharing with us.
Geno
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
member of the cabal of dysfunctional squirrels?
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Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 150
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 150 |
I love the instructions for hunting deer with the mountain howitzer. Standard disclaimer included.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,098
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,098 |
Boy, that brought back memories. During the 80's-90's I did Revolutionary War re-ennacting (42nd Reg't of Foot- the Black Watch Recreated) and served on several gun crews. Our Battalion Gun was a 3-pounder Grasshopper (non-original), bronze tube. We also brought out a 6-pound field piece. In addition to blank firing we also put on demonstrations with balls and canister shot. The crowds really ate up the havoc raised by six pounds of .69 lead balls (96 of them) blasted out of the 6-pounder.
When I turned out with the Maryland Colonial Militia we would unlimber our little 2-pound Galloper from time to time, but being poor militiamen we couldn't afford the powder to shoot it often, LOL.
In order to conduct demonstrations back then on Federal property we who served on the guns had to go through the National Park Service black powder artillery school. That was a blast in itself- the teaching aid was a 12-pound Napolean Gun.
One red letter day we, as British troops, stood guard duty for a British sloop as it was anchored in Carroll's Creek here in Annapolis. As a reward for that thankless duty they took us for an afternoon sail out through Annapolis harbor. Being the gun nuts that we were, we couldn't help but be drawn to the the carriaged brass 3-pounders lining both sides of the gun deck. Upon inquiring as to the state of their powder magazine we were told to "go ahead if you want to". So we loaded four guns on each side and as we passed through the yacht basin we fired two broadsides- a right first and then scampered to port and gave them a left. Sweet Jesus! All the sailboats tied up there swayed in their moorings from the shock waves. Then we had to clean the buggers...
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,098
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,098 |
And here I thought when I opened the thread it would be about shooting a .700 Nitro Express!
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 655
Campfire Regular
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Hello Mule Deer, Hello Valsdad, Hello prose, Thanks for the reply. And here I thought when I opened the thread it would be about shooting a .700 Nitro Express! Hello gnoahhh Thanks for the reply. Nope .... this post is about my cannons ...... the post about my "SMALL 700 NE Double Rifle" is here.... https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/12768133/1
You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early.
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,330
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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At a friends family cottage in Northern Ontario on Georgian Bay they have a ORIGINAL MANOTOWOC SIGNAL GUN....its shot on Canada Day every year since 1923....
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 14,261 |
Cool,I wrote it down on my calendar as a must attend next year.
Its all right to be white!! Stupidity left unattended will run rampant Don't argue with stupid people, They will drag you down to their level and then win by experience
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