"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


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FIRST YEAR - 2005 - FRONT PAGE NEWSPAPER COVERAGE



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LAST YEAR - 2017 - FRONT PAGE NEWSPAPER COVERAGE



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FIVE CANNON ON CANNON POINT


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CIVIL WAR ARTILLERY DISPLAY


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THE DONATION CLOCK
every 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)


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CONTINUED ...........................

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THE ORIGINAL AMES CO. 12 POUND MOUNTAIN HOWITZER


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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


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LOADING THE INSURANCE CANNON


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THE ORIGINAL 1945 LINE THROWING CANNON AND THE 12 POUND COEHORN MORTAR


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LINE THROWING CANNON READY TO FIRE
This 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.


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THE 12 POUND COEHORN MORTAR


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CONTINUED ............................
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ORIGINAL 1898 MANOTOWOC SIGNAL GUN


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LOADING THE SIGNAL GUN


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LOADING THE MOUNTAIN HOWITZER


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FIRING THE COEHORN MORTAR


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FIRING THE MOUNTAIN HOWITZER


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SIMULTANEOUS "NIGHT-TIME" FIRING THE COEHORN MORTAR AND THE MOUNTAIN HOWITZER


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CONTINUED ..........................
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"NIGHT-TIME" FIRING THE MOUNTAIN HOWITZER


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INTERESTING WEB-PAGE LINKS
http://www.buckstix.com/amesbarrel.htm
http://www.buckstix.com/BritishCannon.htm

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OTHER INTERESTING WEB-PAGE LINKS
http://www.buckstix.com/howitzer.htm
http://www.buckstix.com/CoehornMortarHunt.htm

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LINE GUN VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhkZIojHaqw

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SEVERAL MOUNTAIN HOWITZER FIRING VIDEOS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFMrFd6ATL8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWrZJrrMX9M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKuFej5m03A

Very interesting - thanks!

Very nice. Thanks for posting and keeping history alive.

Local fella has a bowling ball mortar. cool to listen to the ball whoop-whoop-whoop downrange!

Thank you for your posting. I wish I was close enough to visit and fire the cannon.

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.

Hello 5sdad,
Hello travelingman1,
Hello ironbender,
Hello Lennie,

Thank you for your reply.


Hello krupp

Thanks for the reply.

Here's the story about the Mountain Howitzer barrels and the coehorn mortar barrel

mountain howitzer barrel 1
http://www.buckstix.com/HowitzerBarrel.htm

mountain howitzer barrel 2
http://www.buckstix.com/newsteenbarrel.htm

mountain howitzer barrel 3
http://www.buckstix.com/amesbarrel.htm

coehorn mortar barrel
http://www.buckstix.com/MortarBarrel.htm

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.

Hello krupp,

Thanks for the reply.

The links in my original post also show videos.

Very cool!

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

I love the instructions for hunting deer with the mountain howitzer. Standard disclaimer included.

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...

And here I thought when I opened the thread it would be about shooting a .700 Nitro Express!

Hello Mule Deer,
Hello Valsdad,
Hello prose,

Thanks for the reply.


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

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....

Cool,I wrote it down on my calendar as a must attend next year.

Very cool. I need to drive up there nest 4th and check it out!
I remember a gun club I belonged to that invited some civil war mortar buffs to use the 600yd range. They had a pallet target laid flat about 350yds down range and would fire to see who came closest. I think they had 3 mortars.I got the biggest kick out of them firing, going down range to check target, and then walking back with ball and re-using over and over.
Thanks for posting

Pic taken on Lee's Hill in Fredericksburg, VA. Don't know the caliber but a couple of fists SxS will fit. Apparently one of these rifles exploded in Lee's presence, killing one of his staff who stood beside him.

Hello DigitalDan,

Thanks for the reply.