Brass Cannon Gun powder

canadianfencible said:
If you wish to have a lot of info on cannon, as I manufactured them for 10 years, write to Canadianfencible@Gmail.com.
To safely try to unblock the stuck ball, point it in a safe direction and put 150 lbs pressure from a compressor. Actual load
pressure can be 10,000 lbs. If the brass is not gunmetal (85% copper) it can be dangerous. The test for a cannon is twice
the powder load ( one load is max 1.5 oz of 1F per inch of bore) and two balls back to back. If it does not explode, I would
say it is safe to fire blank loads. Try to find a book "The more complete cannonneer" by Matt Switlick
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Thank you for the info, the breach or charging hole is blocked and looks like paper rapped powder. I will have to extract the ball first, I will play it safe and have it inspected by a gun smith
 
Do you have an air compressor? Clear the touch hole, then force compressed air in. In the ball is moving, it might pop out.
 
I do have an air compressor, I will wet the powder first then clear the touch hole with a wooden tooth pick, I also have an out of date truck propane tank I converted to a ballistic holding tank to fire it in, filled with water of course.
 
David Gooding said:
i notice that someone has blocked the breach/hole with something, looks like powder, so Im now considering I won this cannon at an auction fully loaded and ready to fire all I need is a charge I had this in my house like this for two years. I did a very small test, I used the push rod to see if the ball would move, its not jammed it has been loaded, I will take some pictures and send them to the gun shop to see if they know anyone that "make it safe". I will obviously not walk into a shop with a loaded weapon

https://www.flickr.com/gp/191496501@N04/Tc4FrZ
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Ok that looks more like a novelty/souvenir. Is the hole actually blocked or just not drilled through?

Any chance of getting an entire picture of the thing?
 
hickstick_10 said:
Ok that looks more like a novelty/souvenir. Is the hole actually blocked or just not drilled through?

Any chance of getting an entire picture of the thing?
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Picked the dust out to reveal an even smaller hole in the touch hole, it looks like its been fired with percussion caps? I wont dig further until I have removed the ball first:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/191496501@N04/400b8D

a view from under the muzzle:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/191496501@N04/u5iq09

A full picture:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/191496501@N04/37C7Ky
 
Just use a long fuse and have fun. Hide behind a great cover and you'll be in business. Don't forget to tell us the tale, don't overthink it, just SHOOT IT.
 
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David Gooding said:
lol, I will do once I know more about it
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I would be very cautious and hesitant to fire that one. Particularly I would want to be sure it was actually solid brass and not brass plated pot metal. The photo below is a mediocre one of solid brass cannons on artillery carriages that were sold locally, several years ago.

cheers mooncoon

94iQDOV.jpg
 
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mooncoon said:
Cannons such as you appear to describe, were sold in BC as recently as 2 or 3 years ago. I believe they are considered signalling devices and I think exempt from licensing and registration laws. If you decide to shoot it, think in terms of a handgun in terms of noise and safe backstops and such.
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The reproduction miniature cannons capable of firing projectiles are classified as antique matchlocks in the FRT
The blank firing ones are classified as 84(3) exempted (this could what you meant by signalling devices, as flare guns are classified 84(3) as well)

You'll have to look up the individual model in the FRT

Here's the FRT to this .50 cal cannon from traditions

https://www.traditionsfirearms.com/product/Mini-old-ironsides

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franktank said:
Just use a long fuse and have fun. Hide behind a great cover and you'll be in business. Don't forget to tell us the tale, don't overthink it, just SHOOT IT.
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To the OP, the above is the worst advise in this whole thread, if that is a tight ball, and because it is "short-started", if you do fire that thing, regardless of metal content, it will be a bomb.

I would remove that tube from its carriage and soak the breech end in a pail of water for a week and then, using a threaded "draw hammer" or the compressed air supply mentioned earlier to remove the ball.
And while its out of the carriage I would take a small file to a inconspicuous spot on the underside to find out if it is pure brass or bronze or coated pot metal.
 
fingers284 said:
To the OP, the above is the worst advise in this whole thread, if that is a tight ball, and because it is "short-started", if you do fire that thing, regardless of metal content, it will be a bomb.

I would remove that tube from its carriage and soak the breech end in a pail of water for a week and then, using a threaded "draw hammer" or the compressed air supply mentioned earlier to remove the ball.
And while its out of the carriage I would take a small file to a inconspicuous spot on the underside to find out if it is pure brass or bronze or coated pot metal.
Click to expand...

Its cool I have no intention of shooting it, my wife would end me there and then lol, I have noticed a lot of "go on shoot it" comments not just on this forum but most places I visit or go where there is an interest in firearms in general, no matter where who or what Im holding, a pistol snipers rifle long rifle RPG grenade launcher machine gun does not matter no one else can pull the trigger for me and will only do so within the gun safety rules and laws
 
to expand on my earlier comment about being very hesitant to shoot the gun, to me it looks like an ornamental pot metal (spelter) casting. I think either pull the ball or blow it out with air and use it as an ornament.

cheers mooncoon
 
David Gooding said:
Its cool I have no intention of shooting it, my wife would end me there and then lol, I have noticed a lot of "go on shoot it" comments not just on this forum but most places I visit or go where there is an interest in firearms in general, no matter where who or what Im holding, a pistol snipers rifle long rifle RPG grenade launcher machine gun does not matter no one else can pull the trigger for me and will only do so within the gun safety rules and laws
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If you have no intention of shooting it, leave it as is, with the bore blocked.
 
mooncoon said:
to expand on my earlier comment about being very hesitant to shoot the gun, to me it looks like an ornamental pot metal (spelter) casting. I think either pull the ball or blow it out with air and use it as an ornament.

cheers mooncoon
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I was thinking of drilling a hole in the lead ball (No Sparks) and threading a wood screw in it as a puller, I respect my wifes wishes to make it safe
 
tiriaq said:
If you have no intention of shooting it, leave it as is, with the bore blocked.
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I must admit it has not fired on its own for the two years I have had it, all the same I am considering it an ornament with a loaded lead ball and will remove it,

Thank you
 
It is worth finding out if there is powder underneath that loose ball.
With muzzle loading guns in general, all sorts of stuff gets poked into them.
 
thank you for the last two posts, I have now made safe the cannon.

I used gun oil to seep past the ball and waited till is oozed out the touch hole making any powder inert for I to clear any blockage, i used my compressor to 250psi and forced the ball out, I lightly taped the ball further into the bore so it had a chance to move it was easy once it was oiled,

Not one but three balls flew out the muzzle for 10 yards down range

I removed the gun oil using brake cleaner, remnants of oily powder was flushed out, the powder has the smell of fireworks to it

so in the past someone was inclined to fire it which I understand the the joy of, It is of a steel construction and painted to look like brass
 
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