Miniature BP cannons...

Miniature cannons can be a lot of gun but you also need to look at them with a critical eye; a strong one can take large charges of 3F powder safely but there are at least a few out there which are overly thin or are poorly breached or the trunions are drilled through. Be sure that the gun is bored from solid material with an adequately thick breach both fore and aft as well as diameter.
You also need to be careful where it is pointed; even confetti can wad up into a bullet (potentially) . That is not a problem if it is going out into a blank space, it is a problem if you are shooting over a crowd.

cheers mooncoon
 
On one of the muzzleloading forums there is a cannon section. In the cannon section are reports of a number of unfortunate incidents. They are really frightening. Many of the mishaps seem to involve guns made using heavy walled pipe. A burst guntube can result in fatalities.
I made a small mortar years ago. Would toss a tomato paste sized can close to 200yds., airborne about 8 seconds. Embed a little pen launcher flare and you have a tracer. Muzzle and vent blast are significant, and with a small cannon or mortar it is very easy to expose yourself to the blast.
Now that I have a large enough lathe, a can bored mortar will be on the short list of projects. The advantage of a mortar is that the absolute range is limited. With any cannon, you need a real backstop, or a large stretch of empty land. Even a small cannon is at least as powerful as a handgun or longarm of similar bore.
 
bill c68 said:
S.I.R. Sells 'em

Mini Old Ironside Canon

Features authentically styled naval carriage and barrel. Nickel plated 9" smoothbore barrel. 50 caliber

Cat. No. 475000

Price: $ 249.99


475000.jpg
Click to expand...

Did a search on SIR's website, and I can't find your cannon bill c68:( Could it be the wrong cat. number?
 
Lever Arms has these:

Napoleon II Cannon

.50 Cal. BlackPowder

Nickel Plated 15" Barrel

11 1/2" Wheels

27 1/2" Overall Length

Regular $399

Special: $299

--> top of their "specials" section...been there for a long while, not really moving.

Napoleon-II-Cannon-A.jpg
 
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