You like milsurp refurbs? Here's one of the bigger ones...
- Thread starter Dark Alley Dan
- Start date
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
That sight is a no10 dial sight.....it's a little later but would work. Ideally you want a no7 dial sight or a no9 dial sight. Both are around with REL manufacture in Canada. They usually don't sell for that much as there are a lot more sights out there than there are guns.
I have the REL no 9 dial sight for mine. Didn't take too long to come up with it....just put out some feelers and an acquaintance from Saskatchewan had it.
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Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
OK, update.
In service, the 25 pr gun had an unpainted breech ring/breech block/firing apparatus. The whole arse end of the gun was left in the white. You'll note ours isn't.
So that green crap's gotta come off. Enter the first really nice evening here in Edmonton in a while and a big ol' jug of gel paint stripper. Let's slop it on the horrifically-heavy breech ring and the muzzle brake (several outfits operating the 25 as a ceremonial gun have polished their muzzle brakes to a high gleam. Looks flash, if not authentic, but we can always repaint.)
Early success reveals that paint stripper is colour-sensitive. It hates green paint...
...but is entirely powerless against red primer sprayed over a sandblasted finish. The wee bit of bare metal you see on the right is from light sanding with 1200 grit paper.
Hand sanding will be laborious and possibly only marginally effective against paint down in tiny pits. I reckon some sort of bead blasting/soda blasting/dry ice business will be called for. We retire to consider our options.
In the meanwhile, a package arrives from England.
It's a replacement for the long-lost cocking handle, packaged in January of '45 and readied for somewhere warm and humid. The envelope is heavily waxed and made of horsehair or something.
Upon careful opening, we find a wee package of wax paper. What could be inside?
It's the cocking piece!
Last touched by humans seventy two years ago. The cotter pin attached by a length of wire wound on there by someone likely long since gone west.
Many strange numbers and markings.
She needs a ride through the solvent tank to get the remains of the Tropic Proofing off her, but I did a quick test fit and she threads straight onto the firing pin. I am very pleased indeed.
Progress is slow, which is fine. We've made up a list of priorities and intentions and if we can find what we need we can be firing our first blank in no time.
Cheers,
Dan
In service, the 25 pr gun had an unpainted breech ring/breech block/firing apparatus. The whole arse end of the gun was left in the white. You'll note ours isn't.
So that green crap's gotta come off. Enter the first really nice evening here in Edmonton in a while and a big ol' jug of gel paint stripper. Let's slop it on the horrifically-heavy breech ring and the muzzle brake (several outfits operating the 25 as a ceremonial gun have polished their muzzle brakes to a high gleam. Looks flash, if not authentic, but we can always repaint.)
Early success reveals that paint stripper is colour-sensitive. It hates green paint...
...but is entirely powerless against red primer sprayed over a sandblasted finish. The wee bit of bare metal you see on the right is from light sanding with 1200 grit paper.
Hand sanding will be laborious and possibly only marginally effective against paint down in tiny pits. I reckon some sort of bead blasting/soda blasting/dry ice business will be called for. We retire to consider our options.
In the meanwhile, a package arrives from England.
It's a replacement for the long-lost cocking handle, packaged in January of '45 and readied for somewhere warm and humid. The envelope is heavily waxed and made of horsehair or something.
Upon careful opening, we find a wee package of wax paper. What could be inside?
It's the cocking piece!
Last touched by humans seventy two years ago. The cotter pin attached by a length of wire wound on there by someone likely long since gone west.
Many strange numbers and markings.
She needs a ride through the solvent tank to get the remains of the Tropic Proofing off her, but I did a quick test fit and she threads straight onto the firing pin. I am very pleased indeed.
Progress is slow, which is fine. We've made up a list of priorities and intentions and if we can find what we need we can be firing our first blank in no time.
Cheers,
Dan
buzzmagoo
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- sprucewood Hallows Eastern Townships
If I understood right, you could use a engine cylinder hone,( starting with a ball type then with a strip stone type) to hone the chamber with plenty of kerosene or gas while honing. Will not remove the pits but will polish it up nicely with out removing to much metal.The come in many sizes just keep them moving back and fourth the length of the chamber. As for that red primer an engine rebuild shop can hot tank it for you in costic tank, should remove all most all of it ( that red primer is notorious stuff)
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Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Testing a new image host:
- Location
- Kawartha Lakes
Way cool.....
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
So, an update, sadly with no pics. Not much to see as the project is about to get started again.
We have sourced a remarkably generous and comprehensive supply of spares and "bits & bobs" to get the gun functional again. The bore is still a rusty mess (getting that fixed) and the breech assembly is still slathered in Ghastly Green, but that's going to be fixed shortly thanks to a resto tip from XRCD011. Progress is slow, but about to increase exponentially.
Current timeline calls for having her shoot blanks (and blanks only, now and forever) for a Regimental do on February 3rd. I believe we're nicely on track for that.
More pics as the project evolves.
Dan
We have sourced a remarkably generous and comprehensive supply of spares and "bits & bobs" to get the gun functional again. The bore is still a rusty mess (getting that fixed) and the breech assembly is still slathered in Ghastly Green, but that's going to be fixed shortly thanks to a resto tip from XRCD011. Progress is slow, but about to increase exponentially.
Current timeline calls for having her shoot blanks (and blanks only, now and forever) for a Regimental do on February 3rd. I believe we're nicely on track for that.
More pics as the project evolves.
Dan
What are you going to do for sourcing blanks for this project? I would presume you will be rolling your own.
Do they use a brass shell casing, and do you guys have some or a source? How about primers?
Never fired a cannon before and inquiring minds want to know.
Do they use a brass shell casing, and do you guys have some or a source? How about primers?
Never fired a cannon before and inquiring minds want to know.
schist lake
New member
- Location
- Flin Flon, manitoba
I have a projectile that I acquired years ago but not sure of the caliber. I can send pictures of it but not promising anything. just curious about it. Keep in mind it is just the business end only.
Schist lake.
Schist lake.
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Gents:
Bush1, we'll be rolling our own blanks. The cartridge cases (not sure what artyfolk call 'em, but I think it's clear enough) look like lil' wastepaper baskets. As ours won't have to manage hand-of-God pressures, we're considering having twenty or so made from brass stock and set up for shotgun primers. Established load is half a pound (!) of FFg in a tied off leg from a set of panty hose topped with a wad made of styrofoam packing tray. All pretty Nerf, but plenty feckin' loud.
Schist lake, please do send pics along. I'd like to see your projectile. if it's the right caliber, we might be able to exchange something of value with you for it.
It'd make a lovely display bit.
Bush1, we'll be rolling our own blanks. The cartridge cases (not sure what artyfolk call 'em, but I think it's clear enough) look like lil' wastepaper baskets. As ours won't have to manage hand-of-God pressures, we're considering having twenty or so made from brass stock and set up for shotgun primers. Established load is half a pound (!) of FFg in a tied off leg from a set of panty hose topped with a wad made of styrofoam packing tray. All pretty Nerf, but plenty feckin' loud.
Schist lake, please do send pics along. I'd like to see your projectile. if it's the right caliber, we might be able to exchange something of value with you for it.
It'd make a lovely display bit.
