The Business end

[GunnyGene]

Of a 1800's British 12 pounder. Friend Zulu is finishing up a Naval Carriage for this 800 lb bronze cannon. Bore (caliber) is 4.75". How'd you like to see this pointing at you?

http://www.woodworking.org/InfoExchange ... =2&t=34278

[Vaquero]

Well it is at the moment.

Cool

RP

[Vaquero]

Nice carriage they're building.
Thanks for the post.

RP

[GunnyGene]

Nice carriage they're building.
Thanks for the post.

RP

Zulu (Michael Elledge) is a one man operation in Cypress, TX. Probably the best in the business.

His Site: https://www.jmelledge.com/

[RanchRoper]

Guess that's the last thing you'd see....kaboom..

[GunnyGene]

Guess that's the last thing you'd see....kaboom..

He also makes shot for firing cannons. Like these designs that were in use in the 1700's-1800's.

[RanchRoper]

Yikes

[GunnyGene]

Yikes

British "ships of the line" often carried 100 guns or more on 3 gun decks ranging in caliber from 8 pounders to 42 pounders on the largest ships. A 12 pounder of this length (58") would typically have a muzzle velocity of around 1200fps, resulting in about 268,500 ftlbs of energy.

[Vaquero]

Holy cannon balls Batman.
WOW!

RP

[GunnyGene]

Holy cannon balls Batman.
WOW!

RP

Yeah. I like to work up the ballistics on these old cannons, just as a kind of hobby to lend some perspective when people brag about how powerful their firearms are. Grapes and coconuts, I know, but it's still fun. .

A 42 pounder MV is about 1684 fps using 14lbs of black powder, so ME works out at approx 1,788,171 ftlbs and a range of 2900yds @10deg elevation. The Brits didn't fool around back then. Other calibers shown here to amaze your range buddies.

https://www.arc.id.au/CannonBallistics.html

ETA: By way of comparison with the American Navy I'd recommend a couple of books. Both available for free download.

This first one is "A short history of the American Navy" (I have a hardback copy inherited from my father).

https://archive.org/details/shorthistor ... ea/page/n8

The second is the autobiography of one of my merchantman ancestors from the late 1700's thru the War of 1812.

https://archive.org/details/autobiocapt ... h/page/n10

[BigAl52]

I sure would like to load and shoot one. Black Powder is awesome

[GunnyGene]

I sure would like to load and shoot one. Black Powder is awesome

All it takes is money. Michael Elledge (link in previous post) can point you to some organizations that do cannon shoots, and where to buy a reproduction barrel and other info you'd need to know. It's a pretty expensive hobby, but you might be able get on a crew.

[cooperhawk]

We went to a Rondeveux in Minnesota and a re enactment unit brought and fired their civil war cannon. I've heard loud explosions but my wife had not. We were seated on the grass perhaps twenty feet away and took precautions to protect our ears, but the concussion and blast scared the begeebers out of her. You have to experience it to understand.

[BrokenolMarine]

During a NATO cruise in the Early 80s, while still a very junior Marine, I had the opportunity to tour the HMS Victory tied up as a Museum in Portsmouth England. Impressive. I was amazed at how small she seemed, how cramped the quarters, but how efficient the use of space was. They noted that the floors and lower halves of the walls in the "surgery" were painted dark red, for psychological reasons.