Portable Cannon Mounts

[MarkG]

I keep seeing rendezvouser with small cannons on folding, portable mounts. I have never seen a period illustration of anything like these. Does anyone know if they are period (and period)?

Here is one example. It can be fired flat against the ground or raised up.

[Silver]

interesting! i ran through some medieval sites, nothing real close. got any more pics of them, like firing with it flat or closeup of the gun mounting?

[Silver]

the renezvouser are a pre 1840's (mountain men) event and it looks like they try to control items out of the era. i found some sites that would not allow cannons.

[Bright]

Post bigger photos please.

[HarborMaster]

Long time no see everyone . Been in the PI working on my dream. Cheers and Greetings Captain Cascabel . Here is a look-see of some of my cannon gear. Larger pics as requested. I hope they are some ideas of use to someone in these photos. Obviously my cannons , swivels and mounts are not period correct., nor do I claim them to be. These are actually shooters not just event noise makers. It is fun to beat up on old TV's hot water heaters and cars sometimes u know.., therefore these are set up to be safe portable and fun. Always be sure to follow safe cannoneering practices when live firing. You can live to fire another day that-a-way.

[Cascabel]

Really first class looking stuff, Harbormaster !!! How is it obtaining black powder in PI ? Easy, difficullt, pricey, etc. ?

>>>>> Cascabel

[HarborMaster]

Well sir ., price on anything here is cheap The problem is the general public is not supposed to have black powder. Sadly my swivels may never fire again .,unless I can figure a way to use another propellant safely? I brought them here mainly for decorative purposes for the pirate themed scuba shop we are building. I did however ship 2 Hern 3" ordinance rifles here in 3/4 scale for the purpose of decorating the sea wall. These will be a bit out of the ordinaire as they will be mounted in Naval carriages. However being much bigger we will plumb them for propane and use them as NOISE MAKERS *Grinning* I saw a post a year or two ago where someone on the board did use propane ., I wish that person wanted a vacation in the PI. I will look for the post and try to learn from it and everything else I can find. I will keep the board posted as my progress begins on that project as well as the rest of the pirate theme gets underway. We just finished building the Manor so the rest will begin pretty soon .

[Hawkyns]

Mark- returning to this topic. The pic you have looks very similar to a French 'disappearing carriage' as shown in the old Sketchbook 56 series on the French and Indian War. Supposedly, this was a carriage that would allow you to collapse the gun behind a wall or revetment in order to reload in safety. All that said, the books were published years ago and much of the info has been debunked. Nevertheless, they give easy and cheap intro to the period and are still used by people who don't want to do the in depth research, or go for the correct kit. I have never seen anything like this outside those pages, so must view them with the utmost skepticism.

Hawkyns

[landlubbersanonymous]

I think we may get our kids into power lifting so they'll have the option of live firing swivel guns from the hip when they get older.

"It must be mounted on a tripod!" - F.Wagner aka Cmdr Mohr The Wild Bunch (1969)

[MarkG]

Hawkins - I've been seeing things like this for years but always with tiny guns that would be inferior to a musket. I wondered where they came from.

[Hawkyns]

The one shown in the Sketchbook looks more like a three pounder. Obviously, though, these carriages would barely support a static 3 pounder, never mind one that is actually firing. The small size is likely due to the limitatioins of the carriages and the fact that someone building one of these is going for cheap, so getting the minimum tube neccesary to still be called a 'cannon'.

Hawkyns

[HarborMaster]

I believe the minimum gun would be a 1" bore ? Please dont qoute me on this. I am not sure about the correctness of this. I have been a forum member of a cannon building group for a long time ., however they base it as 1" this does not mean for period as they build a variety of pieces up to 1898 type ordinance. I have always been under the impression cannons start at 1" ? Dont know why ., perhaps it was something I was drinking! Hawkyns ! Long time no chat sir ., I am wishing you well from the far side of the world.

HarborMaster

Edited August 22, 2012 by HarborMaster

[Commodore Swab]

Might be time to look up the bores for punt guns

[flagman1776]

I'm pretty skeptical of such a mount being pre-1840. I am aware of Disappearing gun (cannon) mounts which first appeared in the 1860s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearing_gun

[snakemanterry]

i think they are refered to as a grasshopper cannon and are from the 18 centery, i also beleave they fire a three pound ball. ive seen them here at the fiest of saint clear.

[flagman1776]

http://johnsmilitaryhistory.com/threepdr.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bills_eye_view/8408992185/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjELbrQCJLU

I understand the confusion but I don't believe the first illustrated assemblage is any sort of a historical gun mount. The links show 'grasshopper' cannon, the unofficial nick name given to these light 3 pounders. Not even close to the original image.

Edited September 8, 2013 by flagman1776

[Silver]

i would like to see the drawing of the disappearing carriage in the sketchbook 56 series. can someone post it?

[Silver]

when this thread was first posted i did some research to see if the frontier folks were coping some medevil carriage but came up empty.

[Bright]

Can not see updated larger photos ?

[flagman1776]

I own & demonstrate various swivel cannons. I've used stumps (with holes drilled in) and blocks of wood. What I have settled on is a simple box... with a hole drilled in the bottom for the yoke. Inside the box, I've installed a 4X4 glued & screwed into the sides & "top". Or is it the bottom. To transport, these boxes... packing crates... are flipped open side up, have rope handles installed & become the carrier for most of the equipage & some of the cannon. The boxes are painted in authentic period colors... some have been repurposed from earlier uses.

Edited October 4, 2013 by flagman1776