The Effectiveness of Older Firearm Technology

[Juniper9mm]

I have gotten more interested in black powder and muzzle loaders since a good friend gifted me a CVA Mountain Rifle in .50 caliber. I've been learning a lot from the guys over on The Muzzleloading Forum. They have a Cannon section there, which of course I have always been interested in, and in that subsection, they have a video of an older cannon being used in what is believed to be around 2015, during the Syrian civil war. I imagine this cannon is being used by the Syrian opposition forces, but this is unclear to me. If you look closely at the target they are firing at, you can see the cannon balls drop out of the sky before impact. Someone more knowledgeable than me might be able to identify the cannon and hopefully estimate the poundage of those cannon balls:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/still-being-used-in-syria.189777/

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[Andy54Hawken]

I cannot speak about cannons...never owned one...and only helped fire one a few times.

I can say that while not old...my rifle was made in 1997...
It has taken :
Grouse..
Coyote...
Antelope..
Deer...
Elk..
And Bear.

The effect of 80 - 100 grains of 2F and a patched .530 lead round ball ...
Which is old firearm technology....was a clean one shot kill with a pass through.

Interesting that a muzzle loading cannon was still being used in 2015.
On the other hand...you gotta use what you have .

Please note that I am not advocating a return to muzzle loading firearms for military issue.
However I am saying that older firearm technology still does what it was made to do , it is unwise to discount it or write it off.
Andy

3 shots fired off hand at 50 yards from my Hawken Rifle

• Andy54Hawken
• Oct 5, 2024

 

[orygun]

That's cool! The whole building shook when hit with one of those cannon balls!

 

[Juniper9mm]

I cannot speak about cannons...never owned one...and only helped fire one a few times.

I can say that while not old...my rifle was made in 1997...
It has taken :
Grouse..
Coyote...
Antelope..
Deer...
Elk..
And Bear.

The effect of 80 - 100 grains of 2F and a patched .530 lead round ball ...
Which is old firearm technology....was a clean one shot kill with a pass through.

Interesting that a muzzle loading cannon was still being used in 2015.
On the other hand...you gotta use what you have .

Please note that I am not advocating a return to muzzle loading firearms for military issue.
However I am saying that older firearm technology still does what it was made to do , it is unwise to discount it or write it off.
Andy

3 shots fired off hand at 50 yards from my Hawken Rifle

• Andy54Hawken
• Oct 5, 2024

Beautiful rifle and shooting Andy! Can I ask what you are using for a patch lube? I've been busy talking to the guys on the other forum, forgetting we have one of the best muzzleloader resources here in you.

 

[Juniper9mm]

That's cool! The whole building shook when hit with one of those cannon balls!

I found it impressive in that I think that those are just solid cannon balls, sans any explosive, but don't know for sure.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Beautiful rifle and shooting Andy! Can I ask what you are using for a patch lube? I've been busy talking to the guys on the other forum, forgetting we have one of the best muzzleloader resources here in you.

Thank you.

I try to keep things simple....as well as how they were done back when this was the only kind of rifle.
So....I use spit as a lube mostly...at times , I will use a bear grease or deer tallow lubed patch.

The Muzzle loading Forum is....
A fine place for information for sure....lots there is on point and valid.

However...
In my experience and time there....it had a modern centric focus...and lots of information that was indeed valid...
But not how things were done in the 18th and 19th century.
In addition...many things that I talk about , when giving my displays , in regards to shooting and history ...
Were at odds with many members and what was posted there.

That said...
It has been awhile since I was there....much may have changed or be different now.

Andy

 

[thorborg]

My mom came from the east where they had carbide lighting, When I was 8 or 10, she showed me how to make a noise cannon using a 5# coffee can. (back then they were opened with a key, and the lid would fit back on snug) Anyway a tiny hole was punched on the bottom edge not quite the size of a three penny nail.
To fire it, you put a couple cornels of carbide in the can, spit on it to produce the acetylene, put the lid on, and lay it on its side on the ground then you put one foot on the top back edge to hold it and light the hole with a match, BOOM, the lid would blow 20 or more feet with a noise to excite any kid. the can never wears out, Great for Independence day!
Ok, nothing to do with the price of fish, but does have the word cannon.

 

[Juniper9mm]

My mom came from the east where they had carbide lighting, When I was 8 or 10, she showed me how to make a noise cannon using a 5# coffee can. (back then they were opened with a key, and the lid would fit back on snug) Anyway a tiny hole was punched on the bottom edge not quite the size of a three penny nail.
To fire it, you put a couple cornels of carbide in the can, spit on it to produce the acetylene, put the lid on, and lay it on its side on the ground then you put one foot on the top back edge to hold it and light the hole with a match, BOOM, the lid would blow 20 or more feet with a noise to excite any kid. the can never wears out, Great for Independence day!
Ok, nothing to do with the price of fish, but does have the word cannon.

Thanks thorborg! I love these types of anecdotes. I remember those carbide cannon's you sometimes see in antique stores that must have worked off a similar principle.
I remember my cousin and I trying to make a tennis ball cannon out of a bunch of cans with both ends knocked out and taped together. You would then leave the last can as the breach, punch a flash hole, pour alcohol in the flash hole and light. We must have been missing something, cause we couldn't get it to work. Perhaps the alcohol wasn't volatile enough.

 

[thorborg]

Thanks thorborg! I love these types of anecdotes. I remember those carbide cannon's you sometimes see in antique stores that must have worked off a similar principle.
I remember my cousin and I trying to make a tennis ball cannon out of a bunch of cans with both ends knocked out and taped together. You would then leave the last can as the breach, punch a flash hole, pour alcohol in the flash hole and light. We must have been missing something, cause we couldn't get it to work. Perhaps the alcohol wasn't volatile enough.

You can still buy small cans of carbide, just make sure the exploding gas has an exit that is weaker than its container

 

[doninoregon]

I have a carbide cannon I got for my 10th birthday and you can still buy them: www.bigbangcannons.com

 

[roseburger]

Can I ask what you are using for a patch lube?

Liberal tears and their dirty undies.

 

[orygun]

Thanks thorborg! I love these types of anecdotes. I remember those carbide cannon's you sometimes see in antique stores that must have worked off a similar principle.
I remember my cousin and I trying to make a tennis ball cannon out of a bunch of cans with both ends knocked out and taped together. You would then leave the last can as the breach, punch a flash hole, pour alcohol in the flash hole and light. We must have been missing something, cause we couldn't get it to work. Perhaps the alcohol wasn't volatile enough.

Hairspray? That's what I used in my spud gun.

 

[Juniper9mm]

I have a carbide cannon I got for my 10th birthday and you can still buy them: www.bigbangcannons.com

When I was researching cannon sites last night I stumbled on that very place. I was surprised you could still get new ones, and that there were so many models.

 

[nammac]

Thanks thorborg! I love these types of anecdotes. I remember those carbide cannon's you sometimes see in antique stores that must have worked off a similar principle.
I remember my cousin and I trying to make a tennis ball cannon out of a bunch of cans with both ends knocked out and taped together. You would then leave the last can as the breach, punch a flash hole, pour alcohol in the flash hole and light. We must have been missing something, cause we couldn't get it to work. Perhaps the alcohol wasn't volatile enough.

White rain hairspray, don't ask how I know…

 

[orygun]

I still have the can of Aqua Net in the garage.

 

[roseburger]

Cannons

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