AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Black Powder Shooting => Topic started by: m1garand_man on May 17, 2018, 11:07:56 PM
-
First off I'll disclaim that I'm not sure if this is where I should post this.
The other night watching "Turn" I discovered what a hand mortar is and after some research discovered that there are some neat looking kits and complete flint lock ones you can get that shoot tennis balls and other various things.
I am curious if any of you have shot or own one of these and what your thoughts are about owning one. They seem like fun range toys and that's about it but heck you don't see something like one of those every day, that's for sure.
-
What are my thoughts on a hand mortar? Never had one. Rather have a potato gun.
-
I have a golf ball mortar. Throws them into the next county.
Mark
-
I have worked on one that belongs to a friend of mine (TRS parts). I'm sure it will be a blast to shoot (pardon the pun) when he gets it finished. But then, I really enjoy shooting my 4 gage blunderbuss.
-
Having no idea what the statute of limitations might be on committing malicious mischief using an acetylene-fired spud gun, I believe I'll recuse myself from further comment.
-
They are a worthless, and dangerous, big boys toy, that temps everybody that touches it to be stupid. A blunderbuss is in the same boat, in my book.
Hungry Horse
-
Kept the kids entertained at rendezvous, so they have my vote...
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-0vxYOA1dxJU%2FU1SZ4wOJsdI%2FAAAAAAAAAQ0%2FToOjjfh3HHY%2Fs1600%2Fhart14%2Bmortar%2Bhelen.jpg&hash=a0861db44f0710df33a35219d2e8050cf8ad753c)
-
They are a worthless, and dangerous, big boys toy, that temps everybody that touches it to be stupid. A blunderbuss is in the same boat, in my book.
Hungry Horse
This was my sentiment but there's still a wild streak in me which desires to play with odd "over size caliber" black powder guns. It may wait a long while however since where I live I'd have no where to shoot an indirect fire blackpowder arm. This is also about as far as I'd be willing to stretch the limit of topics allowable on this forum.
-
Kept the kids entertained at rendezvous, so they have my vote...
[img width=700
height=525]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0vxYOA1dxJU/U1SZ4wOJsdI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/ToOjjfh3HHY/s1600/hart14+mortar+helen.jpg[/img]
That's exactly along the lines of which I was mentioning. Definitely cool to see a family which shoots together aND shares and intrest in history together!
-
It might be an advantage on "cut-the-card" shots at woods walk and such. It might work on "split the ball on the axe" too, but would destroy the block of wood.
I'd get one if it were inexpensive, but they aren't inexpensive.
-
Probably need to lose the wild streak attitude when shooting black powder. Only going to get you in trouble.
-
Unless your shooting grenades it's not really a range toy. I purchased the barrel from TRS a long time ago. Thought it would be cool to make and put out at reenactments as an example of firearm used in the 18th century. I couldn't find a piece of wood wide enough to inlet the barrel into. I was copying a specific gun and the whole length of the barrel was inletted, not just the powder chamber. Either way Got tired of looking so I sold it. Barrel was inpressive, the TRS kit is nice, I would not go Pakistani/ Indian on this one though. It comes down to what you want. Got the scratch, have at it!
-
Probably need to lose the wild streak attitude when shooting black powder. Only going to get you in trouble.
Well I no longer have the attitude of a careless youth as I once did. I would love to have a full size mortar or field gun but don't see my self ever spending that kind of money on something that costs so much to shoot though I do love watching youtube videos of civil war artillery being live fired.
I know another part of my intrest comes from spending three years doing maintenance on howitzers for the army. So if I can't afford $20k or more for a fully equipped civil war field gun I'll settle for what is essentially a colonial era grenade launcher and stick to light projectiles. That's if I even get around to doing the build.
-
Hungry Horse,
I must say, you haven't really experienced the full joy of black powder shooting until you can burn powder a pound at a time !!!!
(https://preview.ibb.co/bF8KYy/Shooting_Blunderbuss2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gWVoRJ)
(https://preview.ibb.co/j0ehmJ/Shooting_Blunderbuss1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/c3zhmJ)
(https://preview.ibb.co/jHcDty/Cannon_Shoot_3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gw0Bfd)
-
They are a worthless, and dangerous, big boys toy, that temps everybody that touches it to be stupid. A blunderbuss is in the same boat, in my book.
Hungry Horse
We have several, but they are made to shoot confetti and powered by air pressure. Homemade sort of like a potato gun, but no explosive device, fill the "tube" with a wad, some confetti, and another wad, pump up the air reservoir and hit the trigger. You can be standing in front of it and get hit full force and laugh about it. All it takes is some PVC, a bicycle tire pump, and a water sprinkler solenoid.
-
Dave, been there, done that. Built a blunderbuss years ago, and horse traded into a cannon a few years later. It was like having an idiot magnet around my neck. After I quit shooting the cannon, I put it on my front porch for decoration, but finally had to sell it to get some peace. It’s hard enough to keep shooters from hurting themselves, or others, with rifles, and pistols. Cannon accidents are often catastrophic, and in all reality a blunderbuss is just a cannon with a stock instead of wheels, I’m not apposed to cannon shoots, as long as they are WELL regulated.
Hungry Horse
-
Hungry Horse,
I understand completely......and your term "idiot magnet" made me laugh out loud... :D
(https://image.ibb.co/hHaMWT/Einstein_Quotes_about_Stupidity.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
-
Dave;
I may very well be the victim of too many canon experiences.
I was present when a cannon ball was skipped off the top of a giant log being used as a backstop for the intended target. The ball went over the hill behind the log and ended up on the runway of an airforce base.
At the same event the year before the cannon were lined up to shoot a volley. One of the canons upon firing it considerable charge from its barrel made from laminated pipe, of dubious parentage, shed one of its manure spreader iron wheels, and spun around, leaving it pointed at the spectators.
The icing on the cake came when my son was about five. We attended a rendezvous and were having a great time. He got tire in the afternoon, so we retired to our wall tent for an afternoon rest. Not long after retiring we heard a big kaboom, and a Smack, Crack, Thud. I stepped out of the tent to find a still smoking beer can full of concrete under the tree next to our tent. It seems someone on the cannon range thought it would be perfectly safe to let a guy that had a mortar, wedge it up to shoot it like a cannon. Upon ignition the barrel snapped back, causing the mortar to fall sideways, launching it projectile into the camp area. We were packed and gone in an hour, and never went back.
After reading this I think I might be a slower learner that I previously thought.
Hungry Horse
-
Kept the kids entertained at rendezvous, so they have my vote...
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-0vxYOA1dxJU%2FU1SZ4wOJsdI%2FAAAAAAAAAQ0%2FToOjjfh3HHY%2Fs1600%2Fhart14%2Bmortar%2Bhelen.jpg&hash=a0861db44f0710df33a35219d2e8050cf8ad753c)
Hey Sespe,
Is it tennis balls you fire out of that thing, or what?
-
Yes, he only uses tennis balls. And only about 10 grains of powder, I believe.
-
sespe, I just now noticed your user name.
Weclome to ALR: we can use a few old Sespe Rockhoppers around here. ;)
Yep: been there; spent a lot of time there. My first honeymoon trip was spent in the Sespe.
-
Dave, been there, done that. Built a blunderbuss years ago, and horse traded into a cannon a few years later. It was like having an idiot magnet around my neck. After I quit shooting the cannon, I put it on my front porch for decoration, but finally had to sell it to get some peace. It’s hard enough to keep shooters from hurting themselves, or others, with rifles, and pistols.Cannon accidents are often catastrophic, and in all reality a blunderbuss is just a cannon with a stock instead of wheels, I’m not apposed to cannon shoots, as long as they are WELL regulated.
Hungry Horse
There is a reason the patron saint of the Field Artillery is Saint Barbara.
-
Everyone should have a couple.
-
Well, I see the magnet is still working.
Hungry Horse