who wants a decent deck canon?

[Larks]

Here's one in Oz:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SHIPS-DECK-CANNON-1885_W0QQitemZ140328393800QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Ma ritime_Antiques?hash=item20ac395c48&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C 301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[Bob Cleek]

Now, THAT'S a "weapon of mass destruction! None of those little Fourth of July firecracker poppers. She looks pretty serious. Wouldn't that be fun! Shows to go ya that with enough money, you can buy most anything you need.

[Thorne]

The BOOM Pirates from Oregon had two or three pieces of this type, several with the "Victory" plates as shown. Didn't ask if they'd ever fired shot, but they got a lot of theatrical use with just powder and wadding.

Yeah, these two pieces made by my friends John and Tony are much more like the real thing, taking 2" ball and with more length -

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2470/3650945650_e5cb372b5f_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3354/3650945366_3e1a92724d_b.jpg

[Tom Robb]

For you Old-Arn Gun guys:
What's the function of the flaired/swollen barrel mouth? I'd have thought that's the location of the least pressure in the barrel and not in need of reenforcement - if that was the notion.

[Peerie Maa]

For you Old-Arn Gun guys:
What's the function of the flaired/swollen barrel mouth? I'd have thought that's the location of the least pressure in the barrel and not in need of reenforcement - if that was the notion.

Mostly decoration, and a hang over from when cannon were faggot welded from staves and hoops.
It may have made casting easier, as that is the end into which the molten metal was poured, although the Carron Foundry made Carronades without this feature.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/24/44746351_2c882a68e6.jpg?v=0

[paladin]

Betcha I can do more damage with a single shot Lahti 20mm.......reloads faster too......

[bucheron]

The bore diameter of the Australian gun was given as approx 65 mm.

The mass of a cast-iron spherical shot of Diameter 65mm is 4/3 X Pi X radius cubed X density of iron (7.2 gm/cc)

4/3*(22/7)*3.25^3*7.2 = 1035.7 gm or a tad over 1 kg

A kilogram is 2.2 pounds approximately, so 2/2.2*1000 = 909.1 gm is 2lb
909.1 * 21/88 /7.2 = 30.1 cubic cm
30.1311553 ^ .33333333333 (cube root) = 31 mm

Diameter is 62 mm (double the radius)

The gun would fire a 2-pound shot, with a 1.5 mm clearance to the inside of the bore.

A similar calculation tells me that John and Tony's 2-inch guns would fire a 1-pound shot.

[skuthorp]

Re-enactors SlideShow
http://www.cerberus.com.au/reenact3.jpg
Now thats what I call a gun!
http://www.cerberus.com.au/reenactslideshow.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_George_Armstrong,_1st_Baron_Armstrong

[Tom Robb]

Thanks Nick.

[Dan McCosh]

Am I the only one who had an image of St. Paul swabbing the deck when I read the title of this thread?