[mydogsmonkey]

Whats the legality of making one of these?
http://gizmodo.com/5534471/tiny-cann...+busting-punch

i'm assuming its black powder they're using, anybody know? im interested in making one, thanks

also if anyone has any idea on what kind of powder they're using and what kind of pressures we should be aware of when firing one of these?

Ernest

[BKinzey]

I don't know if the legalities but for tech questions there is an email addy at the end of the video.

[sholling]

Unless something has changed you could buy small muzzle loader black power cannon kits and fuses in a store in Orange County. At least you could just a few years ago. Just like you could buy kits to build your own muzzle loading rifles and pistols.

[CSACANNONEER]

Perfectly legal to build and shoot (where you can legally shoot). I think they were using flash powder in that video.

[TURBOELKY]

Any limit to size? I think we'll start small though

[mydogsmonkey]

Originally Posted by CSACANNONEER

Perfectly legal to build and shoot (where you can legally shoot). I think they were using flash powder in that video.

told you jeremy HAHA i KNEW greg would know

dude we need to start making some now, haha think of all the possibilities!

damn we started with aks, now mini cannons, i wonder whats next

[mydogsmonkey]

Originally Posted by CSACANNONEER

Perfectly legal to build and shoot (where you can legally shoot). I think they were using flash powder in that video.

greg would it be okay to use black powder? or should we stick to flash powder?
what would be cheapest/easiest to get?

[freonr22]

i had sent an email off earlier no response yet

[Thrasher416]

Originally Posted by mydogsmonkey

told you jeremy HAHA i KNEW greg would know

dude we need to start making some now, haha think of all the possibilities!

damn we started with aks, now mini cannons, i wonder whats next

Bazookas and RPGs?

[CSACANNONEER]

I don't think there is any limit to size. I would only use black powder myself. Does this mean that we need to find a mill and a lathe?

[Trigger Guard]

This guy has plans for a couple he made himself. http://www.buckstix.com/index.html
Beware, he doesn't seem to like cats much!

[r3dn3ck]

AFAIK you can't go over 50cal if you use a SCMC or load from the breech. Muzzle loading is generally considered archaic and isn't so heavily regulated.

I like golf ball cannons myself. http://cannonthunder.com/golf_ball_mortars.html

400yrds to the pin... no big deal!

[Rickfifty]

[bdsmchs]

Here's a casting for one that I made. .50cal. This is before final machining. It's made from silicon bronze. Poured it myself

[CSACANNONEER]

Originally Posted by bdsmchs

Here's a casting for one that I made. .50cal. This is before final machining. It's made from silicon bronze. Poured it myself

Do you still have access to a foundry?

[stag1500]

Originally Posted by TURBOELKY

Any limit to size?

No. Just watch the current season of Mythbusters.

[command_liner]

In recent years I have made a bunch of small cannon.

The typical hierarchy is
0.5", 0.75", 1", golf ball, coke can, baseball, softball, bowling ball.

You can cut most of the work out of the problem by buying
super-heavy-wall Drawn Over Mandrel tubing cut-offs. Check the
IMS in Irvine for a useful selection.

When you get the tubing, just machine a plug for the breech, then
press the cap in place and then weld. After that, weld on a breech
cap. OK, so you need a BIG torch, decent press, good lathe and
good welder.

There is a good shortcut for bowling ball mortars. By mysterious
mechanical serendipity,
1) A standard bowling ball fits perfectly into a half of one of the
standard high-pressure gas cylinders. Buy a used cylinder and cut
it.
2) A forged steel 2 5/16" trailer ball can be threaded into the
former top of the gas cylinder after some machine work.
3) The standard US Army mortar base from a while back uses
a 2 5/16 socket, so the bowling ball mortar drops right in.

CAUTION! CAUTION! Range is measured in miles.
CAUTION! CAUTION! Pressure wave from this device will pulverize
all automobile windows within 100 feet. It is not good for ears,
eyes, light bulbs and similar stuff.

[bdsmchs]

Originally Posted by CSACANNONEER

Do you still have access to a foundry?

As a matter of fact, yes I do. I helped build it.

It's a pretty small foundry. Only good for about 20-25lb's of Bronze at a time, but we've made a nice golf ball morter with it too.

Supply the propane, and I can get access to it for you

[CSACANNONEER]

Originally Posted by bdsmchs

As a matter of fact, yes I do. I helped build it.

It's a pretty small foundry. Only good for about 20-25lb's of Bronze at a time, but we've made a nice golf ball morter with it too.

Supply the propane, and I can get access to it for you

Do I see a casting party happening sometime this summer?

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Originally Posted by r3dn3ck

AFAIK you can't go over 50cal if you use a SCMC or load from the breech. Muzzle loading is generally considered archaic and isn't so heavily regulated.

I like golf ball cannons myself. http://cannonthunder.com/golf_ball_mortars.html

400yrds to the pin... no big deal!

Not quite right. You may not manufacture a cannon with a bore diameter in excess of .60 which fires fixed ammunition as that would be a destructive device in CA.

A breech-loading "bag gun" larger than .60 caliber, which uses a projectile and powder charge which is not fixed, and which can not be loaded with a cartridge, is perfectly legal.

I like golf ball cannons, too, they're just good clean fun.

[scc1909]

Originally Posted by Grumpyoldretiredcop

Not quite right. You may not manufacture a cannon with a bore diameter in excess of .60 which fires fixed ammunition as that would be a destructive device in CA.

A breech-loading "bag gun" larger than .60 caliber, which uses a projectile and powder charge which is not fixed, and which can not be loaded with a cartridge, is perfectly legal.

I like golf ball cannons, too, they're just good clean fun.

Is fixed ammunition a cartridge, i.e., a shell and bullet together, as in a regular rifle cartridge?

I take it then that there is no limit on a conventional antique-ish muzzle loader using a separate ball and bag of powder?

Thanks!

PS - Sorry I don't know all the correct terminology...

[Mikeb]

This was discussed in the 2A forum the other day under the subject of "powder storage". The sentence that got my attention was that Black powder could be kept for use in sporting arms less than .75 cal. So what if you made a swivel gun from 1" ID DOM that shot patched 3 oz fishing sinkers.
Now I have nothing else to say...
Mike

[bdsmchs]

Originally Posted by Mikeb

This was discussed in the 2A forum the other day under the subject of "powder storage". The sentence that got my attention was that Black powder could be kept for use in sporting arms less than .75 cal. So what if you made a swivel gun from 1" ID DOM that shot patched 3 oz fishing sinkers.

Luckily, pyrodex isn't "black powder"

[mydogsmonkey]

so would it be okay to get a piece of steel rod stock and use a drill press to drill out a hole for something small like the BB size? then just add something for it to be mounted on?

[bdsmchs]

Originally Posted by mydogsmonkey

so would it be okay to get a piece of steel rod stock and use a drill press to drill out a hole for something small like the BB size? then just add something for it to be mounted on?

Yup!

[GrizzlyGuy]

Originally Posted by Grumpyoldretiredcop

Not quite right. You may not manufacture a cannon with a bore diameter in excess of .60 which fires fixed ammunition as that would be a destructive device in CA.

A breech-loading "bag gun" larger than .60 caliber, which uses a projectile and powder charge which is not fixed, and which can not be loaded with a cartridge, is perfectly legal.

I like golf ball cannons, too, they're just good clean fun.

We went through this before when we were trying to figure out if potato guns were legal. Read (4) in the law I quoted here. Also here further down that thread.

Then again, bdsmchs slapped his forehead further down that thread here, so who the heck knows what the story is for non-antique canon.

[mydogsmonkey]

at what point should you be afraid of the thing exploding on you? haha

[Turo]

Originally Posted by mydogsmonkey

at what point should you be afraid of the thing exploding on you? haha

When there wasn't a machinist helping you make it.

[mydogsmonkey]

Originally Posted by Turo

When there wasn't a machinist helping you make it.

seriously? i'm thinking about making some and some specific answers would help, thanks!

[command_liner]

You should always worry about explosions.

That is why we have the idea of "proof load". Twice the volume
of powder with twice the mass of shot. If it does not blow up,
it probably will not blow up with normal load of powder and shot.

[mydogsmonkey]

Originally Posted by command_liner

You should always worry about explosions.

That is why we have the idea of "proof load". Twice the volume
of powder with twice the mass of shot. If it does not blow up,
it probably will not blow up with normal load of powder and shot.

so you should proof load once to make sure and then use regularly?

[bdsmchs]

Originally Posted by GrizzlyGuy

We went through this before when we were trying to figure out if potato guns were legal. Read (4) in the law I quoted here. Also here further down that thread.

Then again, bdsmchs slapped his forehead further down that thread here, so who the heck knows what the story is for non-antique canon.

Read that post again. I was smacking my forehead because someone tried to pull the zip-gun thing.

If it's not a Title 2 firearm, it can't meet the definition of a zip gun.

If it doesn't fire fixed ammunition, it can't meet the definition of a DD.

Cannons, antique or not, muzzleloading or not, aren't zip guns and aren't DD's if they don't fire fixed ammunition.

[DRH]

The exemption to the federal DD law is for antique and reproductions of antique cannons and mortars. I know that people are making repros of modern mortars and cannons but it would be wise to stick with something that looks like it existed before 1898 to stay out of possible legal peril. There were plenty of antique breech loader designs with rifled bores so it should not be hard to make a cool cannon and still stay legal.

[CSACANNONEER]

Ca law for fixed round DDs is .60 cal but, isn't Federal law only .50 cal?

[bdsmchs]

Originally Posted by CSACANNONEER

Ca law for fixed round DDs is .60 cal but, isn't Federal law only .50 cal?

Yup, with certain exceptions for "sporting" cartridges like .600 nitro express, .700 nitro express, .577 Tyranosaur, etc..

The cool thing is, it means you can have a DD in CA without a DOJ permit if it's under .60cal.

I've been considering picking up a Daewoo AA-12 and having it shipped to a middle man so he can re-barrel it for a shotgun cartridge less than .60 cal (I think .28ga is) while I work on getting my stamp for it

CA-legal AA-12

[2Bear]

Originally Posted by CSACANNONEER

Does this mean that we need to find a mill and a lathe?

I've always wanted an excuse to buy one of these...



http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/...o?itemid=93212

[CSACANNONEER]

Originally Posted by 2Bear

I've always wanted an excuse to buy one of these...



http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/...o?itemid=93212

Me too. That's on my long list of things I want.

[bdsmchs]

Originally Posted by CSACANNONEER

Me too. That's on my long list of things I want.

Did I mention I have access to a bigger one of those, too?

[TURBOELKY]

I think mydogsmonkey is more interested in building a "cute" cannon, something that shoots bb sized projectiles. I think that mini-lathe/mill would suit this job perfectly! If not, its just going to be one ugly mini cannon, but thats alright!??

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Originally Posted by scc1909

Is fixed ammunition a cartridge, i.e., a shell and bullet together, as in a regular rifle cartridge?

I take it then that there is no limit on a conventional antique-ish muzzle loader using a separate ball and bag of powder?

Thanks!

PS - Sorry I don't know all the correct terminology...

Right you are, on both counts. Don't worry, "key words and tricky phrases" will come with time, experience, and research. Cannons are just plain, loud, FUN!