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Question about a cannon

bdb

bdb

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So, my FIL died just before Christmas and my MIL is getting rid of some of the things he collected through the years. One of which is an old and heavy cannon. He built a wooden base for it. She is getting me whatever information and pictures that she can. It currently is in Michigan.

I know Jack about cannons. I did a few google searches and my foo does not appear strong in this case. I am trying to understand if it's worth anything (which I doubt), I may just find out it's value if I can and just buy it from her and keep it. Right now this is all I know. Does this info make sense to anyone who is more knowledgeable about canons? I told her to send me detailed pics of any markings on it.

Manufactured by THE HUNT GUN CO. WEYMOUTH MA.
JUNE 14, 1887
BARREL # 133
BARREL 15 1/2 “
WITH CHAMBER 22”
INSIDE DIMENSION 2 1/2”
 
Thanks! I'll wait until I have pics and all the markings on it and see what I can find out about. I didn't get a single google hit on the manufacturer though I on;y scrolled throw about 4 pages of hits.
 
Possibly a Lyle Gun, used for launching a rope to a ship in distress

See:

http://www.cannonsuperstore.com/lyle_cannons.htm

"Pictured is a early Lyle Gun made by Edmund S. Hunt, of Weymouth, Massachusetts. David Lyle actually tested Hunt's guns. The Hunt gun featured a unique projectile, in that it contained the line coiled inside it and played out during flight. The cannon barrel shown is bronze, and measures 18 1/2” long. The bore is 2 1/2” across. It is mounted on a wooden base which measures 10 1/2” x 29 3/4”. Circa 1878 "

At least it's likely the same manufacturer...
 
bdb said:
So, my FIL died just before Christmas and my MIL is getting rid of some of the things he collected through the years. One of which is an old and heavy cannon. He built a wooden base for it. She is getting me whatever information and pictures that she can. It currently is in Michigan.

I know Jack about cannons. I did a few google searches and my foo does not appear strong in this case. I am trying to understand if it's worth anything (which I doubt), I may just find out it's value if I can and just buy it from her and keep it. Right now this is all I know. Does this info make sense to anyone who is more knowledgeable about canons? I told her to send me detailed pics of any markings on it.

Manufactured by THE HUNT GUN CO. WEYMOUTH MA.
JUNE 14, 1887
BARREL # 133
BARREL 15 1/2 “
WITH CHAMBER 22”
INSIDE DIMENSION 2 1/2”
Click to expand...

Car shoot bro . I got fuse and powder .
 
All good info guys, thanks. I checked out the links, definitely some good reading. I saw it sitting in the basement but never paid any attention to it, now I'm curious as hell and want the pics :)

- - - Updated - - -

warwickben said:
Car shoot bro . I got fuse and powder .
Click to expand...

If I can get my hands on it :)
 
bdb said:
All good info guys, thanks. I checked out the links, definitely some good reading. I saw it sitting in the basement but never paid any attention to it, now I'm curious as hell and want the pics :)

- - - Updated - - -



If I can get my hands on it :)
Click to expand...

I think yours will be more fun then my .50 cal .
b0398a5ac0ba3182672366d83b098e76.jpg
 
https://books.google.com/books?id=u...=onepage&q="THE HUNT GUN" WEYMOUTH MA&f=false



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_James_(lifesaver)


http://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/64501177.pdf



https://archive.org/stream/weymouthwaysweym00hunt/weymouthwaysweym00hunt_djvu.txt



From:
http://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/64501177.pdf
nps.gov pdf said:
The HSCM also encouraged improvements in lifesaving technology, including providing financialsupport for the work of EdwardS. Hunt of Weymouth, Massachusetts. His activities included designing animproved lifeboat. He also developed the Hunt Gun in 1879. This was a small cannon used to shoot a line out toa stranded vessel to aid in bringing crew and passengers safely ashore. The Hunt Gun was an importantadvancement in lifesaving efforts and contributed to the HSCM's decision to award Hunt a gold medal in 1891.

The achievements of the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts demonstrated that anorganized approach to lifesaving and an investment in lifesaving stations was extremely important to alleviatinglosses of human life from maritime disasters. The Society's example and successes motivated a number ofprivate citizens and organizations to call upon the federal government to organize and fund its own lifesavingprogram.5 Through time, the HSCM continued its traditional role of supporting the rescue of shipwreck victims.It remains active today in promoting lifesaving efforts. Its ongoing program includes supporting researchconcerning resuscitation of drowning victims, as well as a cooperative relationship with the U.S. Coast Guard.
Click to expand...

There are other quotes, including attribution, in that PDF.


Hunt Gun: The Hunt Gun was developed by Edward Hunt in 1879 and was similar to the Lyle Gun indesign and use. It had a range of 735 yards and fired a cylindrical projectile with the shot-line coiled inside. TheHumane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts selected the Hunt Gun to replace earlier line-throwingmortars and rockets it had used previously. The Hunt Gun was not selected by the USLSS as its standardequipment line-throwing gun, although some stations did use it.[SUP]65



65[/SUP] Shanks and York, U.S. Life-Saving Service, 65, 67; Kimball, Organization and Methods, 9.
 
warwickben said:
Car shoot bro . I got fuse and powder .
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure you are just being glib, but just in case someone misinterprets this...

Shooting a cannon is not something to be taken lightly. You really need to find someone who knows about cannons (particularly your cannon) to understand what powders, powder charges, and projectiles are safe.

There are guys in the North - South Skirmish Association who target shoot cannon on a regular basis and know how to do it safely.
 
M1911 said:
I'm pretty sure you are just being glib, but just in case someone misinterprets this...

Shooting a cannon is not something to be taken lightly. You really need to find someone who knows about cannons (particularly your cannon) to understand what powders, powder charges, and projectiles are safe.

There are guys in the North - South Skirmish Association who target shoot cannon on a regular basis and know how to do it safely.
Click to expand...

I know about the cannons I have.
The biggest I have shoots a 1 inch lead ball.
Charges and rounds are some thing you don't mess around with . The ones I've made from scratch i built with plans that had that info or like my 50 cal you just use the same stuff as a .50 cal muzzle loader.
If you look up the oxygen tank bowling ball canons there's plenty of stores of people who where stupid not realizing they can shoot a mile plus. Heck mythbuster skipped over a berm and hit a house .
 
warwickben said:
I know about the cannons I have.
The biggest I have shoots a 1 inch lead ball.
Charges and rounds are some thing you don't mess around with . The ones I've made from scratch i built with plans that had that info or like my 50 cal you just use the same stuff as a .50 cal muzzle loader.
If you look up the oxygen tank bowling ball canons there's plenty of stores of people who where stupid not realizing they can shoot a mile plus. Heck mythbuster skipped over a berm and hit a house .
Click to expand...

There is also the very real possibility of over-charging the cannon and blowing it up, killing yourself and any other spectators. Like you said, not something to mess around with.
 
M1911 said:
There is also the very real possibility of over-charging the cannon and blowing it up, killing yourself and any other spectators. Like you said, not something to mess around with.
Click to expand...

After having a out of battery 54r go up in my face I have a great respect when it comes to gun powder .
.50 cal is a nice cannon to learn on since you can buy the pyrodex pellets so you can't mess up the charge unless you toss a second one in . But you can learn the habits of running the wet mop and other loading steps and work your way up to bigger things.
 
Fun fact
Boston was the clearing house for much of the artillery during the civil war.
After the war, the cannons being returned were mostly already outdated.
There are a metric crap ton of them at the bottom of Boston harbor.
The only thing they could find a use for them was boat moorings. [sad2]
They were used to prop up buildings, ect. and many were scrapped and melted down.
A friend who does demolition found one under a building they tore down in town.
Cleaned it up , had a carriage built and we did touch that puppy off.
Got the attention of the PD's from 3 surrounding towns. [smile].
That was years ago.
Nowday's we would probably have gotten a bracelet party instead of a talking to, lol.
 
Dadstoys said:
Fun fact
Boston was the clearing house for much of the artillery during the civil war.
After the war, the cannons being returned were mostly already outdated.
There are a metric crap ton of them at the bottom of Boston harbor.
The only thing they could find a use for them was boat moorings. [sad2]
They were used to prop up buildings, ect. and many were scrapped and melted down.
A friend who does demolition found one under a building they tore down in town.
Cleaned it up , had a carriage built and we did touch that puppy off.
Got the attention of the PD's from 3 surrounding towns. [smile].
That was years ago.
Nowday's we would probably have gotten a bracelet party instead of a talking to, lol.
Click to expand...

My gf scuba divers is it possible to get them out of the ocean ? Legally ?

I would clean one up and have it in my front yard .
 
I don't see why it wouldn't be legal.
But I doubt there's much left of them to find after a couple of hundred years or how many feet of silt they would be under.
The older bronze Napoleans might have held up , but those had scrap value so they probably didn't get dumped in the drink.
 
I did hear back from the guys at the cannons superstore. They can move it. Looks to be about 2K in my MILs pocket if she wants. I'd still like to keep it for myself though :)
 

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