Live Fire With a Civil War Cannon

A little live-fire sighting-in with an 1841 6-pounder cannon. There's more to it than this, but these are some of the louder parts. Which we like.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Civil
• War
• Cannon
• 1841
• pounder
• idiots
• with
• explosives

[orpheus1814]

Ramming with a handspike? Why??

[sousswine]

@orpheus1814 It's not a handspike. It's a safety rammer designed to rip fewer of your digits off in the event of a premature detonation.

[chowowner1]

how much did the cannon cost and where u get it from ?? please reply someone

[sousswine]

@chowowner1 This cannon was manufactured by Marshall Steen of Steen Cannons.

[Boredout454]

Funny everyone was acting so careful around the black powder charge and doing a very diligent and careful job of putting in the charge and cannon ball and ramming it in. Back in the day they would have been flying and firing as fast as possible. Thumbs Up if you would love to see a long line of 50+ cannons firing real cannon balls at a target one right after another just like they were.

[sousswine]

@drod103164 It's attached to a friction primer, a device that was simple and quick to use, yet extremely effective. It consisted of two small brass tubes, a serrated wire, friction composition, and fine, black powder. In use, the wire was hooked to the lanyard and the long tube inserted into the vent. A steady, quick pull on the lanyard dragged the serrated wire across the friction composition igniting it and setting off the black powder which flashed down the tube and vent, firing the cannon.

[justinng02]

What Unit are you guys affiliated with? Steen Cannons is not far from where I am.

[justinng02]

@sousswine I thought it was a handspike at first until I noticed the length of it and I was wondering just what kind of ramrod you guys had and that answered my question! I've never seen one like that. Very interesting and very nice cannon, looks like a fun piece to play with!

[TheBullMoose95]

Something that takes two hours in 2011, took thirty seconds in 1861.

[ablethreefourbravo]

Bully!

[orpheus1814]

@sousswine With a safety-conscious gun crew and proper precautions (tending the vent with a moistened thumbstall, worming, sponging the barrel between rounds, holding the rammer with palms up), a period-correct rammer should be just fine. I've served as cannonneer #2 on a number of muzzle loaders for years and trust in training, proper equipment, and St. Barbara. Good luck with your 6-pounder, it looks like a fine piece.

[wjp255]

Awesome!!

[Scoutrussp7]

Long, long time ago, when cannons were real cannons...