Naval cannon style, but I'm learning that most of these were built with materials at hand and an available barrel. We searched cannon photos. This design is the result of adapting materials at hand to the basic Naval Cannon configuration.

This photo shows how cannons are rigged on deck. Heavy hauser around cascabel and fixed to bulkhead for recoil. Block/tackle to haul cannon fore and aft from gun-port. Gun crew numbers 5 or 6 men.



My cannon here is 12" bbl. 1" dia. bore, 3/4" wall drawn-over-mandrel seamless high pressure steam pipe. Lathe turned. Cascabel is lathe turned, cooled in nitrogen and driven into red hot breech. This process forms a molecular weld on the plug (according to our structural engineer neighbor).

High temp. stove black paint.

We welded the trunnions, turned the cascabel. Carriage is from found items, various hardware and wheels from the local marine/industrial supply. Wheels are some sort of polymer marine "spacer" -- but I don't know how they're used in the marine application. The wheels were faced on a lathe, had centers pre-punched for drilling w/ 1/2" bit on a drill press.

Trunnion clamps are 3/4" x 1/8" mild steel stock, cold shaped on a vise and anvil.

Wood is salvage from, antique oak desk panels, and oak John Deere pallets. Tung/linseed oil and Minwax Carnuba finish.



Shoots C cell batteries, 1" dia. lead ball, shot, nails, etc. But mostly toilet paper wadding. 500 gr. RS Pyrodex. Touch-hole accepts either a fuse, or loose powder on the recess.

Barrel weighs 22 lbs. Full rig runs about 35 lbs.







Neighbors refer to me affectionately as, "The nut up on the ridge with the cannon."

Nice, but I would never shoot a cannon with a pressed/shrunk in breech plug. I understand what your engineer said, but I would weld in in. It might be ok now but what happens after years of firing and moisture corrodes in the joint?