Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

     Might be a long shot, but I am here offering a fully working model black powder cannon. This model does however have some related steam enthusiast history, in that well-known steamer (and fellow forum member) "Indiana Rog" featured another example of this exact same model on his website (in his "Temple of Black Powder" sub-section), which can still be seen there today.

     This is a very fine, 1/10 scale model in brass and walnut of the 24 pounder naval deck cannon that were fitted to the U.S.S. Constitution in 1797, and which later saw extensive service in the war of 1812. These models were made by a company called "Best Cannons", operated by John Joline from about 2000 to 2010; the same models were produced only in kit form by a previous company named Rhodes Ltd (he bought the company, and then made and sold the same models, but only as fully built). They also made a smaller version of this cannon, as well as models of the Yorktown mortar, and the later 8 inch Dahlgren naval cannon (I have examples of latter two also for sale, if anyone is interested). 

     This is a fully (and safely) functional model in .50 (1/2 inch bore) caliber, capable of firing both salute charges, and .490 lead balls (although typically most people don't actually use them, as black powder is highly corrosive and most prefer to keep them looking pretty for display only). Full instructions provided for use however, as well as a number of .490 lead balls (not shown), that can be used to make a ball stack for display. These models were sold with the wood unfinished, but a coat of tung oil would do wonders to improve the appearance (never got around to that myself). The barrel and other brass parts could also be blued or painted black to make for a more accurate model (all brass parts were of course black iron, on the original cannon). The ramrod, powder scoop, and worm are all rendered in precisely machined solid brass. Total weight is about 8 pounds.

     By the time "Best Cannons" closed up shop, these sold for almost $600, and I believe that the base was an extra-cost option. They are very rarely seen for sale these days. I am asking $325, including shipping to the lower 48 states (no international shipping), payment via paypal friends/family option, or check by mail. 5% of total (less shipping) will go to the forum. Please send me a private message if interested.

     I also have about a half-dozen late 19th century (1880s-90s) signal cannons that I need to sell, these might be of interest to anyone wanting to add some period pieces to their collection that were made during the same era as so many fine steam engine models. If anyone is interested please post here! Thanks!

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   Do you mean "trunnions", not "tenons"? The latter term typically refers to parts of wooden joints, and while there are parts of the wooden cannon carriage that can be considered as "jointed", none of those parts include "tenons".

   So, I assume that you mean trunnions - the bars on the sides that mount the cannon barrel to the carriage? Those trunnions are scale-correct, and are perfectly adequate to support the barrel for firing a .490 lead ball using the correct charge (for a .50 bore) of about 45 grains of black powder. The key aspect of a safely working model cannon is the strength of the metal used, in combination with the relative size of the bore and the barrel walls (standard being the "3:1" rule - the total diameter at the breech should be at least 3 times the width of the bore, and typically 2:1 at muzzle). Along with (of course), never overloading any barrel beyond safe capacity.

   This model barrel meets all standard safety specifications, and is made of the highest quality brass. It is certainly true that undersized trunnions can render a cannon less than ideally suited for firing (and in extreme cases, even unsafe), but those aspects are far less significant than the overall strength of the barrel construction. But these trunnions are not undersized.

   I am not a machinist (but I count some of the very best cannon-makers as friends), but I do have a collection of almost 300 functional cannons (ranging from tiny antique toys, to modern mortars that can fire a cement-filled beer can 300+ yards), and have fired various models in competition meets (where rules of safety are very strictly enforced). I would never list any cannon on any venue (as a working model) if I had the slightest doubt as to its safe integrity.

   I see that you mention "ice" as some sort of "projectile" that you have fired? Apparently you are not aware that the use of any moisture-laden material (even wet newspaper) is considered one of the most dangerous mistakes that anyone can make when firing black powder cannons. There are numerous known instances of catastrophic failures involving wet newspaper, as well as the use of potato slices, apples, etc... (some fatal). "Projectiles" or wadding of any kind should never, ever contain any significant water content, whatsoever. "Ice" ??

   I appreciate your comments of concern, but do find it necessary to defend my presentation of this model as being safe, as described. As should be obvious, I did not present it with any great encouragement that it should be used to fire lead balls - the only purpose for that would be to try to hit a target, and it is a poor choice for that task. But I only collect working models, and I know what the standards are for safety.

  Here will post a couple of photos of a tiny fraction of my collection. These were made by some very prominent current and former cannon-making machinists. The middle cannon in the first photo is ex-Washington Naval Yard, an actual museum arsenal model (with rifled barrel), part of a de-accession in the early 1960s (a 60 ponder naval Parrott rifle). The gray cannon is a 1/17 scale model of the Armstrong 100 ton gun, one of only three examples made by a collaboration of three master-builders (it fires standard steel pinballs, and is pinpoint-accurate at 100 yards). Two of the builders previously worked as quality-control contractors for the US Government (including the DOD and NASA).

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   Thanks Bruce, I have enjoyed gathering (and using) my collection over the years. The 1st photo also shows (on the floor) shell fragments from two of the largest cannons used in the civil war. The big one is from an 11 inch case-shot fired at the siege of Vicksburg (or so I was told, but wherever it was found, it is certainly authentic). The other is a smaller fragment but from an even larger, 15 inch gun.


     Also need to note:  CANNON NOW SOLD-THANKS!

I'm glad your cannon sold , because I was very tempted to buy that lovely bit of kit, one of those has been on my want list for awhile now.

Hello!

I am completing a 1/4 scale ponton bridge, a model 1863 Cumberland folding Canvas ponton bridge. Might you have a field gun in this scale for display use with this bridge? We do school and historical group demonstrations.

WE also build a 1/1 scale bridge of this same model.