BOWLING BALL CANON 1300 YARDS

[22BRGUY]

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!

 

[Forum Boss]

Interesting video... but these guys are going to end up hurting someone. They have no idea of the pressures involved. With the 2-lb powder charge there were flames emerging from the BREECH of the canon. People and vehicles were within "striking distance" if the pipe cannon had exploded.

Video at 5:34 time-mark

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Ive seen one made from an acetylene bottle. Scary launching a 16lb ball that far

 

[22BRGUY]

Interesting video... but these guys are going to end up hurting someone. They have no idea of the pressures involved. With the 2-lb powder charge there were flames emerging from the BREECH of the canon. People and vehicles were within "striking distance" if the pipe cannon had exploded.

Video at 5:34 time-mark

View attachment 1367672

VERY TRUE!!
I had one once that was given to me that shot golf balls. Never found any so
I presumed they were in orbit...LOL
A guy wanted it very badly so I gave it to him with instructions to use BLACK POWDER ONLY!
I talked to him a couple years later, and sure enough, he used smokeless powder ONCE!! END OF CANON!!
The sidewalls on the thing were over 1/2 inch thick and it opened them up.
Lucky he wasn't hurt or killled!

 

[Louisiana Shooter]

That's cool!

 

[rockhound78]

Think I remember reading about those that made bowling ball cannons/mortars and they used a different "bottle" to make them as they had a thicker wall. An "H" bottle? Can't remember what it was call as its been too long. They would toss a bowling ball about 600 yards. I think the max. charge allowed was 1/4 pound of cannon grade black powder

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Think I remember reading about those that made bowling ball cannons/mortars and they used a different "bottle" to make them as they had a thicker wall. An "H" bottle? Can't remember what it was call as its been too long. They would toss a bowling ball about 600 yards. I think the max. charge allowed was 1/4 pound of cannon grade black powder

The guy i know tried to use a hydrogen bottle but they are so thick the ball wouldnt fit

 

[ebb]

I loaded my spud gun with hairspray pure oxygen for the welding torches to shoot a cloth patched golf ball the 2nd shot dented the tailgate of a dump truck the 5th or 6th blew up and I had a big bruise all over my chest for several weeks. NO MORE SPUD GUNS.

 

[gdbleb]

Back in the day, exploding bronze, brass or cast iron cannons were just an accepted hazard. Would hate to see that happen here. I hope the landowner's insurance company doesn't see this video. They'll drop him like a hot rock. That flare out the rear is a big red flag.
Still, it's good for a thrill.

There is some convention of "pumpkin chuck'in" cannons held in Delaware that is a real hoot on You Tube. They just use compressed air - IIRC.

 

[mikecockcroft]

I have one that shoots tennis balls, you can fill them with concrete for more effect.
Cannon powder only. It was heat treated when it was made.

 

[Twicepop]

We used to make what was probably more technically a mortar than a canon back in shop class in high school. They were made out of black pipe with a cap welded on one end and legs of whatever other steel scraps we could find. These were used to "launch" golf balls or super balls with an M-80 for the propellant. A few years older another attempt at self-destruction we were making tennis ball canons. These were made from steel beer cans and duct tape. Five cans were usually used for the main tube with both ends cut out. The sixth can was left intact (these were all straight wall pull tab cans by the way) with a hole poked the bottom of the sixth can. they were all taped together end to end with the pull tab hole of the sixth can towards the "bore" of the canon. A tennis ball would fit snugly into the cans as the projectile and was pushed to the bottom of the tube. The hole poked in the bottom of the sixth can was used to accept the propellant, lighter fluid. A generous squirt was put in the flash hole then the whole thing was swung in a circle to volatilize the propellant and then a flame was put to the flash hole and we had a tennis ball bazooka of sorts. A couple of phrases come to mind after remembering and recounting these stories. "It's a wonder any boy lives beyond the age of 21". The other, "the good LORD looks after drunks, fools and children", sometimes we qualified an all of these items.

 

[MSS]

God bless em. In my state they would have been pulled over before they got to the range…

 

[GLO123]

“Mercia”

 

[dttheliman]

We used to make what was probably more technically a mortar than a canon back in shop class in high school. They were made out of black pipe with a cap welded on one end and legs of whatever other steel scraps we could find. These were used to "launch" golf balls or super balls with an M-80 for the propellant. A few years older another attempt at self-destruction we were making tennis ball canons. These were made from steel beer cans and duct tape. Five cans were usually used for the main tube with both ends cut out. The sixth can was left intact (these were all straight wall pull tab cans by the way) with a hole poked the bottom of the sixth can. they were all taped together end to end with the pull tab hole of the sixth can towards the "bore" of the canon. A tennis ball would fit snugly into the cans as the projectile and was pushed to the bottom of the tube. The hole poked in the bottom of the sixth can was used to accept the propellant, lighter fluid. A generous squirt was put in the flash hole then the whole thing was swung in a circle to volatilize the propellant and then a flame was put to the flash hole and we had a tennis ball bazooka of sorts. A couple of phrases come to mind after remembering and recounting these stories. "It's a wonder any boy lives beyond the age of 21". The other, "the good LORD looks after drunks, fools and children", sometimes we qualified an all of these items.

Still better than playing video games all day ….. and we survived ….. makes you wonder which generation had the better time

 

[Doug Casner]

We all did stuff that would put us on a terrorist list now. I dont mean destroy property but big bangs. We knew the sheriff that helped. Doug

 

[ragsflh]

cool

 

[Monte F]

We used to make what was probably more technically a mortar than a canon back in shop class in high school. They were made out of black pipe with a cap welded on one end and legs of whatever other steel scraps we could find. These were used to "launch" golf balls or super balls with an M-80 for the propellant. A few years older another attempt at self-destruction we were making tennis ball canons. These were made from steel beer cans and duct tape. Five cans were usually used for the main tube with both ends cut out. The sixth can was left intact (these were all straight wall pull tab cans by the way) with a hole poked the bottom of the sixth can. they were all taped together end to end with the pull tab hole of the sixth can towards the "bore" of the canon. A tennis ball would fit snugly into the cans as the projectile and was pushed to the bottom of the tube. The hole poked in the bottom of the sixth can was used to accept the propellant, lighter fluid. A generous squirt was put in the flash hole then the whole thing was swung in a circle to volatilize the propellant and then a flame was put to the flash hole and we had a tennis ball bazooka of sorts. A couple of phrases come to mind after remembering and recounting these stories. "It's a wonder any boy lives beyond the age of 21". The other, "the good LORD looks after drunks, fools and children", sometimes we qualified an all of these items.

We did the same, but got the idea to go around the lake in boats trying to shoot each other pirate style! What could possibly go wrong?

 

[snert]

We used to make what was probably more technically a mortar than a canon back in shop class in high school. They were made out of black pipe with a cap welded on one end and legs of whatever other steel scraps we could find. These were used to "launch" golf balls or super balls with an M-80 for the propellant. A few years older another attempt at self-destruction we were making tennis ball canons. These were made from steel beer cans and duct tape. Five cans were usually used for the main tube with both ends cut out. The sixth can was left intact (these were all straight wall pull tab cans by the way) with a hole poked the bottom of the sixth can. they were all taped together end to end with the pull tab hole of the sixth can towards the "bore" of the canon. A tennis ball would fit snugly into the cans as the projectile and was pushed to the bottom of the tube. The hole poked in the bottom of the sixth can was used to accept the propellant, lighter fluid. A generous squirt was put in the flash hole then the whole thing was swung in a circle to volatilize the propellant and then a flame was put to the flash hole and we had a tennis ball bazooka of sorts. A couple of phrases come to mind after remembering and recounting these stories. "It's a wonder any boy lives beyond the age of 21". The other, "the good LORD looks after drunks, fools and children", sometimes we qualified an all of these items.

Did you and I live parallel lives? (Iron City Beer cans were the prefered item back when they were steel with a seam.) I recall watching the "owner" fire it from the ground like a morter. I had to try it (several times) as a bazooka.

I cringe now.

 

[swd]

I watched some guys light off a small bowling ball mortar. It was only about a foot long and launched bowling balls 600-800 yards. They used a surprisingly small amount of black powder, maybe 200 grains. It made a hell of a noise and the finger holes whistle like crazy. It was quite an experience.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

Back in my crazy teenage years it would be “ hold my beer and watch this”