I have this cannon can anyone tell me about it?

M

megabyte

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I have this small cannon weighs 9.5lbs its 8-3/4" long with a small fuse hole. I think its a signal cannon but im not sure any thoughts?
cannon002.jpg
 
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You have too many "http"s in your URL, but I did manage to look at the cannon. I think it is safe to say it is not a signal gun (they are usually a lot bigger and have a mount) or anything made for a serious purpose. It is probably a one-off turned out for fun, possibly by a youngster in a trade school machineshop.

Note that there is no way to mount it, or even to attach it to a stock of any kind.

Here is the picture:

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb150/megabyte29/cannon002.jpg

Jim
 
Agree.
Friend of mine has one similar only better made with flanged muzzle and cascabel knob... but he could not figure out how to make the trunnions.
 
Would it sit in a cradle? or could it be used as a portible weapon? Because like you I have noticed there is no metal holders which is common on cannons to be mounted to wooden holders.
 
In the real world, the trunions (the round crosspieces that support the cannon on the carriage and allow it to be raised and lowered) were cast as part of the barrel. But that would be beyond my hypothetical high school student, so they were left off.

Jim
 
I have seen no trunions before in other cannons. This is why I think its a signal cannon as it doesnt matter about the elevation or aiming it. Could it be mounted into a wall as a shotgun. Someplace where elevation is not important. Like a murder hole in a wall or gate?
 
That's an interesting piece. The pits around the touch hole would indicate use. Some of the early canon were lashed to a wooden cradle or stock.
--The scratch toward the breech end, was this dug out of the ground? Pretty neat.
 
There used to be something called a 'punt gun.'

It sat on a fixture on the prow of a boat and was used to kill ducks by the score to sell to restaurants.

I have never actually seen this gun--only heard about it.

Could this be it?
 
While I have never actually handled a punt gun, I have seen pictures of them. They were typically large bore, 8 bore or possibly larger, with a 5-6' barrel.
 
Punt guns? Murder holes? Signal guns? Wow! Maybe used by King Arthur to keep Mordred away from Guinivere?

Anyone ever seen a punt gun? A signal gun? That is neither.

Speculation knows no bounds, and stories can be made up from now until the devil buys ice skates, but I still can't see something like that having any serious purpose or any real value. If I am wrong, and it sells for a million bucks, great, but I wouldn't borrow against that million just yet.

Jim
 
"Punt guns?...Speculation knows no bounds."

Jim, there's an old expression, "When you hear hoof beats, think horses and not zebras."

That means that the simplest explanation is probably the correct one.

The reason I thought 'punt guns' is that they were probably made by the bushel basket full as a cheap way to hunt waterfowl. Further, a punt gun needed to be mounted, it was not a hand weapon (that I know of.)

Besides, speculation in a forum is fun!
 
Im not sure its a punt gun. This looks more like a large shotgun. Click on the link and go to the video on youtube. Wow what a great video of the punt gun shooting a whole wall of clay targets with one shot. My "object" is more cannon than rifle. Im not sure you could hunt with it as its very small and compact the aim would be more for repelling close targets with a scatter effect then a precise aimed shot for hunting fowl or other flying objects. I think its for controlling the crew or repelling boarders from enemy ships maybe to cover your enemy while trading or tied along side. What gets me is every type of cannon I have seen uses trunions to secure it to a wooden frame. This one must sit in some kind of cradle. I have never heard of a portible cannon hand held so I think it must sit in a cradle.
 
It's not a punt gun. Punt guns were huge affairs that were boat mounted and used by market hunters to harvest geese or ducks. Muzzleloaders, the shortest I've seen had about 6' long barrels and there were larger ones too. To aim it, you rowed the boat and pointed in towards the flock and once close enough, the trigger was pulled.

This one is probably a child's toy. As observed, there's no trunions to mount it on a carriage or to make it into a swivel gun either.
 
It's not punt gun, good grief! :) It's It's not a hand cannon or pole arm, good grief.:)
It's not a weapon of any type, good grief:)
:p : If you note, the center section and bell appear to have been machined, unless El Cid had a machine shop it's modern , in this context modern is the last hundred years. These little cannons were quite popular until the mid 1940's as 4th of July noise makers and yes, it could be used as a signal devise to start a special event such as a foot race or boat race. :o
 
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How does it mount? It looks like its been under water for a couple hundred years to old to be a modern cannon. A childs toy at 10 lbs. Hmmm strong children using cannons to play pirate? Ok any one else want to make some humor. Seriously I have no clue and need help.
 
Megabyte, I don't know what to tell you, you have been given help and told what it was. This isn't some mystery one of a kind handgun. It's a 4th of July noisemaker. Good luck, Vaya con Dios.:confused:
 
Well, my take on it is that it may have been a toy cannon of some sort. The dimentions are too small to have ever been a serious contender as a punt gun. The few examples of punt guns I have seen are large bores with barrels measuring in feet, noy inches.
A dollar bill is approx 2 1/2" X 6" How long can the barrel on this be, 8 inches give or take. It sure wouldn't be very effective to drive off Pirates. It can be no better than any other smooth bore "pistol" of the past.
 
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