From: boardman%cancer.unm.edu@lynx.unm.edu (Bob Boardman)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Identify this Cannon?
Date: 22 Dec 92 00:01:09 GMT
Organization: UNM Cancer Center


  [O.K. this is a little off of our normal topics, but Mr. Moderator, you
   MADE me do it - you're the one who keeps saying "buy 'em all"]
	[MODERATOR:  But I will disavow any knowledge of having said
	 such a thing should some angry spouse ever approach me with
	 complaints about running up too big a Visa bill....]

    A strange ad in our local _Thrifty Nickle_ led to my buying myself
  another gun, but I'm not sure just what I bought!

    The ad read "Antique Naval Cannon", and when I went to look at it, I
  couldn't help myself, so now it's sitting in our entryway.  Now I need
  figure out what it is.  Anyone who can help, please E-mail responses and
  I'll summarize to the net later.

    The gun and mount are apparently constructed of naval bronze, with a
  barrel about 30" in total length.  The gun and mount probably weigh about
  100 lbs or more.  The muzzle end is about 3 3/4" diameter, with about a
  2 3/4" bore.  The other end is about 5 1/2" in diameter, and is cylindrical
  for about 9" until reaching a wide "band" which also has large cylindrical
  mounting studs projecting on either side.  This all is mounted on a base
  unit which also appears to be bronze, which allows the gun to be pivoted
  from almost horizontal to 45 degrees up or more.  The elevation is adjusted
  by a linkage pivoting off the rear of the barrel and held by a large pin
  which can go through any one of seven holes, so there are only seven
  discrete elevations for firing.  The mounting is marked "C. C. GALBRAITH
  & SONS, NEW YORK, U.S.A.".  There are no other markings anywhere on the
  mount or the gun.  The forward 19" piece of the barrel unscrews from the
  breech part just forward of the pivot pins, revealing some unusual design
  features.  The bronze breech part was apparently cast around a steel or
  iron chamber.  This starts 3" back from the barrel threads and has a bore
  of approximately 1 7/8", which extends about 8 1/2" back towards the rear,
  and the touchhole can be seen near the very rear.  Unfortunately, the
  touchhole area on the exterior is occupied by a large, apparently bronze,
  hex-headed bolt, which has a large peened depression in the center, so I'm
  not sure whether the touchhole went through this bolt and was simply peened
  shut, or if the bolt was installed to block the touchhole.  The forward part
  of the barrel is bored larger than the 2 3/4" muzzle diameter, up to a point
  3 1/2" short of the actual muzzle.  This bored-out section is currently
  occupied by a piece of lead pipe, which I suspect was a later addition for
  unknown purposes (The inside of the lead pipe is covered with very yellow
  aged newsprint, printed with chinese characters - go figure?).  It appears
  that there should be a longer (steel?) sleeve in the barrel which would be
  screwed up tight against the chamber section when the outer bronze barrel
  was screwed into the mounting band/breech section.
	Given the mounting with it's seven discrete elevations and the strange
  chamber/removable barrel/sleeve arrangement, I'm guessing that this might be
  a naval "line-firing" gun - one of the guns that would be carried out onto
  the deck, when necessary, for firing a line over to another ship.
	Any help in identifying this little bronze beauty would be gratefully
  appreciated.  If anyone has any pointers towards good books about historical
  naval weaponry, that would also be appreciated.  If I can't figure out what
  this is and how to fire* it, I may have to put it on the Suburban as a hood
  ornament ;-}.

  -Bob

  * I'm not really (too) interested in firing projectiles with this, but
    it would be fun to be able to fire off a blank charge on appropriate
    occasions.  If anyone has experience with firing blank charges in a
    small cannon like this, please E-mail details or a pointer to books
    on the subject.

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|**I _AM_ a member of a well-regulated militia - self-regulated, that is!!!!**|
| Bob Boardman,Albuquerque,New Mexico - NRA LIFE, NMSSA, Zia Rifle&Pistol Club|
|        internet:boardman@cancer.unm.edu    bitnet:BOARDMAN@UNMB             |
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