Baffles used by MORTAR shooters?

[Blaster]

Many mortar shooters use a baffle of some type just behind the vent to catch the molten fuse when it is blown out upon shooting.  Some use a chunk of metal, some use an old frying pan with the handle jammed into the soil.  If you do use something to catch or deflect that nasty molten fuse, what article do you mortar shooters prefer??  Pictures will sure be greatly appreciated. Here in Southern Colorado, there is a constant threat of forest fires or wild fires even during the Winter months and we do take our wild fire threats seriously......Thanks!
Blaster (Bob in So. CO)

[GGaskill]

One choice would be to use something that doesn't have a still burning piece to be ejected.  Although not period, electrical firing has its benefits.

[dominick]

Bob,

I designed a caplock system that works on fixed and adjustable elevation mortars.  With a #11 or musket cap it will minimize vent blast debris.  The "horns" on hammer head prevent the lanyard from getting tangled with the hammer.

[Artilleryman]

Here in Southern Colorado, there is a constant threat of forest fires or wild fires even during the Winter months and we do take our wild fire threats seriously......Thanks!
Blaster (Bob in So. CO)

Alot of the crews use a piece of sheet metal fasten to a wood block so that it will stand up behind the vent.  You can use a wood board in place of the sheet metal, but the wood becomes "eroded" over time.  As to fires, you may have as much of a threat from what comes out of the muzzle as from the vent.  Have something that can be used to put out fires handy.  At the Grayling Long Range Match we have set the grass on fire in front of the guns on more than one occasion.  We have used pressurized tanks of water to put them out.   Most of the time we can get to them quick enough to stomp them out.

[waynef]

Blaster,

Attached is a picture of my 12lb Coehorn firing a ball to 433yrds. You will notice the safety shield just behind the mortar tube and its leaning do to the recoil. The NSSA requires this to keep any embers or friction primer tubes from hitting any one behind the platform or setting off any opened powder behind the gun.
My shield is just a 2x4 with an aluminium plate fixed into a slot cut in the 2x4. The spent friction primers are always found on the ground just to the right of the platform.

Wayne

[BoomLover]

Drilled two holes in the top of the bed of my 3" mortar, 4 1/2 inches apart, 3/16" X 2" deep, and installed a 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" piece of galvanized sheet steel. Deflects the ejected bit of fuse, if any, and also the fuse hole back blast, and is easy to remove. Little pegs made of golf tee's fill the holes when not firing. Works great as a baffle. BoomLover
 

[Rickk]

AAA rules have the same requirement.

I saw one guy with an 1/8" steel plate mounted to a 1/4 inch plate ("T" fashion) that stood behind the mortar.

I saw another guy with this hindged steel plate that was part of the sled. He would light the fuse and "close the cover" as he retreated. The plate was like 8x12" square and made a loud banging sound when it slammed closed, so it was far from lightweight.

Rick

[Pinhead]

Hey Bob, I don't have any mortar experience, but on the fire issue, a pump up garden sprayer works very well when you don't have a  hose handy.  Probably something like what Artilleryman had mentioned. You can even take a couple of water filled milk jugs for refilling and spray down where you need to, before you start firing, if it is really dry.              Michael

[Ex 49'er]

I had a wall mount oil lamp with a brassy looking reflector. I scrapped the lamp.  The rounded mounting part of the wall mount
slips over my beercan mortar barrel and the reflector slips down over the mount and deflects the burned shards of fuse.  On my
GB mortar I have a fold down piece of very fine rigid mesh screen thats about 6"w x  9"h. that does the trick.

[dan610324]

some time ago I see a picture of someone using a cast iron frying pan .
just stuck the handle into the soil .