Author Topic: stainless barrel (Read 782 times)

Monk · « **on:** November 16, 2004, 08:21:53 PM »

Hi all, this may be a dumb question but is there any reason for not making a cannon barrel from stainless steel? other than the cost that is. A good friend of mine has piece of solid round stock, four and a half inchs in diameter and about five feet long, should be good for a couple of barrels I figure. On the assumption it is OK to use what would you experts recommend I bore it too?

Monk

Double D · « **Reply #1 on:** November 17, 2004, 02:25:10 AM »

4 1/2 x 60 inch round stainless??? Sell it on Ebay and buy a finished tube from one of the cannon suppliers listed here Where to find Blackpowder Cannons and shooting supplies

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2004, 12:51:54 PM »

Quote from: Monk

Hi all, this may be a dumb question but is there any reason for not making a cannon barrel from stainless steel? other than the cost that is. A good friend of mine has piece of solid round stock, four and a half inchs in diameter and about five feet long, should be good for a couple of barrels I figure. On the assumption it is OK to use what would you experts recommend I bore it too? Monk

I looked for a long time for stainless when I was first building mortars.
The strength is good and the corosion resistance varies with the flavor of stainless.

Knowing the type of steel is good. Then you know the comparitive strength to other steels.

What caliber? Depends on what you want to use it for.

If you're going to use in competition, some competitions require only spherical projos. Some competitions require only 1:1 or full scale. That dictates caliber.

If you're like me and just like to shoot - I use a lot of PVC pipe filled with concrete. Easy to make, inexpensive.

If you're building something that is going to look like a vintage piece then perhaps the best choices are iron or brass (with liner).

Flip a coin. It's a tough decision.

Monk · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2004, 03:38:44 PM »

I want a traditional looking cannon, but it doesn't have to be an exact replica, Several of the cannons I have seen in the past were painted black. The stainless bar is salvage from someplace, no way to tell just what it is, but there are no keyways or holes etc cut in it, I just want it for fun, a smaller bore would use much less powder. I checked on E.Bay stainless is being sold much cheaper than I can buy a ready made barrel for.

Monk

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #4 on:** November 18, 2004, 03:49:21 PM »

You'll find that the longer the tube, the less powder is needed for a given velocity. Also, since the powder burns more completely and the pressure peak is early, with the longer tubes the piece is a little quieter. (Much more so in mortars, where a long tube and a little powder will give you great range compared to a short barrelled mortar.)

Keep looking and keep sorting out the options. Someday something will hit you - I GOTTA HAVE one of those!

Although I would LOVE to have a 13" seacoast, I know that lifting the 103 lb 4.5" mortar (on left) is about as heavy as I want to do. By the bye, it's industrial hard chrome plated - for ease of cleaning. (Not that with the large bore mortars are that tough to clean.)