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Author Topic: Hern Iron Works  (Read 3742 times)

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Offline PATBUZZARD

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Hern Iron Works
« on: January 30, 2007, 01:22:26 PM »
I've been looking around at possibly purchasing an artillery piece of some sort in the near future.  Hern Iron Works seems to have some extremely good deals.  Are Hern cannon\mortars any good?  I will be using this for both re-enacting and live fire.  I am particularly interested in the 3" ordnance rifle I would be very interested in hearing anything anyone has to say about that rifle.


Thanks,
Pat Buzzard
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Offline Will Bison

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2007, 02:02:20 PM »
I have never seen a Hern gun but I would ask two questions:

1.  Are they cast solid?

2.  Are they lined with seamless steel? 
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Offline jeeper1

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2007, 02:51:44 PM »
Hern Iron Works says this about their products.
Quote
Hern Iron Works makes no Warrantee whatsoever concerning its cannons. They are sold for decorative purposes only and we do not imply that they are good for anything else. Buyer accepts all responsibility for all use or misuse of the cannon.
I'm not sure I'd want to fire one of their cannons.
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Offline radio2

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2007, 03:06:30 PM »
I looked at them to and went with one of the site sponsors! Glad I did
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Offline Evil Dog

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2007, 03:11:26 PM »
Can't say as I've had any problems with my half scale Napoleon from Hern.  It may not be the highest grade barrel available, but fit my budget and has been one heck of a lot of fun.  I consider the "warning" to be a liability issue thing... were I in the business I would probably consider doing the same thing.  If I ever buy another barrel, I will probably look to Hern first... this time their 1841.
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Offline Cat Whisperer

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2007, 03:27:00 PM »
Quote from: PATBUZZARD on January 30, 2007, 01:22:26 PM
I've been looking around at possibly purchasing an artillery piece of some sort in the near future.  Hern Iron Works seems to have some extremely good deals.  Are Hern cannon\mortars any good?  I will be using this for both re-enacting and live fire.  I am particularly interested in the 3" ordnance rifle I would be very interested in hearing anything anyone has to say about that rifle.
Thanks, Pat Buzzard

Pat -  WELCOME to the board!

Let me draw your attention to our sponsors:  http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php?topic=108723.0  - no less than EIGHT - these folks not only make this board possible but they make QUALITY products in a wide variety of styles and at some very good prices.

Again, welcome!  We're looking forward to seeing some pix of y'all making smoke!

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Offline Rickk

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2007, 12:46:32 AM »
Hern Barrels are lined with seemless steel, with welded breeches. The liners are typically 1/2 inch. Send them an e-mail about the liner details of your specific gun.

There are several (lots?) of posts about Hern on this board, and I am not aware of any that are anything but positive. The search feature just showed 39 posts with Hern in it... look thru them.

Rick


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Offline jeeper1

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2007, 06:28:10 AM »
I just got off the phone with Joel Brown at Hern and after much discussion about their barrels, I am changing my previous comment about shooting their barrels. I would feel safe shooting their barrels. When I wrote that I was not aware their barrels were lined.
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I may not be completely sane, but at least I don't think I have the power to influence the weather.

Offline Rickk

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2007, 06:56:14 AM »
Jeeper,

What did Joel have to say that changed your mind?
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Offline gary michie

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2007, 07:53:31 AM »
HI ;  ;D
I'll tell you one thing he said at our artillery meeting last week ... a Hern Cannon out shot the Paulson Brothers at a shot a while back....... Now I know that alot of that has to do with the Gun crew but the tube does have to shoot where you point it and the Paulsons bro. are  one of the   VERY BEST   and are the best at many shots.
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Gary

Offline Tropico

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2007, 09:54:31 AM »
I have been quite ..,  however now I am SMILING  ;D 
I have 2 - 2/3 scale ordinance rifles  (twins) with the 2 1/4 bores.
I have not been able to fire them lately., they are greased and stored for our sea wall.
We have checked the bore for alignment as best we can., they appear to be perfect as we could tell before crating and shipping. I have faith in their construction and I have many cannons.  I believe they simply have a liability waiver as does everyone else.., they just dont put it on their website. In this day of lawsuits you have too. HERN doesnt have a reputation of people getting hurt aroung their cannons.

I know of several ships in fact in the northwest as well  as a few on the east coast running carronades and old english swivels from the HERN Co.
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Offline jeeper1

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2007, 10:52:05 AM »
What changed my mind?
Well it's like this, when I first looked at their web site I either missed seeing that their barrels were sleeved or it doesn't say. Therefore with their warning and my belief that they were not sleeved I expressed an opinion.
After being corrected by Joel and discussing various things (he almost got me to buy a barrel (thank god I'm broke or I'd be facing more wood working)) I had to write that I was wrong and wanted to correct my error. 
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I may not be completely sane, but at least I don't think I have the power to influence the weather.

Offline Artilleryman

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2007, 12:38:36 PM »
Gary, winning a cannon match obviously is a good thing, but it does not prove that the barrel is a strong one.  From reading the various posts the fact that Hern went to a 1/2 liner is an improvement over the old 1/4 inch liners.  However, it is my belief that the best barrels are poured solid, bored, and sleeved. 
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Offline gary michie

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #13 on: February 01, 2007, 07:07:14 AM »
HI : ;D
Yes and the reason the northwest is down on any iron cannon is that one of those bored and sleeve tubes by a well known manufacture ; blew out the sleeve a few inches.
no one is saying how just that it did.
So we are stuck making our tubes out of seamless steel .
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Gary

Offline Will Bison

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2007, 11:56:29 AM »
Looks like Hern is a winner from what I read here. Back in the 60's I went to Uxxx City,TN and looked at some of cannons sold by Dxxx Gun Works.

Scary

Hollow cast, no liner and bore off center. "Danger Will Robinson" was my estimation.

Bill
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Offline Rickk

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #15 on: February 02, 2007, 05:22:20 AM »
most of the barrels sold by Dxxx nowadays are actually made by Hern, although the price goes up when you buy one from them.
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Offline CrufflerSteve

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #16 on: February 02, 2007, 08:38:36 AM »
I have a Hern Coehron and have no complaints. It looks great and the tube is set perfectly centered.

One thing to keep in mind is that their process gives a somewhat rough exterior to the tubes. This would look really good ig you're doing re-enacting. The reason I'm mentioning it is that if you want to make it look smoother get it unpainted and a little Bondo and smoothing will amke it look good.

I decided I wanted a smoother look but I'd gotten it painted. That paint is one really thick and seems to be part tar. It is actually a major plus for protection. I decided to remove the paint and it completely gummed up a few grinding wheels immediately. I then sandblasted it and it took two bags of sand since the black gunk coming off clogged up my blaster.

Steve
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Offline GGaskill

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Re: Hern Iron Works
« Reply #17 on: February 02, 2007, 09:10:45 AM »
Bondo (or a relative) is actually a traditional way of making cast iron machinery look fancy.  When stripping old machinery for painting, one will find filled casting voids that were not apparent when the machine was painted.
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