Good makers of big 8 and 10 inch Mortars?

[entsminger]

I want to thanks those who responded to my previous questions and I have a few more If you have the time?  I've read that one should not shoot a mortar that is just cast iron and does not have some form of steel liner or the barrel made of ductile steel? Does this apply to the bigger 1861 style 8 and 10 inch mortars ? I could be wrong but I hear people are shooting Hern and Paulson Brothers mortars and I don't think their mortars have steel liners? What are good companys who make 8 and 10 inch mortars and what one's should I shy away from?

  Scott Springston
 sdakss@aol.com

[Cat Whisperer]

Cast iron is such a variable.

Much of it is brittle, but much of it is not.

Add the variability of casting each individual tube - inclusions, porosity and the variabilities in cooling.

SO, if the answers to material, techniques and chance are ALL favorable, you will have a good strong tube.

Cast steel, much like cast iron in process, is much stronger.

That logically brings us to the issue of a liner - an added safety measure that overcomes the uncertainties of cast iron; hence a rule to live-by and one that has been adopted by the N-SSA.


There are pictures (somewhere in the references) there is a column of pictures that includes one of a replica 13" Seacoast (Dictator) being fired from Range 10 on Ft. McCoy some years ago.


So who makes the big ones?  Who makes the BEST big ones?  Not in my range of personal experience - my 4.55" is heavier than I wish, so I'm not leaning towards anything bigger.

[guardsgunner]

I would send an inquiry to the Antique ordinance people listed at the top of the board or go to http://www.museumandcollector.com/index.html and send them an inquiry. I know that they had a couple of 8" cast in Canada (local to here) and have used them at Camp Grayling.  Only problem with them is the 22oz. charge. You can go through powder in a hurry.

[Will Bison]

Rather than toss out some names with the risk of missing someone, do some research on your own. The reference "stickys" here are a good starting point.

Some of the things I consider are, is the tube hollow cast or solid cast and bored? Is it seamless lined? Are any NDT inspections done on the finished tube? Is it proof fired by the maker with a substantial proof load? Does the maker warrant it for service loads?

I like solid lathe turned tubes of high grade steel or bronze, no cast tubes. Obviously the cost goes up as the quality goes up. That's not to say that I won't buy a quality cast tube, I have.

Don't be fooled by a small time cannon builder and lack of quality, many are really great. Also, some of the Big Guys offer guns of questionable quality. As with rifles, some of my finest guns have come out of one man shops operating in the home garage.

Good luck

[guardsgunner]

The above are from the stickys and are the guys who wrote the accepted book on safety standards.

[Freddy]

Hello Everyone,
This is my first post here. I have build and own a 1861 8 inch seige mortar and a 10 inch seige mortar. The original barrels where like a #10 or #20 gray iron at best. Current control on new casting methods has greatly increased the strenght. I have fired our 8 inch with a full service charge of two pounds with out a problem. I'm Located in Litchfield MN. We have been on the History Channel in a program called Artillery Games.

Freddy

[Cat Whisperer]

Welcome!

I have a feeling that we're going to ask you a BUNCH of questions!

[CAV Trooper]

I have build and own a 1861 8 inch seige mortar and a 10 inch seige mortar.

Welcome to the board Freddy.

All I can say is WOW, that is some SERIOUS artillery!!    :eek:  :-D   :eek: