[Pappy1600]

I acquired this from a friends estate the other day, I bugged him for it for years before he passed away, I was surprised to hear from his family the other day with a call saying come and get it , it's yours, if you want it. It's a naval salute cannon, I started the restoration process on it yesterday, and spent all day working on it today, I need a firing pin for it, if anyone knows where I can get one or have a set of prints so one can be made I would appreciate any information. Here are some pictures before and some work in progress pictures as well.

 

[mau]

Is it the photo or is the barrel out of round so it can't fire a projectile ? Very cool by the way.

 

[nf1e]

Looks like you are getting ready to go into the whaling business.

 

[Pappy1600]

Is it the photo or is the barrel out of round so it can't fire a projectile ? Very cool by the way.

Good eye, the barrel at the muzzle is slightly bent, must have been dropped sometime in it's life, easy enough to repair if I wanted to, but I am going to leave it as is, this is a signal cannon, not intended to fire projectiles out of it, it's a smooth bore barrel. From what I was told by a old timer that has restored his share of cannons, these were used on naval ships to announce their arrival in port. I am guessing this one to be late 19th century , probably around 1890's.

 

[4th award expert]

Its got a butt stock. Made to fire without the mount I presume.
Bob

 

[Pappy1600]

Its got a butt stock. Made to fire without the mount I presume.
Bob

Maybe for Paul BunyanDI5

 

[m1sniper]

Very cool Sir!! Q for ya Pappy. Obviously the concrete in the base was put there to help free standing stabilization. What do you plan to bolt her down to??

 

[thesurvivalshop]

Nice Pappy , all you need is the Ship !USNA

 

[andyh1956]

It will look great on the bow of your new PT Boat project!USNA
I remember seeing parts for those in one my Gun Parts catalogs from yrs ago. Call them up, they may surprise you!

 

[casebro]

The buttstock and sight blade make me think it had a more practical use- line throwing perhaps ?

Firing pin aside, what are you going to use for a cartridge?

 

[casebro]

Same gun, different mount?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/437271445057739497/

Sale 232 Lot 84 LINE THROWING GUN - Bronze Naval deck mounted, breech loading line throwing gun made by The Naval Company Roslyn (Philadelphia) PA, model M, size 3, type Y, s/n 333. SOLD$6,000 #linethrowinggun #naval

Searching for <line throwing gun> certainly brings up pics of M14.

 

[Pappy1600]

Very cool Sir!! Q for ya Pappy. Obviously the concrete in the base was put there to help free standing stabilization. What do you plan to bolt her down to??

It has probably 4" thick round piece of wood that it was mounted to, I will sand it and refinish it for a pedestal, I believe it should suffice for stability. Maybe my wife wont mind if I bolt it down in the living roomDI5

The buttstock and sight blade make me think it had a more practical use- line throwing perhaps ?

Firing pin aside, what are you going to use for a cartridge?

A 37mm cartridge sits flush in the breech, I have some spent CS cartridges that will work perfect and they are reloadable also.

 

[Pappy1600]

Same gun, different mount?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/437271445057739497/

Sale 232 Lot 84 LINE THROWING GUN - Bronze Naval deck mounted, breech loading line throwing gun made by The Naval Company Roslyn (Philadelphia) PA, model M, size 3, type Y, s/n 333. SOLD$6,000 #linethrowinggun #naval

Searching for <line throwing gun> certainly brings up pics of M14.

That looks just like it, less the pedestal mount and stock, not sure if the barrel is bronze on this one though, I start that project this week, all the small parts have been polished with Brasso, mount is all ready to be put back together. And I am shocked what that one sold for, thanks for the link.

 

[casebro]

http://www.nonlethaltechnologies.com/37-LC.htm

37mm Blank/launching cartridge

 

[casebro]

It has probably 4" thick round piece of wood that it was mounted to, I will sand it and refinish it for a pedestal, I believe it should suffice for stability. Maybe my wife wont mind if I bolt it down in the living roomDI5



A 37mm cartridge sits flush in the breech, I have some spent CS cartridges that will work perfect and they are reloadable also.

Or umm flares for the replica 40mm launcher under the M16/AR15 platform?

 

[casebro]

That looks just like it, less the pedestal mount and stock, not sure if the barrel is bronze on this one though, I start that project this week, all the small parts have been polished with Brasso, mount is all ready to be put back together. And I am shocked what that one sold for, thanks for the link.

As a line thrower the bore would be bigger than 37mm. They used a line tied around a weight with a "monkey fist" knot. The layers of rope made it fit the bore.

Everything I need to know I lernt off the intarwebs.

And there is a company called Naval Company in PA, different town but they sell the H&R based line thrower today. You might email them for history?

 

[Pappy1600]

Bore is much larger than a 37mm, I will be contacting that Naval Co. tomorrow to see if they're the same company.

 

[casebro]

Apparently even the Army went to 10 gauge adapters. http://bulletpicker.com/cartridge_-37mm-blank.html
The manual form which the info is from is from 1944. The adapters are available for the M203/37mm launchers. $35? Check out the 10 ga line throw H&R guns, are they special ammo or the "usual" 10 ga blank?

https://www.navalcompany.com/linegunaccessories.htm The Bridger line thrower, black powder cartridges, extra light, lite, or heavy loads.

https://www.rbgcannons.com/store/p9/Winchester_Black_Powder_Blanks.html 10 ga Winchester black powder blanks, $55/25. Gee, 8 dram equivalent, regular 12 ga are about 3 dram eq. I was expecting light loads for blanks. "Dram Equivalent" is the smokjeless powder conoarison to the drams of black powder, I guess those blanks have 8 drams of black powder? 220 grains of black powder? I think "BLACK POWDER ONLY" in your cannon? Since modern blanks as well as the old (up to WWII at least) were black powder.

What is the chamber length of your gun? Short I bet, can't put a full power anti-tank round in?

 

[Dflag]

[Youtube]vn3nz9z9-h0[/Youtube]

The Bridger is 45/70.

 

[Pappy1600]

Some additional pictures as we progress.