The Steamboating Forum

Still have to bore it and put a liner in it. This is the Swivel gun "Cast iron" casting from Dixie Gun works. I tried filing it, it's definitely not simple cast iron, it feels more like cast steel or nodular iron. They suggest lining it with seamless tube, so I will. It will wind up a 1" bore. Made the yoke for it today, lot's of welding and grinding.











-Ron

Very nice work on the gun mount. Like a well finished casting, but probably welded steel? You could probably use 1-1/4 x 0.095 A178 boiler tube for your liner, You probably have this on hand.

I am building a 12 gauge breech loading deck gun for the Margaret S. Got a new 12 gauge rifled barrel on e-bay, 24 inches long for $100.

Thanks Fred, that is a weldment. Shaped steel welded together and then ground.

The new gun sounds interesting. Apparently these swivel guns were very common on river boats in the 18th and 19th century.

The tubing you mention is exactly what I was planning on, unfortunately I sent it all to my brother for his boiler build. I'll ask him to send me a piece back.

Here is his boiler, similar to yours except it is set up for wood firing:











This is for sale if anyone is interested, he is asking $3250

16" diameter ASTM A106 shell .375 thick. 48 tubes X 18" long 1.25 X .095 A178 boiler flues, 16 inch firebox, overall height is 68", stack is 6 inch X 1/8" thick. It is unstamped. This is constructed with 7018 stick weld.

Drop me an email at wagonwheel@usa.com

-Ron

Is the idea here that you load a blank and fire it to let people know you're there or something?

As oppsed to arming your craft?

It's there to repel boarders!

Or to attack unarmed craft, and pillage, assuming you are a pirate steamboater!

There was a company importing bronze swivel gun, naval cannon and lantaka barrels that was located in Florida. Don't know if they're still around. Hern Iron Works in Idaho also had some small barrels that would be appropriate for this use and replicas of the old Winchester 10 and 12 gauge signalling cannon are available. I've been thinking about this for my as yet incomplete boat and may mount my Coehorn mortar on it... the advantage being that it actually shoots large projectiles (in case of the Zombie Apocalypse) as well as fireworks shells.

Gee, you guys are scary ... this is how arms races start. I might have to mount some midships torpedo tubes ...

My good buddy just got through drilling and reaming the 1.25" hole 16.5" deep on one of his boring mills. It's really tempting to leave the liner out, but better safe than sorry. We're going to try and fire it this weekend, I'll put up a video.



-Ron

Where you getting the black powder from?