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Mini BP Mortar

Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 12:28 am
by Killjoy
I generally use hydrogen and oxygen and oxygen and acetylene, but because of the mortar's size the golf ball doesn't go very far (maybe 75 to 100 yards or so, but i haven't really done any range test). I do however use BP and BP/FP mix occasionally.

Well a couple weeks ago i was bored and out of cash, so i went looking around for parts to make a cannon with. I found an 8" long peice of sch 80 2" steel pipe left over from fear, so i decided to make a mini mortar.

It basically consists of a 3/4" thick steel plate welded to the 2" steel pipe.

After initial testing with black powder (the intended propellent) i was not getting the results i wanted (too much BP and it was to fine and the projectile wasn't tight fitting as i found out later). So i poured 3 grams of flash powder into a foil packet, put it in the cannon, added a fuse and poured in a little black powder and pushed in a wadded golf ball. When it fired, i was could seriosly "feel" the bang (theres a word for it but i can't rememeber) and my ears were ringing from the blast (i was 20 feet back partially behind my blast barrier). I ran over thinking the pipe had burst, but found that it was completly fine, and the golfball had gone through the 2"x6" i was firing at.
Heres the video.
http://s122.photobucket.com/albums/o266 ... V00157.flv

I added some finishing touchs, including a folding bipod stand and a mechanical firing mechanism which is triggered by a pull string and uses modifyied .22 blanks (i use a fuse for the FP/BP charge to be far away, and the firing mechanism for anything else like oxy hydrogen/acetylene or regular BP). The FP/BP charges are now restricted to 1gram of FP and a little BP.

some pics
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Folded for storage/transport
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Firing mechanism cocked
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as a side note,
Before anyone gets worked up, this is not against forum rules as they prohibit the firing of solid propellents specifically from a spud gun, and seeing as this mortar also uses oxy acetylene and oxy hydrogen, i don't really see how it could be against the forum rules (and need be i'll remove the part about the use with BP).[/url]

Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 12:43 am
by origin unknown
That kind of reminds me of this bowling ball mortar.Image
Cool cannon!

The forum rules are for keepin the feds away and for us to be totally "safe".
The H+2O --> H2O reaction is just as and even more dangerous than most solid propellents.

Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 12:48 am
by Killjoy
Yeah i understand why the rules are there, but seeing as someone else posted a black powder cannon and got away with it (i think it was spudthug), i figured ya'll might want to see this and i had this urge to show it around. And anyway this isn't illegal since its a muzzle loaded smooth bore cannon and is considered an antique.

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:16 pm
by zeigs spud
i don't think he ment you shouldn't of posted lol. that is probably the one breakable rule in this forum. just this one though...don't get ideas lol :D

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:37 pm
by ammosmoke
I like it! Yeah I made a copper cannon that used bottle rocket blasts to fire corks and sabots, and pretty much anything else that fit. I could hold it in my hand, and pow!!! Very fun.

Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 12:28 am
by Killjoy
yeah zeigs guess i mis interpreted what he was saying, and don't worry i'm not getting any ideas.

Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 12:50 am
by turbohacker
Wow, oxy ace :shock:
You are officially nuts!!!
I congratuate you :P
Next step is C4 :twisted:

Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 12:00 am
by Killjoy
yep, just need the nitric acid to make the rdx lol.