Paperwork to make a cannon?

[4TheResistance]

I couldn't find any solid info so I'll ask here.

Do I have to do anything special to take a barrel I have and make it into a cannon? Breech lock or other / smokeless or black powder?

Thanks for any info.

 

[JoshuaW]

If it has a rifled barrel, it is a destructive device and subject to NFA Rules.

 

[4TheResistance]

Thank you.

So could I take a piece of a smooth bore 12 gauge barrel and make it into a cannon using smokeless powder? Also is there any restrictions on the ignition system type or barrel length?

 

[indianaarsenal]

if it is black powder and caseless the no paperwork.. but if smokeless or uses a case, that is no good.

 

[4TheResistance]

That is good to know. Is there any restrictions on action type or ignition type?

 

[Mosinguy]

Nope.

 

[4TheResistance]

So to be clear I can take a 10in. smooth bore shotgun barrel make it breech lock use black powder only and shoot smooth or rifled slugs out of it with a 209 primer?

 

[ThrottleJockey]

You can take a large piece of steel pipe and do the same thing with bowling balls if you like.

I'm always on the hunt when I'm down south, for an old cannon or at least a barrel. I see them from time to time at roadside flee markets but they're never in a convenient place for me to pull my rig over and look. I want a cannon SOOOOO bad. Even if it is only for salute shots of powder and wadding to frighten the neighbors

 

[Huntrdan]

Cannons are considered antique ordinace replicas. Exempt from the legal term firearm. There is a ton of information on South Bend Replicas website. 20 years ago if you ordered a barrel from them they would send you a copy of the laws you would need to get out of jail free.

 

[Huntrdan]

I built mine. No digital pictures but I have a video if I can figure out how to put it on here.

 

[Huntrdan]

Not going to work.

 

[Huntrdan]

http://www.dandtbarlow.com/dan/cannon.wmv

 

[4TheResistance]

Man thats nice did you make the barrel too?

 

[Huntrdan]

I got a piece of steel 7 inches in diameter with a 3 inch hole in it. Pressed and then welded a breech plug in. Then a friend that runs a big lathe turned the profile. Then I welded on the trunions. I proofed it with 2 lbs. of powder. I usually shoot 1/2 lb. per shot.

 

[r6vr6]

My buddy made this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoHP5A0x6PE

 

[4TheResistance]

Those are both damn nice cannons.

 

[amafrank]

Actually rifling has nothing to do with it. You can make a rifled black powder cannon that is muzzle loaded and it will not require registration. Breech loading makes things a bit more questionable unless it is a replica of a gun built prior to 1898. If you use a fixed cartridge as in a cartridge case and projectile that are loaded into the gun than you're in DD land. There is also some question about using primers to fire but thats getting into lawyer land for arguing.
I've seen some very nicely done rifled civil war type cannons fired and they can be very accurate. We watched a 3" Parrot rifle fired out in Colorado at a machinegun shoot a few years back. One man unloaded the gun from his trailer and set it up. He used a gunners quadrant and basic sight to aim it at a car used as a target 1200yds away. His first shot went over the target by about a foot, the second hit about 20yds short and the third round punched dead center. He said that was called "bracketting the target". His gun was rifled and used some interesting multi-piece projectiles that engaged the rifling with hard felt pads at the rear of the projo. Very neat to watch.


Frank