Confederate cannon

faribo

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Apr 13, 2007
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There is a cannon they are calling a confederate 3 incher. I don't think it is real. I think that if it was real, in the condition it is in, people would have it bid so high that no one could afford it. 13.JPG

It is a fake isn't it?
 

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I am afraid you have given us nothing to go on here. How high did it bid? Closer pics? For all we know this is a toy canon
 

Here is the description.

3" Southern Civil War Cannon. Cannon with Wheels weighs about 1,000 lbs.

It is at 650 right now with 7 day left.
 

Saw link... looks real to me.

Looks like period... perhaps has been indoor kept until now.
 

If you want a guess, 1960's centennial reenactment piece. My father reenacted the centennial and lots of the guys made their own cannons.
 

Here is the description.

3" Southern Civil War Cannon. Cannon with Wheels weighs about 1,000 lbs.

It is at 650 right now with 7 day left.

Most civil war cannons had the year stamped quite large on the business end.
 

Well, I went and looked at it today. They drilled out the touch hole and tapped in a rather large bolt. The carriage is a wreck that they tossed some paint on and the wheels are held on by about 2 threads on the shaft. All of the accessories are concrete tools. It is definitely a replica like Smokythecat said. My friend wanted it to fire. You could not pay me to touch one off on that thing. And I am an Artillery man.
 

If I may make a suggestion, they could carry this gun to Washington D.C. and let Nancy Pelosi test fire this gun. She's fearless, along with another few choice words that I will not elaborate on.:usflag::usflag:. Chuck Schumer and Schiff ca Bob could serve on the gun alongside of the squeaker....I mean speaker.
 

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An actual civil war era 3"-caliber cannon would have rifling-grooves in its bore. None are visible on this cannon.

Its reported weight suggests it is an iron cannon -- not a movie prop made of plastic, nor a battle-reenactor Reproduction made of cast-aluminum. As such, a cannon of this size is worth more than a couple of hundered dolalrs. But as Faribo indicated, firing it on that rickety carriage even with a "blank" charge would be extremely unsafe.

Just doing some theoretical exploration of possible identifications... it might be a Colonial Era 3-Pounder caliber smoothbore, whose bore diameter was 2.9-inches. But this one differs from most cannons of that era, in that its body lacks any decorative features, such as raised bands/rings, except for a single one (called an astragal) encircling its muzzle.

As such, somebody "overpaid" by more than a little bit, as the now-closed auction reports that the winning bid was $2,910. When the winner finds out it was seriously misrepresented (as being a Confederate cannon), that's legal grounds for a full refund.
 

Where the trunions are attached to the gun, you can see weld. Really good weld, but modern weld none the less.
 

OK, so you guys clearly know your stuff. My friend did not bid on it.

Do any of you know where he can find a cannon that he can fire on the farm? That is what he is looking for.
 

Interesting for sure.

So CannonballGuy, you are saying it could be a Colonial Era 3-Pounder caliber smoothbore mounted on a more modern carriage? Possibly?
Except the
astragal is not correct for that style?

What where the Colonial Era 3-Pounder caliber smoothbore cannons often mounted? Were these naval cannon, infantry or what exactly?

I am not cannon knowledgeable but like learning.
 

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