Curious stone cannon

Jim McDougall · 29th November 2013, 09:18 PM

Thank you so much guys for adding information on the powder, and Kronckew, thanks as always for such well presented detail. It really helps to get a better perspective on how this might have been used.

I imagined that it might be pretty dangerous being the guys firing this thing! and recall tales of firearms before the use of cartridges being often more dangerous to the guy firing it than the targets. Too much powder and the thing would explode.
Thanks again Andi for posting this and for the links.

Marcus, excellent suggestion I would think for carrying.

Another question...are there any examples of more than one touch hole in cannon? would such a configuration ensure firm detonation?

Matchlock · 29th November 2013, 09:52 PM

I too am very glad with Kronckew's explanation on early black powder.

I just wish to add that at the beginning from ca. 1300 to 1500, which we call The High- to Late-Gothic period, it was furnished as a very fine meal powder in wooden barrels bound by willow staves and carried in leather bags and thus could easily unmix by transport agitation and get highly hygroscopic thus turning into less effective mixtures and easily getting get wet.
Saltpeter, e.g., mainly came from the animal urine on farm walls. Some 600 to 500 year-old and earlier barrels in my collection and in others still continue to hold their old loads.

The details are from Bartholomäus Freysleben's Inventarium Büchsen und Zeug, cod.icon.222, ca. 1495-1500, fol. 70v and 71r, an armory inventory for the then King Maxilimilan I.

Best,
Michael

29th November 2013, 09:52 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	I too am very glad with Kronckew's explanation on early black powder. I just wish to add that at the beginning from ca. 1300 to 1500, which we call The High- to Late-Gothic period, it was furnished as a very fine meal powder in wooden barrels bound by willow staves and carried in leather bags and thus could easily unmix by transport agitation and get highly hygroscopic thus turning into less effective mixtures and easily getting get wet. Saltpeter, e.g., mainly came from the animal urine on farm walls. Some 600 to 500 year-old and earlier barrels in my collection and in others still continue to hold their old loads. The details are from Bartholomäus Freysleben's Inventarium Büchsen und Zeug, cod.icon.222, ca. 1495-1500, fol. 70v and 71r, an armory inventory for the then King Maxilimilan I. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 29th November 2013 at 10:26 PM.

29th November 2013, 09:18 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,278	Thank you so much guys for adding information on the powder, and Kronckew, thanks as always for such well presented detail. It really helps to get a better perspective on how this might have been used. I imagined that it might be pretty dangerous being the guys firing this thing! and recall tales of firearms before the use of cartridges being often more dangerous to the guy firing it than the targets. Too much powder and the thing would explode. Thanks again Andi for posting this and for the links. Marcus, excellent suggestion I would think for carrying. Another question...are there any examples of more than one touch hole in cannon? would such a configuration ensure firm detonation?