It’s a canon, but what sort?

[kronckew]

early carronades sometimes did have trunnions, the more standard later UK form was as you describe, but there were variations. the wood carriage one doesn't use a high elevating screw like the iron carriaged one. later uk ones has the trunnions mounted under the barrel and used the elevating screw on a sliding carriage. the one in the OP's post is tapered from the breech towards the muzzle. it doesn't have the 'usual' step down area. 'usual' implies some did not, ie. is most often there but not mandatory.

i use 'carronade' as a description and function based on it's dictionary definition: a short large-calibre cannon, formerly in naval use.like a 'shashka' (see recent thread on it), the definiton is flexible and can cover a number of related regional and period differences. as an aside 'canon' i believe is the french term for a cannon, but we use english here for a variety of reasons... i lastly show a venerable canon of the salisbury cathedral, which is armed with a number of canons, some of which may be loose.

[fernando]

Instead of looking at it as a bronze cannon with an iron sleeve, why not thinking of it as being an iron cannon with a bronze cover ? The muzzle face has a story to tell, as maybe also that touch hole into a recess. Also the owner could tell us something like, for one, the actual touch hole face being iron.
I know this risks to be completelty silly but, i was 'inspired' by a blunderbuss of mine which, instead of having what 'should' be a bronze muzzle section, has only a bronze covering pellicle ... for decoration sake.


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[NeilUK]

OK thanks, Kronckew, I bow to your superior knowledge. Because I happen to live only 10 miles (16 km) from the Carron Iron Works where these guns were made I have a particular regard for them!
Neil

[kronckew]

are they still in business? might be worth asking there. my knowledge is only gleaned from musty old tomes and internet references and research into historical naval warfare many moons ago as a military ossifer as well as visiting every castle, fort*, battle site, museum and sailing vessel i run across. it sometimes blurs together with interesting results and the occasional error.

*- even went to university in one for 4 years...

[kronckew]

carronades were also made by Bailey Pegg and Co. & i'll assume others, possibly other countries as well. the OP's one being bronze with a steel liner hints at a non-UK origin, as UK carronades were cast iron, no matter what we finally agree to call it.

here's two BP prepared earllier: with low-ish trunnions. the carriages look a bit suspicious, tho i found a pic of a similar carriage at carron iron works.

[NeilUK]

The original Carron works went bust 30+ years ago, but was taken over and survives in a small way making bathroom equipment - no cannon of any sort or size. I'll try to attach a couple of photos of original carronades.
Neil