New .69 Mini Cannon

[shepp1]

My father is an antiques collector and had one of these a few months back, I'll find out this afternoon what happened to it.
I thought it was just an ornament?

[Denno]

My father is an antiques collector and had one of these a few months back, I'll find out this afternoon what happened to it.
I thought it was just an ornament?

I would guess it was just an ornament, as mine is a Section 1. I'm now trying to find a very cheap wooden ship kit to make a fun target with.

[tacfoley]

I would guess it was just an ornament, as mine is a Section 1. I'm now trying to find a very cheap wooden ship kit to make a fun target with.

Section 1 firearm. What a heap of crap the gun laws are in this country. No wonder the rest of the free world laffs themselves fartless at what we have to go through to have smoothbore miniature cannon - EXACTLY what EVERY gang,member uses in their inter-gang warfare.

tac

[Denno]

Section 1 firearm. What a heap of crap the gun laws are in this country. No wonder the rest of the free world laffs themselves fartless at what we have to go through to have smoothbore miniature cannon - EXACTLY what EVERY gang,member uses in their inter-gang warfare.

tac

I know! and I'm fairly sure if you want a full size working cannon you only need a shotgun cert?

[shepp1]

I would guess it was just an ornament, as mine is a Section 1. I'm now trying to find a very cheap wooden ship kit to make a fun target with.

He recons the one he had was potentially usable but as long as it is never fired then it does'nt need an FAC.
He sold it for £400.

[tacfoley]

He recons the one he had was potentially usable but as long as it is never fired then it does'nt need an FAC.
He sold it for £400.

If is is drilled through into the chamber from the touch hole, then it sure does.

Here in UK it is a shootable and valid firearm with a hole like that.

tac

[Abbridale]

If is is drilled through into the chamber from the touch hole, then it sure does.

Here in UK it is a shootable and valid firearm with a hole like that.

tac

Tac, I don't believe your statement is strictly true, if the aforementioned cannon is an antique then as long as it is kept as an ornament or curiosity then it is exempt under the firearms act and you can legally own one. However, the moment you go to fire it - and "intent" would be enough, it would then be designated a firearm under the Firearms Act.

[TALL]

even if its smooth bore,if you shoot solid shot it has to be section one.
i think its the same for BP rifles,
will have to find out as i realy fancy one of these,T

[bullbarrel]

Are you putting a scope rail on it


Lovely bit of engineering.

[powderburner]

even if its smooth bore,if you shoot solid shot it has to be section one.
i think its the same for BP rifles,
will have to find out as i realy fancy one of these,T

No.. a miniture cannon is Section 1 because of the length of the barrel.

It is less than 24" so it is considered to be a muzzle loading pistol, hnce the Section 1 requirement.

If it is more than 24" and smoothbore, it is classed as a shotgun.

The "solid shot" story is a bit more convoluted. The relevent law here refers not to the gun, but to the ammunition. Ammunition less than 2" in diameter is classed as section 1 except shotgun cartridges containing more than 5 projectiles. As a consequence you need to hold solid shot cartridges on an FAC - ammunition with projectiles over 2" is classed as Section 5 (Prohibited) so loading shotgun carts for your 25 pounder is right out..

Muzzle loaders however do not use cartridges as defined by the act, therefore there is no restriction on using ball in these firearms provided they are smooth bore. Some Police forces have tried to challenge this, however it is quite clear in the Act. The usual excuse is that "oh they were not thinking about muskets when they drafted the law" - the counter argument is that the Police cannot assume ignorance on the part of the drafters, as muskets clearly existed at the time of the drafting of the act, and therefore if the drafters had intended the restriction to apply to muskets, they would have drafted the law to make this clear...!

A firearm can only be considered a curio if it is over 100 year old, and not a reproduction. A reproduction cannon with a through barrel and a touchhole must be held on a certificate, and have passed the appropriate proof testing before it can be sold.

[tacfoley]

Tac, I don't believe your statement is strictly true, if the aforementioned cannon is an antique then as long as it is kept as an ornament or curiosity then it is exempt under the firearms act and you can legally own one. However, the moment you go to fire it - and "intent" would be enough, it would then be designated a firearm under the Firearms Act.

IF it is an antique, then you are correct. IF, however, it is a modern replica, even though it is a miniature, and it is drilled through to the chamber, it is a Section 1 firearm, like the one just made by the OP's buddy. Navy Arms made a .69cal 1/5th scale replica of the ACW Napoleon cannon as a kit and as a finished item - both as a Section 1 firearm with a drilled breech, and as a rather large but impressive desktop ornament.

One could be bought with mere money, the other only on production of mere money and a valid FAC.

tac

[Smokeless Coal]

Not sure but I seem to recall proof loads are 2x safe load. Its St Pats day and getting late and my brain cell just had a bath so I'm probably wrong.

The beauty of black powder is its pretty hard to overcook it, go over the top and the excess just gets blown out the barrel unburnt.

Looks like a nice bit of kit.