Signal gun or failed experiment?

kronckew · 14th September 2017, 02:17 PM

if a keel boat gun, may have been loaded with a charge of musket or pistol balls as a large shotgun for repelling boarders. would bronze corrode in fresh water,
and likely covered in sediment restricting oxygen availability, like that in a couple of hundred years? 2000 yr. old roman bronze artifacts are usually in better shape. if it were galvanic corrosion based on the steel bore insert, i suspect that the iron would have gone before the bronze.

i recall reading here about small indonesian cannon (lantaka) that turned out to be bronze or brass sheet over a concrete core with a iron or brass pipe bore. caveat emptor.

Will M · 14th September 2017, 04:10 PM

Only reason to line the bore is they didn't trust the brass casting.
No period cannons were made of brass with iron/steel bore liners.
I would say a relatively modern piece that has corroded.
I built a similar one using an unknown iron casting and having a seamless stainless steel tube hydraulically press fit into the bore.

14th September 2017, 02:17 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,243	if a keel boat gun, may have been loaded with a charge of musket or pistol balls as a large shotgun for repelling boarders. would bronze corrode in fresh water, and likely covered in sediment restricting oxygen availability, like that in a couple of hundred years? 2000 yr. old roman bronze artifacts are usually in better shape. if it were galvanic corrosion based on the steel bore insert, i suspect that the iron would have gone before the bronze. i recall reading here about small indonesian cannon (lantaka) that turned out to be bronze or brass sheet over a concrete core with a iron or brass pipe bore. caveat emptor. Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 14th September 2017 at 02:28 PM.

14th September 2017, 04:10 PM	#2
Will M Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: In the wee woods north of Napanee Ontario Posts: 395	Only reason to line the bore is they didn't trust the brass casting. No period cannons were made of brass with iron/steel bore liners. I would say a relatively modern piece that has corroded. I built a similar one using an unknown iron casting and having a seamless stainless steel tube hydraulically press fit into the bore.