Blackpowder Cannon Projectile ?

[Flat Tire]

I have a black powder cannon 2" bore. I want to see the the projectile fly through the air. Even if I have to look through binos. I am thinking a ribbon attached to heavy steel ball. What can you attach to the ball so you can see it ? So far every thing is just a big puff of smoke and nothing-

[doubloon]

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To- ... 0FPS-FOR-/

[Flat Tire]

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To- ... 0FPS-FOR-/

Thanks for that.

[doubloon]

Outside of high speed photography you're options seem to be limited to slowing down the projectile, making it longer and/or reducing the amount of obfuscating smoke from the muzzle blast.

Seems like the ideal solution for making a projectile visible in flight is to use the same mechanism the circus uses to shoot a man out of a cannon.

[ThaDoubleJ]

Does it shoot a ball or something conical?

[doubloon]

Does it shoot a ball or something conical?

... I am thinking a ribbon attached to heavy steel ball. What can you attach to the ball so you can see it ? ...

[RJT]

Try painting it safety orange

[Flat Tire]

So here is the next attempt, I took a hole saw 2 1/8" and cut two 3/4" plywood plugs screwed those together and soaked them overnight in water. This plug is dropped down on top of the 1 ounce powder bag and accepts all the blast heat and by soaking it in water I won't burn down the neighborhood. I cut a pice of 1 7/8" cold rolled round bar and cut a piece 2" long and drilled a hole with the lathe down the middle. I took a piece of 1/2" rope 20' long and shove it thru the steel rod and tied a knot. Then shove the rope on top of the plywood and the steel rod in last. Lite fuse run. The plywood and steel rod compressed the rope and built up pressure, it made an impressive noise. Walked path of blast and found nothing. The piece of steel must be in orbit. I watched with a pair of marine binos that don't need focusing.

[doubloon]

Did you check the high speed camera footage?

[Flat Tire]

No camera set up. I want to see it with binos like a vapor trail

[Abiqua]

No camera set up. I want to see it with binos like a vapor trail

Baby steps, dude.

[doubloon]

Get some of these, small size 2 inches.

Shoot it at night.

[Flat Tire]

I think the green ball would end up as dust.

[doubloon]

Use a sabot.

Then you'll have two things you have a chance of seeing.

[BISHOP]

Use a nice and shiny projectile.
Shoot cannon at less than 45* angle with sun to your back at about a 45* angle.
As the cannon fires the sun will illuminate the projectile. I did this once shooting a pistol down a waterfall.
Every time I fired my 380, I could watch the bullet all the way to the rocks below and even watch them smash and spall to one side.


BISHOP

[whiterussian1974]

Your original idea of embedding a streamer in the projectile is a good one.
I've seen UTube vids using an 8" sewer tube to fire bowling balls. they attached streamers to the finger holes.

Make a wooden overcoat w metal interior. Attach streamers b/t the 2 wooden halves and wrap some around the metal ball so compression will hold it in place.

[doubloon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crSbq8Wexy4