I bought a cannon...

[Glock19Fan]

I bought a cannon I have never seen before over the weekend. I have been searching for a couple days and havent found any info on it. It measures about 20 inches overall with a 12 inch barrel. It is solid cast iron and has the letters RMI cast into it. Does anyone have any information on this at all? How old, does it fire, worth, ect.

 

[Dlowe167]

I tried googling it.Only said it was a ww2 artilery cannon. But cannonsuperstore.com check with them,if nothing else

 

[hovercat]

I would bet 'decorative lawn ornament.' The place where the trunnions meet the carriage look very weak. It takes a lot more metal than you would think, and cast iron is a poor material for cannon. Wrought iron used to be used.

 

[HoosierQ]

Decorative. They certainly were not using anything like that during WWII

It's a lawn ornament...cast iron. Look at the prominent casting mark right along the side.

 

[Archaic]

When are you going to sight it in?

 

[hso]

If you search for RMI cannon or RMI signal cannon you'll get some results.

They are decorative items and wouldn't recommend firing it without a good non-destructive testing inspection.

Look through the sites that sell antique cannons, signal cannons, and personal cannons for some enjoyable reading.

 

[MikeJackmin]

That's an awesome decorative piece, but being made of cast iron, it is absolutely unsafe to fire, even with blank charges. I hope the touch hole has not been drilled?

 

[Jim Watson]

Now you need a gun crew of Garden Gnomes.

 

[natman]

WW2? The design is only off by a couple of centuries.

I'd be leery of using it as a noisemaker and wouldn't consider any sort of projectile.

 

[Archaic]

What you have there is called a pipe bomb.

 

[rcmodel]

Now you need a gun crew of Garden Gnomes.

Mine keep disappearing around here.



rc

 

[Glock19Fan]

HSO- Did you have specific forums in mind?

 

[hso]

Not forums, but the dealers in them. A google of RMI will get you there.

 

[Jim K]

The appearance is off WWII by more than a couple of centuries; IMHO, that style would date to c. 1500.

But I don't think it is anything so fancy as a signal cannon. I don't see a touch hole or any way of setting it off, which might be the maker's way of telling you something. It is a pure decorator, not meant for firing, even at garden gnomes.

Jim

 

[rcmodel]

+1

A cast iron door stop or child's toy is all it is or ever was in the 1900's..
Now they make reproductions for decorative purposes only.
http://www.amazon.com/Cast-Replica-Cannon-Military-Decor/dp/images/B004OFWLCM

The plaster/cement garden gnomes would have a better chance of withstanding a powder charge going off inside one!

rc

 

[45_auto]

As many others have said, it's an ornament not meant to be fired.

As to what it's worth, it appears that an identical one sold on Ebay for about $10 with only 2 bidders a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-CAS...t=Vintage_Antique_Toys_US&hash=item20d34e290b

Looks like nobody wants them for $55:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-Can...759?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item48569179af

 

[Glock19Fan]

This does have a fuse hole with another hole on the opposite side. Although there are castingmarks on the outside, it appears it may have an insert becuase there areno casting marks in the bore, which looks separate from the casted shell.

Also, the bore is completely unobstructed. It appears that it could safely fire small amounts of black powder ignited with a fuse. Toilet paper could be used to pack it down.

By the way as I was walking with this around the flea market I had offers up to $150 for it. I liked it too much or I would have turned a great profit.

 

[AJumbo]

There wouldn't be casting marks in the bore; this was most likely sand cast around a mandrel. I hesitate to even use the term "bore;" it's more like "a deep hole in some cast iron of unknown integrity." Please don't put any powder in it.

 

[Jim K]

Somehow I have the feeling that Glock19fan is determined to fire that cannon. I hope his survivors let us know what happens.

Jim

 

[rcmodel]

With luck, maybe it will only wing him.
If he runs fast enough after he lights the fuse.


On the other hand?
He'll be back next week with photos of a 1 MOA 10-shot group he shot at 50 yards with it!

rc

 

[Tolkachi Robotnik]

Ornament only.

There was a bigger one just off campus for years, looked similar. One day someone thought they would make it go boom. They used some fireworks for fuse and a 'primer' of sorts, and just a little black powder, maybe half of one of those little jugs? It did go boom. Some fellows a few blocks away had pieces of the cannon come through their apartment wall while they were playing ping pong.

It actually went boom very loud...

The cannon was not replaced. It may have been bronze, looked cool. I believe national may have pulled their charter.

 

[dirigoboy]

should have held out for the mountain howitzer.....some people like to take them hunting.
http://www.buckstix.com/howitzer.htm

 

[rcmodel]

If that isn't against the law in Wisconsin already?

It should be!!

rc

 

[Upstater]

But, IT'S A CANNON!!

 

[4v50 Gary]

Cast iron decorative piece. Do not try to shoot it.