Rapid fire Holy Black

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Pards,

For any of you that want to burn up a LOT of Holy Black in a hurry, I found this interesting Gatling Gun in the fort at Koblenz Germany.  It's a 37mm rotary cannon made for castle defense.  I spent a lot of time admiring the mount, tooling and machining.  It was built like only the Germans would.

DD-DLoS

[Leo Tanner]

I'm guessin I can't order a repro from Uberti
     Shame, the smoke would be so thick I'd be blind fer days (but God ma shirt would smell good!)


Leo

[Dick Dastardly]

That gun looks out over the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel rivers.  I have to think that it is a kind of toll collection device.

DD-DLoS

[Paladin UK]

Ho DD...........

That chute mounter atop of it? wuz that fer dropping the rounds inta the beastie!!

Paladin (Whats kinda nosey intrigued !!  ) UK

[Dick Dastardly]

I was told that a long magazine slid into that slot.  The magazines were pre-loaded with whatever ordinance was appropriate to the mission.  Mostly explosive I'd guess.  It must have been smokey and noisy in that vault when the gun was in use. . .

Should you have reason to be in Koblenz, the fort is on top of the east bluff of the Rhine river. 

DD-DLoS

[Ransom Gaer]

That would definitely burn up the holy black.  During the 2007 edition of Winter Range there was a group at the range who had a pair of Gatlin guns.  One was an 1874 pattern in .45-70 and the rounds were charged with BP.  I gave them $20 and they stuck in a magazine into that 1874 pattern with 20 rounds in it.  I then turned the crank.  It didn't last very long, but it was SOmuch fun.  I ever get the chance again I'll give them $50.   Ayear and a half later and it still puts a grin on my face just thinking about it.

Ransom Gaer

[Greeenriver]

That is an ausome lookig gun!!!!!!

The fastest I've seen BP burnt was watching Fireball with a pair of Colt 1911's, in 10mm, loaded with a compressed load of 777 shooting them "Gunfighter" one day at Rockford, MI., after the match was over.

Just plain great to watch, it was!!!!!

Greeenriver

[Leo Tanner]

BP in a 1911?  Why not, I always wondered what pumpin some through an M16 would be like
     It's a sick dream, but I'm sure someone has done it.


Leo

[Dick Dastardly]

I actually did run some 45 Long Colt bp rounds thru an H&R Rising.  Took out a row of beer cans and smoked up the gravel pit.  I think those same loads might run just fine in a Thompson.  I'll bet those PRS Big Lube™ bullets would keep the muzzle wet and wild.

DD-DLoS

[Ace Lungger]

D.D., you need to build one of those I have a friend that makes Repo mini C.W. Cannon's, and he has plans to build mini gattlin guns1
aCE

[litl rooster]

LR who is also  (Whats kinda nosey intrigued !!   )  Does it still operate?

The self powered barge is interesting also

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Ace,

Build one, no.  That thing looks HEAVY.  Notice the wheels for elevation and windage.  Also, note the fairly crude sight along the right side of the gun.  I think that thing was probably sighted in ahead of any anticipated action.  I suspect that it wasn't used much cuz the river traffic would have paid the toll promptly.

Hello LR,

Knowing the Germans, I'll bet that the gun has been decomissioned but maintained and that it could be put back in action.  But, what for?  It makes more money as part of a tourist attraction.  I've attached a map of the fort.  The cannon was near the white button on the East side.  The map is taken from the East looking West.

DD-DLoS

[Doctor Bill]

Looks like a very refined version (with the germans would there be any other kind?) of the Hotchkiss Cannon.

http://www.boat-links.com/Old-Navy/oldnavy-05B.html

Just the thing for those pesky "knock-downs".