Milsurp After Hours

Was looking for something else and found these photos I took of a re-enactment some years ago. This is an actual period Mountain Howitzer made to shoot a 12 pound ball. In these pictures it is firing blanks of course, but there is a site on the net that tells about a gun like it and discribes hunting deer with it. No joke.

http://www.buckstix.com/howitzer.htm

This gun, if true to the discriptions of others is 37 inches long, weight 220 pounds, has a 4.62 inch bore, and has an effective range of 900 yards.

Nice pics, here is a 6 pound mountain gun that we shot at our scout shooting camp 2 years ago.

http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL368/95 ... 048012.jpg[/pic]

The mountain howitzers were developed for use by cavalry. They are designed to be taken apart in the field. The barrel goes on one pack horse/mule and the balance goes on another.

Howitzers have finally been given their own competitive section at N-SSA live fire cannon competition. Our team shoots a smooth bore Napolean repro cannon. There are lots of original cannon, howitzers and mortars in competition, along with a greater number of repros. One team has a bronze mortar that was used at Vicksburg. When that thing goes off it rings like a bell.

More info here. Be sure to click on the competition links.

www.n-ssa.org