Back on April 10th, 2010 I filmed a few minutes of the day long ordeal that we called a “Shell Party”. You can probably guess that it wasn’t exactly a party though…
I hope that you will be mildly entertained by my video, it shows the basics of casting and preparing lead cannon shells for our Parrott Rifled Cannon.
Warning, don’t try this at home kids, molten lead is dangerous stuff!
FYI: I’m the guy pouring the lead into the mold.
Thanks to my Dad, and my teammates Mike and Bill for helping with this video. Together in about 6 hours we cast 74 perfect cannon shells.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about casting lead cannon shells, please leave some comments!
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
This is way LESS labor intensive than the aluminum or Zinc rounds we cast for the Parrott rifle. It doesn’t require a blast furnace or any after-the-fact machining. I like your sizing method!
I was wondering if they were engraving the rifling by rushing the round through the short section of barrel? or just sizing?
Is the Parrott a Pack Parrott? I ask because of the target at the end of the video.
Robert: In the video we are just sizing the rounds.
Norm: No it’s a normal full scale Parrott. The target at the end gives the wrong impression, that’s a howitzer target I filmed at the last national, and it’s been my closing sequence for every video on SkirmishNotes so far….
Thanks, What kind of blade are you using on the cutoff saw?
I’d say that was a faithful depiction of the Shell Party. The only thing is that I don’t remember that piano playing while we worked.
Next to shooting them, making them is as much fun as it gets. Only in America can you spend a weekend making artillery ordnance.