Knowledge Request And Opinions On Hand Cannon

[dale]

Gentlemen

Please look at my pictures and tell me what it is.  Of course I hope it's a hand cannon.  I believe it's a rough casting, even the two side holes appear to be cast at the same time.   About 11 1/4" o/a and the bore is about 7/8"  The string is a modern shoestring but it came that way.

thanks

[Geraint]

Dale. how do you see this "hand cannon" working?

 

All the best

[dale]

I really don't know.  It looks identical to a picture of one on the net.  what is your opinion of what it is?   I'm pretty used to being way off base in my asumptions. lol

thanks

dale

[Bugyotsuji]

To me it looks strongly like a (Chinese?) repro, with the holes to stop someone attempting to fire it.(?)

[Bugyotsuji]

The design is based on a hand gonne or pole gun. Before stocks and butts, a pole was fitted into the rear socket. The barrel was filled with coarse gunpowder, stones etc., and the thing was fired by application of fire to a touch-hole, like a cannon. Often there was a metal flange or hook on the barrel to place over a fence or wall and prevent kickback.

[dale]

Thank you Sir,

 

I hadn't considered a repro but it makes sense.   I thought it was just a strange variation

 

thanks again

[Bugyotsuji]

You are welcome Dale. It's a fascinating subject. If you run searches you will come with early Chinese and European versions, mostly in bronze but some in iron. The patination/rust can tell us many secrets. No mechanism, no sights, just point and fire. Upgraded versions had three barrels off one pole.

[Peter Bleed]

I am skeptical and would look for a "modern" explanation. I can't see it functioning as a firearm and it looks like a modern design and manufacture. Could it be the cast iron end of a large lever or adjustment arm. That well formed "handle" looks modern to my eye.  I'd show it to a railway or nautical engineer.

Peter

[Geraint]

 

 

 a pole was fitted into the rear socket. 

Agreed but there is only a socket at one end, no discernible touch hole and that strange hole right through soooooo....?

[Bugyotsuji]

Hmmm...I see what you are saying. Looking a bit closer, it looks more like a truncheon or something! Weird.

 

Giving up for now.

[dale]

Gentlemen,

I appreciate your time and knowledge and hate wasting both.    I guess ol blind barnabus was doing a lot of wishful thinking.   I am posting the photo from the net that reeled me in.   I thought I'd really found something.   LoL twice

[Bugyotsuji]

That's the jobbie!!!