Just plain dummies

greener · Post by **greener** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 7:10 pm

If you put an 8" towed howitzer from scrap parts and don't have quite everything, why not go out and shoot it.

The don't seat the projo.
The powder bag is half the barrel/breach diameter.
No sights to aim the gun.
Looked like the barrel was slowly coming down, but I might have been imagining that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzdQq1YwE0A

ruger22 · Post by **ruger22** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 12:41 pm

Seems similar to putting .38 Super in a .40, duct taping it to a fence post, and pulling the trigger with a piece of string. Hopefully none of us live anywhere near these people.

Did they hit anything? I couldn't see anything but smoke. Kinda surprised I didn't see large chunks of shrapnel.

greener · Post by **greener** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 3:25 pm

I commented on the youtube site and the builder took exception. One of my issues was powder and space and he actually had a fix for that which wasn't really shown. Still, from what I saw, I'd watch that one fire using rule of thumb: hold up your thumb and if doesn't completely cover the gun, back up until it does.

Post by **Bullseye** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 4:51 am

I like that rule.

R,
Bullseye

Hakaman · Post by **Hakaman** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 3:48 pm

Does OSHA get into approving such monstrosities ?

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 8:13 pm

ruger22 wrote: Did they hit anything? I couldn't see anything but smoke. Kinda surprised I didn't see large chunks of shrapnel.

I'm like you, I did not see any thing that hit or vapor trail of the projectile leaving.

Would make a 3 Stooges skit.

bgreenea3 · Post by **bgreenea3** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 5:57 pm

So now is not the time to post my howitzer rebuild project? dang.

greener · Post by **greener** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 9:13 am

bgreenea3 wrote:So now is not the time to post my howitzer rebuild project? dang.

Sure, get started. That M115 had a 10-ton prime mover. So, you get a big green truck as part of the rebuild. The only parts you can find are very rusty junk yard parts. The 8" barrel was used for the bunker-buster bombs, so these guys were lucky to find one. Then put one together from decrepit parts and fire it?

Stick to 105 or 155, more parts and easier to haul around. There are also a bunch of 75mm howitzers around. We had a battery of them (4-6 guns) in the 333rd and used them as a salute battery. I'll look at Chesterfield Auto Parts the next time I go down for Camry parts for scrap cannons.