Kiln Guns (big, tripod-mounted shotguns)

[AJMD429]

Ben_Rumson posted about a Kiln Gun in Pitchy's thread where he made the machine-gun dudes (loved the cee-gar-smokin' one). So I had to look up more on 'kiln guns'....

http://firearmshistory.blogspot.com/201 ... s.html?m=1

Now there's another shotgun on my wish-list....

[milton]

Yep! Back when I worked as a geologist for a lime company the kiln operators had to shoot kiln rings (calcium oxide in the flame of a kiln mixed with the silica in the coal fuel produce a constricting ,hard ring in the kiln) with a no. 8 industrial Winchester gun.Though the original gun was a single shot breech loader an experienced shooter/loader crew could put quite a rounds down range.They first used lead slugs but at the insistence of the EPA the slugs were changed to zinc.
I always wanted to try one out in the quarry at 1000 yards but management just would not allow it

[Sixgun]

OK Doc....you get the gun and I'll supply the ammo....only 3 rounds of 8 ga.

The two on the left are marked "industrial" with no makings as to what kind of shot they are.....for use in these kiln guns.

Third one is a sporting 8 ga........long ago outlawed

Number 4 and 5 are 10 ga. 3 and 1/2" magnum sporting

# 6 is a standard 2 and 3/4 12 ga. magnum

#7 is a puny 28 ga.-------6

[AJMD429]

I'm surprised Royal Nonesuch hasn't made one yet...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8moXs9PC_k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVhceWZiYPQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2m7cnBOakI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8moXs9PC_k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK9NqYwr-Qw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idXdcoCiGXU

I like his videos - he even shows his failures - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoBKWCLfHDU

Dunno what 1.5" bore would be in 'gauge'... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_eSGvWx0WQ

[GunnyMack]

Though I never shot an 8, I did shoot a 10 with 8 ga powder charge-ONCE! While not unpleasant it rattled my teeth.
Now six don't pick on the 28 ga, it kills birds just like my 410 does!

[Noah Zark]

Back in the day when I worked in the paper industry, the Papermakers local walked one November and we salaried folks had to keep the mill water plant, demineralizer, and power boilers running running (no pulp or paper production) because many of the houses in town were steam heated by the mill, and the entire town got its water from the mill. For the first week of the strike I was assigned a 12 hr fire watch at the lime kiln, which was shut down. BOR-ing. I had some quality time with the 8 ga Winchester kiln gun, which looked something like this, but nowhere near as clean:



The lever opens and closes the breech, and the cable at the far left is the firing "lanyard."

There was a lime clinker ring in the kiln, and I was bored one night, so I used about 14 shells and removed most of the ring. There were three PALLETS of cases of 8 ga "Industrial" ammo for that thing in a room adjacent to the firing end / control room of the kiln. It was LOUD, even with foam plugs and earmuffs, but the worst was all the lime dust that each shot stirred up. When the kiln is running and firing, there's a strong draft that pulls the dust through the filter / precipitator. With the kiln cold, the dust would float back into the room unless I closed the ports quickly.

Noah

[Sixgun]

Hi Noah,.....where you been hiding?

Do you remember what the projectile was? Mine are not marked except for the standard markings---6

[Noah Zark]

Hi Noah,.....where you been hiding?

Busy with work and my late mother's estate.

Do you remember what the projectile was? Mine are not marked except for the standard markings---6

The projectiles were all 3 oz slugs, Winchester brand, red and brass casing, marked "Industrial" IIRC.

Noah