Pa. man fires cannon, hits neighbor’s house
September 4th, 2009 . by TexasFredPa. man fires cannon, hits neighbor’s house
UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania history buff who recreates firearms from old wars accidentally fired a 2-pound cannonball through the wall of his neighbor’s home.
Fifty-four-year-old William Maser fired a cannonball Wednesday evening outside his home in Georges Township that ricocheted and hit a house 400 yards away.
The cannonball, about two inches in diameter, smashed through a window and a wall before landing in a closet. Authorities say nobody was hurt.
State police charged Maser with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
No one answered the phone Friday at Maser’s home. He tells WPXI-TV recreating 19th century cannons is a longtime hobby. He says he is sorry and he will stop shooting them on his property, about 35 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.
Full Story Here:
Pa. man fires cannon, hits neighbor’s house
Is this story *funny*? Of course it’s funny, in a really stupid kind of way.
What kind of IDIOT loads and fires a CANNON BALL? Firing a blank for a demo is one thing, and folks, I AM a serious gun owner and sport shooter, but to fire a CANNON BALL?? C’mon, this guy is an irresponsible loon.
Don’t try this at home kids!
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Are we sure being stupid isn’t a crime???
Given the performance of Congress lately, I would say no, stupidity isn’t against the law, otherwise 90% of our so called law makers would be in jail awaiting trial!
Just imagine if stupidity were painful!!
Sometimes it is. I’ve seen the videos! LOL!!!
I read this, and just started laughing…
You don’t just go and shoot cannons, period! On a range designed for that activity, sure. Secure backstops and all that…
No wonder Fred doesn’t like my lil’ boomer!
What that guy did was beyond stupid…
Ouch! I cringed when I read this. The guy is lucky that no one was injured. How irresponsible of him.
What idiot fires a cannon in a residential neighborhood?
I wonder how some idiots have survived to the age they are.
Awwwwwwww crap. I sure hope the lame stream media here
don’t pick that off the wire.
I can just hear one of the female co-anchors, whose famous for blowing everything out of porportion,………….It’ll be
“MAN WITH SEMI AUTOMATIC BLOWS HOLE IN NEIGHBORS HOUSE”
She’s the same one here about 2 weeks ago, that was telling about this hugh Amtrak locomotive that hit a womans dog. At the end of the news feed, she said, NO ONE ABOARD THE TRAIN WAS INJURED.
Tell me again Fred, arent you the one that said …journalism in
America was dead??? If it aint, it’s sure close. LMFAO
Vigilante, I have pointed out, on numerous occasions, that the MSM is seriously lacking in Journalistic Integrity..
It’s a lot like reading a libbers blog, you have to sift thru tons of bullshit and lies but there is always a grain or 2 of truth, usually very near the bottom…
Was this a residential area? 400 yds is some distance. A ricochet rifle bullet can travel a mile or more. This guy, however should have been more careful and maybe loaded with powder only. Next time I go shoot my rifle I need to go to a very remote area—at least 3 miles from the nearest house and then perhaps, just perhaps it would be safe for me to pull the trigger. Before condemning this guy, I would like more details—it does seem like he acted foolishly. But we must remember his primative cannon, did not have the range of a 30-06 a hunter shoots at a fleeing deer with no backstop—careful with the condemnations they could come back to bite you!
Before condemning the guy?? He loaded a cannon ball…
Sure, it was an accident, but most accidents are just plain STUPID… And shooting accidents, especially ones of THIS magnitude, are tremendously stupid!
Was expecting incoming—is it the “size of the balls or the aim of the gun” that counts the most Fred. Yep, the guy probably acted foolishly, but as you say accidents do happen. Should I abandon my 270 in favor of my 17 cal. Honestly, I would rather have someone shoot at me with a primative cannon at 400 yds that with a 30-06. And at 2000yds I would laugh at the cannon , but still be somewhat concerned about the 30-06.
I must admit this is a funny story and I feel sorry for the guy and I’m sure he’ll load with blanks from now on, but as for me give me real ammo or give me nothing.
Silver Fox…
You correctly noted that this was not a residential neighborhood. Thank you for that.
Now… an 06, and the genre, as is your 270; can in fact possibly go for 2k yards. 24 and 1/2 degrees elevation, low, as in less than 15 degrees humidity, and no wind value whatsoever. With a whole set of variables that can be plus or minus. I have to call you on this one. A near impossibility.
My “toy? cannon is good to about a thousand yards if conditions are all in it’s favor etc. Accuracy? Non existent beyond 300 yards, period. I shoot it when I can in very controlled conditions, including blanks for celebrations etc.
BTW, for any that are interested: Fred and I are “Brothers.” We will however, never agree on things like Class 3 weapons for the general populace, Cannons for the frontier home, and the drug war. Still? I just have to love Jarheads in general…
So much for kiss ass blogs that don’t allow different opinions huh?
I got yer Jarhead there Doggie!
Some folks probably aren’t aware of my feelings on Class III weapons for the general public, but I am NOT in favor of Joe Blow being able to buy a Full-Auto just because he has a lot of $$$ to spend.
I have NO PROBLEM with Class III weapons in the right hands, as in, well trained, qualified, certified even, a person that has been fully schooled in their use, their drawbacks and their full capabilities… Case in point, U.S. Citizen, a blog buddy and all around damn good gun hand, HE is a qualified person, as is Patrick, myself and many others, but just like the folks that had the Auto-Loader show and the little kid was allowed to blast away with an Uzi, and ended up killing himself when the rate of climb got away from him and the gun spun, some folks just don’t NEED a Class III, BUT, if they have received that proper training, cool, go for it…
Personally, I was never into burning ammo, my son LOVES full auto-loaders, accuracy through volume is his motto..
Me, one shot, one kill, words to LIVE by, and that brings me to the WHY of carrying a .45 ACP, shooting something twice is a waste of ammo..
P.S. Patrick has often referred to folks such as us as *Trained gun fighters*, and that IS true, that said, if you can hit a BARN at 2K yards, it was a blind luck shot, play the lottery, you’ll hit it more often…
And Patrick KNOWS how I feel about SO many of these so-called GUN BLOGS and all of their *expert* commentary… I have been asked to not come back to more than a few after I asked the owner, “Just how many targets have you shot at that were shooting back there Ace??”
Paper punching is great if you’re getting a *feel* for your weapon, but until you’ve faced an ARMED adversary that is actively trying to kill YOU as hard as you’re trying to kill him, you have NO idea what the hell you’ll do in a REAL gunfight, I don’t care WHAT the *paper punchers* tell you…
Patrick, I didn’t mean to imply I could hit something at 2000 yds with a 270 or 30-06, but simply stated I would feel safer at that range with the cannon aimed at me as opposed to the rifle. I have shot hawks (when it was legal) at 500 yds with my 17 cal remington—maybe luck played a part, but then…. You are correct about the variables, they are always, and I mean always a problem.
Here is full proof of exactly what happens when an untrained kid shoots an UZI, and when an underage kid is the range-master…
http://texasfred.net/archives/2655
http://texasfred.net/archives/2666
http://texasfred.net/archives/2991
http://texasfred.net/archives/3132
You are right in many ways on this issue. I often see many kids and I mean kids under 12 on deer stands by themselves—I have a big problem with this. Yes, I got my first rifle at the age of 11, a bolt action 22cal. Many happy days spent squirrel hunting and rabbit hunting, but 11 year olds with large bore rifles and shotguns with buckshot—give me a break. That is really an accident waiting to happen. If the dad wants the youngster to have that type of gun then sit with him on the stand, do NOT leave him alone there.
As for fully auto rifles—-in qualified hands I have no problem—laws on this should remain strict, but not prohibitive.
Silver Fox, FULLY agreed… My father was a professional gun smith, I can’t remember, at ANY time, not having a gun, well, a lot of guns actually, but, we were raised WITH guns, of ALL calibers, I became a *gun hand* at a young age, I was shooting stuff at 8, 9, 10 years old that had I not been raised with them, I shouldn’t have been allowed to touch…
Rifles were always my best tool, and I DO look at them as tools, I never fired a pistol until I was 17 years old… The funny part of that?? 2 years later I was shooting competition pistol, turns out I was a natural with one… But again, I was trained from as early as I can remember on the use, responsibilities and capabilities of guns, ALL guns…
I had my Son shooting from a young age, one of his sisters is the most natural shooter I have ever seen, if she lived closer and had the desire, she could be an awesome competitor.
Just one of those things that runs in the family, and I have actually been accused of touting MORE gun laws, simply because I called for gun owner responsibility… Well, if being responsible makes being a gun owner a more restrictive endeavor, so be it… I don’t advocate any more prohibitive laws on full autos, but I am a staunch believer in the fact that you can NEVER be too well trained in their use..
Fred,
Here’s a couple of links.
http://1njla.com/batteryb.htm
http://www.nwtskirmisher.com/index.shtml
And a picture of a target. Look at the berm damage behind the picture.
There are a fair number of people doing this competitively. I have a friend that is a member of a team that competes in smoothbore, with a 12 pound Napoleon.
Not trying to say anything about the fellow you are writing about, he may be completely in the wrong, but I’d like to hear the full story, the press is going to make this look as bad as possible. Where was he on his property, was this something he did regularly, was there a reason that this ball went off course, etc.
http://www.nwtskirmisher.com/graphics/pics/2009/Sean%20sized%20crater.jpg
Sorry, here’s that target.
Full auto works best with a crew served weapon. Ever try to fire an M-14 on auto? Can’t hit crap unless you fire in three round bursts and still not as accurate as in semi-auto. My opinion full auto in hand held weapon is only good for keeping peoples heads down or cleaning out a close quarter space. Like semi-auto better.
ASM, just so you know, you posted them just fine, the links caused it to go into the moderation queue, it’s part of the anti-spam tools…
I just got the inside scoop—the 2lb cannon ball hit the target—a hard-headed liberal and bounced off continuing on an unplanned path to his neighbor house. Yep, the man was indeed a fool thinking such a small projectile could pentrate such a thick skull.