18th Century Early Colonial, Muzzle-Loading Smoothbore Cast Iron Swivel Gun, Outposts + Forts Type

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Early American History Auctions - December 20...

By Early American History Auctions

Dec 20, 2025

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• Lot Description
  American Revolution
  Early Colonial Era Muzzle-Loading Smoothbore Cast Iron Swivel Gun 18th Century Type Issued to Outposts & Forts
  c. Early to Mid-18th Century, Cast Iron Smoothbore Muzzle-Loading Swivel Gun, measuring 60" (5') from end to end, features a 16" ring mount, a 3" diameter barrel, a top-drilled fuse hole, a vent in the side and a thick knob behind the breech, and a 3.25" rear handle, Fine.
  This weapon's uneven finish, rudimentary shape, and lack of reinforcement rings, and chase fillets, suggests domestic American manufacture, as most professionally produced swivel guns from the 17th and 18th centuries are larger, heavier, and far more finely cast. While this weapon may not be as well produced, where or when, or made to look elaborate as some of its contemporaries, yet its 1.5" bore would put it on an equal footing with the vast majority of the others when it was able to fire. (Note, this item's age and condition make it unsafe to operate. Do not attempt to test fire under any circumstances.) This entire cannon has a very rough rusted exterior no doubt having decades of exposure to the elements. However, its swivel iron is fully intact and strong. There is no mounting block with the cannon for display, though one can easily be created. The number "557" is stamped halfway down the barrel. It has also been suggested that this piece may have been cast at an iron works in Virginia, though no exact provenance is available.
  Swivel guns of this type were used principally aboard sailing ships of the era, serving as short range antipersonnel ordnance. They were not ship-sinking weapons, due to their small caliber and short range, but could do considerable damage to anyone caught in their line of fire with small shells or grapeshot. Due to their relatively small size, swivel guns were highly portable and could be moved around the deck of a ship quite easily (and certainly much more easily than other types of cannon). They could be mounted on vertical timbers, which provided the gunner with a reasonably steady platform from which to aim and fire. The small size of swivel guns enabled them to be used by a wide variety of vessels, including those too small to accommodate larger cannons, and also permitted their use on land. They were commonly issued at forts and smaller outposts in North America in the 18th century throughout the French & Indian and Revolutionary War Era, and Lewis and Clark took one with them on their famous expedition into the American interior in 1804.
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  Swivel guns also had peaceful uses. They were used for signaling purposes and for firing salutes, and also found uses in whaling, where bow-mounted swivel guns were used to fire harpoons, and fowling, where swivel guns mounted on punts were used to shoot flocks of waterfowl.
  
  
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