US Navy Driggs Mk IX 37mm Quickfire Cannon

Developed between 1883 and 1889 by Lt. William Driggs and Commander (later Admiral) Seaton Schroeder, the Driggs cannon was an improvement on the market-standard Hotchkiss quick-fire cannon of the day. By quick-fire, I am referring to a single-shot cannon that has a recoil mechanism and ejects its empty case automatically, leaving the breech open for rapid reloading and subsequent shot. This was the standard type of naval armament for allowing large vessels to combat small and quick torpedo boats in the late 19th century. The Driggs guns were made in many variations and calibers but limited total quantities until about 1908. This example is a Mk IX type in 37mm, made in 1897.
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[@eazy2195]

It looks good both on the battlefield and in the living room, perfection

[@midshipman8654]

Some people have a piano in their living room, me? I have a light canon. Takes about the same space, but is an infinitely more utilitarian set piece.

[@viridisxiv766]

@@midshipman8654 perfect for when your dinner guests just wont leave...

[@Ucceah]

exactly what i was thinking at first sight. it's just a thing of beauty.

[@rodrigogascagomez5190]

@Kizo Mi easy, have it in the corner so it has the door and windows in its field of fire. It's free-traverse, and too large to need aiming.

[@Tr4wnet]

"One of the cannons theyre going to be selling..." #JustUSAThings

[@Hubert_Cumberdale_]

I am envious

[@ianfurqueron5850]

currently 9, although a few of them are scale models.

[@7hart2]

If I had the cash, I would love to drag one through the Canadian border as an import.

[@waynebye1305]

That's what I thought. Let's see more cannon

[@john-paulsilke893]

As far as importing to Canada easy as pie. But the ammo is gonna be a problem on the America side of the border. Strangely Canada doesn’t care about big guns, just small guns and the USA seems to be concerned with the opposite issue. 🤪

[@loganmartin3642]

Government: “Sir why do you need a 1 pounder cannon?” Me: “uh...it’s medical”

[@MrJimheeren]

Logan Martin it’s called guneridis

[@devlad]

It's my emotional support cannon

[@jillvalentinefan77]

It's for recoil therapy.

[@MrOnePieceMusic]

pretty sure a 1 pounder is good against depression

[@hansmueller3029]

@@MrJimheeren that's what potheads get.

[@sarjim4381]

Forget my lousy AK for home defense. I need a 37mm cannon!

[@d5m2t2k41]

Imagine try too shoulder the thing and blasting it in the middle east

[@Ofotherworlds]

If your home is a houseboat in the Gulf of Aden this would definitely be your best bet.

[@d5m2t2k41]

@@Ofotherworlds and a crate of aks

[@moehoward01]

Nah.... we want a Gau 8.

[@dreamingflurry2729]

@@moehoward01 Who wouldn't? :D Everything coming at you (unless it's a warship) is swiss cheese after you are done :)

[@claytonforbes4763]

Why do you have a cannon? Me: It’s my “emotional support “ cannon, it’s very therapeutic. Thanks very much!

[@kevinsullivan3448]

And why are YOU bringing that miniature Donkey on the plain?

[@finnmcool2]

That would make you feel pretty safe.

[@piatpotatopeon8305]

Did you see how smoothly that thing swiveled? A sailor could 360° no scope those torpedo boats! I wonder how many times he could do that before the chief petty officer made him regret it.

[@weaponsgradepotato]

What would the officer do? The sailor is on a cannon!

[@franklind.roosevelt7416]

Probably once.

[@rodrigogascagomez5190]

@@weaponsgradepotato Find a 2 pounder

[@NicoNyon]

Appart from the recoil the shell would eject right in his chest. I suppose you should aim then lock and finally fire.

[@piatpotatopeon8305]

@@NicoNyon I didn't think of that! Good point.

[@den2k885]

Does it come with a .22LR conVersion kit?

[@kenibnanak5554]

You should be able to bore out a dummy round for .22 Mag, or .357, etc. then single load those and shoot. Put a 30-30 round in and use it for deer hunting. Be the first in your state to take a deer with a naval cannon.

[@TheKemist87]

@@annelisemeier283 Like 37 mm wouldn't turn your brains into mush

[@whyjay9959]

It might have canister ammo that you can stuff with a few dozen .22 bullets each.

[@killmimes]

@@TheKemist87 its a quote from a tv show.

[@zuthalsoraniz6764]

Pfft, neck down 37 mm to .22 LR. Eargesplitten Loudenboomer 2: Boom Louder

[@horuslux8441]

I just realized that Ian’s idea of a living room involves the same contents as what most would consider an arsenal... I feel a little under-equipped now.

[@CAPNMAC82]

Since it has a matching carriage, it was likely meant to accompany a Ship's Landing Force; which makes it somewhat unique, too.

[@kevinsullivan3448]

And not just removed from the deck mount, but a dedicated landing piece that is stowed with the rifles.

[@thecatwithatophat4069]

I know a lot of people before me have probably said this but, based on British tanks and naval usage the 3 pounder is about 47mm and the 6 pounder is about 57mm in diameter.

[@MPI1000]

It's not quite that cut and dried. The British "pom-pom" AA guns with predecessors came in 1-pdr, 1 1/2-pdr and 2-pdr varieties. They had 37mm, 37mm and 40mm diameters respectively! Also, the 76mm 17-pdr doesn't follow the pattern very well, but it's long heavy projectiles made it a 17 pounder, whereas the naval 3" (76mm) was a 12 pounder. It's simply the rough projectile weight.

[@kevinsullivan3448]

@@MPI1000 The difference between the 1pdr and 1.5pdr is the length of the projectile. Naval ordinance rounds in the late 1800s can be crazy in variety because the ammo made for a 4.5in 30 cal gun is not the same as ammo made for a 4.5in 40 cal gun. And this is a Naval gun. By WWII this was simplified.

[@roadsweeper1]

I find the US weapon laws hilarious, that this, a fully functioning and useable 37mm cannon, legally, isn't a destructive device lol.

[@nicholas_scott]

roadsweeper1 exceptions are made for older, historically relevant firearms. There is a limited number, so it’s a reasonable compromise

[@elektro3000]

Yet if you trim the barrel on a .22LR single shot Cricket rifle to 15", it becomes a federally regulated SBR.

[@matthewkriebel7342]

Many countries have a date of manufacture cutoff where they stop caring. Usually around 1900. Also, inert projectiles aren’t regulated, but the original ammunition would be explosive, and each and every shell would be a DD, and require a tax stamp. I find that part more ridiculous (as a concept, not in terms of public safety).

[@thompkins6796]

@@elektro3000 but think of the destructive potential that .22lr SBR has on innocent squirrel and rabbit families!

[@nicholas_scott]

​@@elektro3000 SBR rules are a quirk of the Firearms Act of 1934, where handguns were going to be severely limited like with Europe, and treated like SBRs are. But handgun restrictions were removed, but the SBR stuff remained.

[@k.a.davison9897]

Brass and black lacquer! Simply lovely. Compact and well designed. "Don't forget the Brasso, Ma." If they had two I'd considering marrying, again. I'd just keep them in storage for the next divorce. Simple and straight forward.

[@thibaudduhamel2581]

iirc there's one example of this gun shown shooting in R.Lee Ermey's lock and load episode on artillery.

[@AThreeDogNight]

Yeah, I've watched that one a few times, love it.

[@SuperAWaC]

might be the same one

[@jonasglanshed]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGGYe6KXq8eZqLc

[@dwaynetherock-hardjohnson5676]

Thibaud Duhamel may he Rest In Peace

[@chrthiel]

@@AThreeDogNight That show is terrible in all the best ways.

[@BestWeedVideos]

Last time i came that early, Ian had a G11.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

Last time I was this early, Germany was going to adopt the G11.

[@hukaman88]

Last time I came early my wife got mad

[@AThreeDogNight]

@@hukaman88, LOL!!!!!!!

[@MadManchou]

Would love it if you could get your hands on a 75mm mle. 1897 . The action on that cannon should be quite interesting I think, since it was considered a state secret up to the beginning of WW1.

[@declana1359]

I absolutely love the look and size of this cannon, it's just perfect

[@daksanders4579]

Definitely a great living room decoration, but even better tor watching robbers shit themselves after bursting through the front door...

[@iododendron3416]

You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I fell lucky?'. Well, do you, group of 10 robbers standing in a perfect line behind one another?

[@fatman.reviews]

What a beautiful piece of craftsmanship,

[@rolsen1304]

My thoughts exactly, you can see the care and thought that went into the design and construction of this. It's like a piece of industrial art. The way it smoothly pivots and tracks made me realise how deadly and battle deciding this could be in the hands of a skilled gunner in a good position overlooking a battlefield. Think this gun was kind of wasted on the navy. This should have been used to snipe enemy officers and break up rallying troops.

[@CaptainGrief66]

6:03 Ahhh yes, wood, nice oak padding, comfy and squishy, exactly what your shoulder needs when you're firing a light field gun

[@silentwraithgaming8631]

you would not want to shoulder fire the cannon. that is if you want to have your face intact.

[@CaptainGrief66]

@@silentwraithgaming8631 I never said shouldering the cannon, the gunner of the crew has a stock when aiming it at a moving target, but you probably feel nothing since on a warship the cannon would be on a solid fixed mount.

[@iododendron3416]

You could hip fire it.

[@TenebrusI07]

@@CaptainGrief66 the gun recoils in it's own housing so you wouldn't feel much either way..

[@CaptainGrief66]

@@TenebrusI07 Just because it has a recoil system it doesn't mean that all the inertia would go away with it, it's on a wheeled carriage for a reason.

[@RangeTeaGaming]

Thats what I need. A 37 mm for practical use! Much appreciation Ian!

[@williamsager805]

Reminds me of the Bethlehem Steel 37mm Cannon, that you did back in 2014.

[@Blodhelm]

Beautiful craftsmanship.

[@Thrashgu]

Hello, I'm Ian McCallum and I have a big cannon.

[@user-YuHaoHuang]

This cannon is loaded And so am I

[@M.M.83-U]

Great video Ian. In 1915 for the Regia Marina (Italian Navy) the Hotckis 6 pr translate as a 57x43 mm cannon and the 3 pr as 47x40; we had also a super tiny 25 mm version.

[@thelonerider5644]

Very cool. And in surprisingly good shape!

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you for all your work ,

[@kenhelmers2603]

Yep, need one to set beside my Gatling :) Thanks Ian

[@Opaheke1]

More 19th century gun goodness. Love it!

[@jerryjohnsonii4181]

Gun Jesus time !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another great review Ian an thanks for the knowledge Sir

[@Hubert_Cumberdale_]

I want this for my steam powered tank.

[@Daminite]

I can see the pitch now ”The ultimate in home defence! Home invaders think twice when this is pointed in their face! No longer fear for the safety of your loved ones! Doubles as a doorbell for pesky solicitors! Buy today! ”

[@rich7787]

That gun is gorgeous, what a beauty!

[@charles_wipman]

Look really good to me and well preserved.

[@sirusvader6304]

I'd imagine that buttstock is for your left shoulder. Unless you want your chest caved in by the ejecting case.

[@rodrigogascagomez5190]

That's just the "prove you're tough enough" feature

[@archstanton1628]

Was thinking the same, couldn't see a brass deflector anywhere on that breech lol

[@kevinsullivan3448]

I doubt it would cave in your chest, more likely bruise you up if you don't wear any protection.

[@hansmueller3029]

It's a stunning gun. Even the the carriage

[@Viraqua]

I take it that it's set up for left handed shooting, because you wouldn't want to be behind that thing when it reciprocates back or when the case ejects out the back.

[@matthayward7889]

Wonder how hard it would have been to give it a ‘bofors ’ style top loading magazine? Move the recoil cylinder to the side maybe...

[@fidjeenjanrjsnsfh]

Given that the hardest part of "converting" the M1 garand to the M14 was the magazine, I'd assume pretty hard.

[@SlavicCelery]

@@fidjeenjanrjsnsfh unless you're the Italians

[@jakedee4117]

I know it would be fun, but if you mess around with it then it's no longer an antique.

[@51WCDodge]

Single shot bolt action! Don't push your luck. :-)

[@matthayward7889]

Jake Dee I meant at the time, no way I’d be messing with that gorgeous antique 👍

[@mbox314]

For smooth surface friction is dependent on normal force and friction coefficient only, there are exceptions but typically surface area does not affect friction.

[@alancrews2066]

Very cool

[@gordonrottman469]

These guns were also used by Navy landing parties and sometimes manned by Marine ship's detachments.

[@thorinossman5082]

I knew I had seen this before. I watched top shot religiously

[@miketeeveedub5779]

Ian's the type of guy to have space in his living room for a non-destructive device.

[@FirstMetalHamster]

What a nice little cannon. I could find a use for one or two of those...

[@markinok.8787]

Do you know how much one of your videos increases the value of the auction piece

[@user-xj5mk2dt1t]

Wunderbar. Handmade!

[@salamisalesexpress]

Anyone else get the "I tucker pro" commercials for every gun related video they watch?

[@docgonzodotcom]

I could use one of these... No idea what for, but I could use it nevertheless... Maybe for varmints... Saves me the trouble of cleaning up somewhat...

[@ironwolfF1]

Heh...coyotes, ground hogs, and squirrels beware. ;-)

[@chrispygoatsman2199]

Until you fell the tree the squirrel was on and it falls on your barn

[@TheWolfsnack]

great for gopher control.....

[@yoda1037]

@@TheWolfsnack if the gophers are 30ft tall

[@grahamlopez6202]

It's for getting gophers that are inside a gopher hole

[@lf2nd705]

The sights!

[@anonymous2513456]

you know i've been looking for a new 37mm cannon, my old one just does not have the gravitas that it used to. Perhaps i'll buy this one.

[@wfp9378]

7:55 Living room? I want it on my car! :-p

[@albertmcmichael9110]

Screams "Get off my lawn!"

[@jimmiller5600]

"and turn that music down!"

[@AdurianJ]

In sweden the most common quickfire gun was a 57mm m/89 gun but it existed in several variants. Today a number still exist for gun salutes. If you are ever in stockholm the islan opposite the palace has a row of these

[@THE_YIGLER]

Nothing puts a smile on my face more than an NFA exempt firearm

[@owenmorfey4868]

Wanna see a range trip video for this

[@davidforsberg5675]

Have a perfect garage space for it 😁

[@davidforsberg5675]

😍 you had me at no paperwork with ATF.....so my plans to roll up to Mesa Table rd and be the one with the biggest gun on range day will be true 😄😄😁.

[@DonMeaker]

Wow! 79 lbs for a 37mm is less than the 84 lbs for a Browning M-2 cal. .50 machine gun.

[@bensmith4563]

Every home needs one

[@Pitsspit]

Great vid! Quick question the carriage makes it possible to freely move and shoulder fire that weapon wouldnt the recoil obliterate your shoulder and the brass break a rib if it is kicked out to the gunner?

[@russellgough7801]

JBS also inspected the ammunition which is supplied - have a look at the auction picture :-)

[@Rumo82]

This is one of the devices belonging in every household.

[@HorzaPanda]

Ian: If you've got a space in your... My brain: Heart? Ian: Living room ^^" >_>

[@daveweller9579]

Not considered a destructive device that means I can use it for for deer hunting 😀

[@jayfelsberg1931]

this would be cool to take to the range

[@kogamei]

Every Day with these videos, good shit.

[@Colonel_Overkill]

bit late, but a short conversion table is as follows. a 37mm is 1pdr, 47mm is 3pdr, 57mm is 6pdr, 76mm is 12pdr. later on the 76mm became the 17pdr but thats the difference in early and modern artillery.

[@pepperspray7386]

Can we get the exploded jury rigged gun from 55 Days at Peaking next?

[@emperorbless120]

Shouldn't you use your left shoulder for aiming the cannon? If you use the right one it looks like you would get a piece of hot brass violently launched at your chest, which i assume would be a most unpleasant experience.

[@mfree80286]

You might have an excellent point...

[@anthonywilliams379]

Can't help wondering how hot those hand loads are

[@Lilljehook]

Perfect I need a Canon

[@floo1465]

they’ve probably got one at your nearest camera store

[@Mr229357]

Cute gun 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@jorgschimmer8213]

So i assume we are getting a shooting video tomorrow ?

[@kenibnanak5554]

It is a temptation, a new pick up truck, or a new (old) cannon. A shame I can't get both this week. :)

[@willrogers3793]

Get the gun this week, get the truck next week, then find a way to mount the gun on the truck the week after that!

[@nutz4gunz457]

The rear sight looks like a doctors office scale.

[@b.griffin317]

there is a driggs st in williamsburg brooklyn. I wonder what connection there might be.

[@matthewplayer8337]

Would make a handsome lamp

[@yankeeredneck7229]

That is freaking awesome I'm pretty sure someone with some skill can make that into a semi-auto maybe with a magazine attached attached above the breech-block or just something to drop them in that's not spring loaded

[@willh8950]

Yankee redneck Well, these guns were designed to be crew served. I think if you had a good gunner, and a good loader, you could probably equal or surpass the rate of fire a magazine fed gun of the same type had... plus, changing something like this to a mag fed weapon would be both very hard and a crime against history

[@jacehendrix3194]

Trunion is a good name for a gunion part

[@vahannema]

Hey Ian, there seems to be a typo in the video thumbnail, as it says Mk XI, instead of IX. Other than that, very nice canon and video.

[@solsdadio]

My new back garden plinker.

[@jackass6257]

It's funny how shooting a one pound dumbbell can do so much

[@1pcfred]

The NFA; Why we can't have nice things today.

[@kevinsullivan3448]

Gotta reverse 100 years of precedent by making civilian firearms less effective than military arms. Can't have those peasants revolting now, can we?

[@wesleythomas1594]

6 pounder was 57mm. Hotchkiss also made a 9 pounder, which was 65mm.

[@revolverDOOMGUY]

Looks like the granpa of the bofors 40mm autocannon.

[@spudgunn8695]

Get it on the range. Please, get it on the range!

[@nickwashburn723]

That thing has gotta be crazy expensive if it's non-NFA. That is amazingly badass.

[@durayenterprisesllc4440]

Nick Washburn why would being non-NFA make it crazy expensive? A $200 stamp is practically moot when you're spending thousands on a functioning antique.

[@crazyfvck]

@@durayenterprisesllc4440 No $200 tax stamp, no 6 month (or more) waiting period, no FFL transfer needed (ships straight to your house,) and NO having your purchase added to a gov't list. I'm guessing it will go for at least $50k.

[@durayenterprisesllc4440]

crazyfvck none of those are significant obstacles to a serious collector. People jump through those hoops for a $300 rimfire suppressor to plink with....how much more if you're spending tens of thousands on a rare collectible cannon? NFA isn't that big a deal.

[@crazyfvck]

@@durayenterprisesllc4440 I didn't say anything about those things being obstacles. Some people value secrecy. If you want to buy a cannon, and you don't want certain people to know about it, then your options are limited. Of course, someone could build their own, and not tell anyone about it. But if they are ever found with it, they'll spend x amount of years in prison, and they will lose their right to bear arms for the rest of their life. With this one, you will own it legally, but it is "off the radar." EDIT: And for what it's worth, there are certain states, like mine, where all NFA items/weapons are illegal. So this would also be an option for someone like me, who would otherwise never be able to own a cannon.

[@lf2nd705]

Wow!

[@nikolai0875]

Cool

[@Jesses001]

If I had the money, I would SO have a new toy right now. Ammo included, hell yes. Also being 37mm, I think I can make new rounds for it too. Better keep the brass in good condition though.

[@TacticalMonky]

Any chance we can get a playlist that includes all videos where you get to fire the weapon? By no means am I saying i don't enjoy all the videos here at FW, i just got an inkling to learn about some guns i've never seen, and see them be fired, but it would take some time to pick through. To be honest though I'll be doing just that lol, just an idea for any others like me to easily find them.

[@curtc2194]

Excellent for keeping unruly neighbors in line lol

[@schism1984]

Light enough to fire from the hip.

[@luisesteves5807]

I don't really know about the "pound" measure, but the 17 pounder is 76mm

[@dougbower9479]

I really wish Morphy's would have allowed you to fire it for us.

[@crazyfvck]

Now Ian, you demonstrated firing this thing from the right shoulder. But shouldn't it be fired from the left shoulder? Unless I am missing something, firing it from the right shoulder would result in the shooter being hit in the chest with the spent case, which would severely injure or kill them.

[@kirkstinson7316]

Not to mention the barrel recoiling at you

[@RaDeus87]

That 37 cartridge is just tiny compared to the 40mm bofors cartridge, which i suspect is at least twice as long.

[@jamesbuckner4791]

6-pounder is roughly a 57 millimeter projectile

[@F-5E3_Tiger_II]

am i going crazy or is the forgotten weapons title picture thing a few seconds longer than usual?

[@Catcrumbs]

What use is the shoulder stock if the cases are ejected with force right in front of your chest?

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

This is steampunk as fuck, I wanna mount a couple of these on my war-zeppelin!