"Austrian 15mm artillery - again ;-)" Topic

I am about to purchase 6pdr and 12pdr gun models. The gunner figures are from Lancashire Games (approximately 17mm from base to top of head) so I am happy to assume the scale is approximately 1:100. I have the following actual and scale dimensions for the 6pdr and 12pdr guns:

6pdr
Barrel length 1583mm (scale 15mm – 16mm)
Carriage length 2759mm (scale 27mm to 28mm)
Wheel diameter 1343mm (scale 13mm to 14mm)

6pdr (cavalry)
Barrel length 1448mm (scale 14mm to 15mm)
Carriage length 2759mm (scale 28mm to 29mm)
Wheel diameter 1343mm (scale 13mm to 14mm)

12 pdr
Barrel length 1997mm (scale 19mm to 20mm)
Carriage length 3191mm (scale 31mm to 32mm)
Wheel diameter 1343mm (scale 13mm to 14mm)

Can anyone point me at a manufacturer (or more than one) that produces gun models within these target scale dimensions? I have some old gun models (Minifigs 2nd generation) that are wildly inaccurate.

Many thanks in advance.

AB guns fit into the dimensions you are after for the 6pdrs. I also have a Campaign Game Miniatures 12pdr which also fits the required dimensions. Both manufactures mix quite well.
Personally I like the look of the AB guns better.

I have 15/18mm artillery (Austrian; Prussian; French; Russian; British; Spanish; Confed. of the Rhine) from several different manufacturers (AB; Old Glory; Battle Honours; Essex; FreiKorps; Minifigs) and my observation would be that its actually the difference in the width across the axles that stands out as the most obvious element in overall appearance.

I like the AB guns best, they look the most authentic to me, but I've not measured them specifically. The models are very specific to each army and period. The Old Glory guns are good but seem to be a bit generic to me, and a little larger. Other brands seem very generic on the whole and usually too narrow to look right, I use them as my reserve batteries. FreiKorps make a small 3 pounder gun model I use for Austrian battalion guns or 3 pounder batteries – they are tiny.

AB look the best to me but I've not tried the guns from CGM, Fantassin, Xan or Blue Moon.

@Desert Rat
Thanks for the heads-up on the dimensions. I like the look of the AB models, too.
@Nick
Agree that the width is a stand out dimension. Austrian axles were all 1738mm long so would scale to 17mm to 18mm.

The AB guns are approx 15mm from the insides of the wheels, approx 23mm from hub to hub (they are large hubs!).

@Desert Rat
Thanks again. Since AB 18mm figures are approximately 1:95 scale that makes their axle length 2185mm, which is massively out of proportion. I must admit to being baffled by this, since the AB and Eureka websites have a plan view of the cavalry 6pdr that suggests the proportions are OK. Perhaps I should re-check their pics with a bit more science.

WOW --I am simply amazed !! The proportions of an axle ????
I am ready for the roast and that is just fine ---But just WOW !!

Russ Dunaway

Hi Russ
The Blue Moon 12pdr looks very similar to a 1764 print of the Liechtenstein 12pdr I am using for reference. Do you have any model dimensions you can post?
Many thanks.
Allan

Can't offer any advice but I sympathise. A few years ago I had occasion to compare a few French guns in 28mm scale. At £10.00 GBP a pop it's not a cheap exercise so I didn't look at that many but the first three or four were all inaccurate.

The key dimensions for them to look right are, I think, track, carriage length, wheel diameter and tube length. I found that most manufacturers get one of these right. Two is exceptional.

@4th Cuirassier
In 15mm the cost is not so bad, but I need 50+ models so it's not insignificant.
The AB and Blue Moon guns look fabulous and I may have to put up with the best of a bad job. I am just a bit surprised that there is little or no model dimension data out there.