Fiberglass Mortars vs. Cardboard Mortars

The tubes used to launch artillery shells are commonly called mortars. They can be made of cardboard, fiberglass, or high density polyethylene (HDPE). Cardboard mortars are primarily used for reloadable ball and canister shells up to 1.75” in diameter, and with powder weights of 40 grams or less. For basic artillery shells such as Festival Balls, cardboard mortars are more than adequate. Given that cardboard is the weakest of the three materials, cardboard mortars have the shortest life span of all launch tubes. Only the shells included in the kit should be launched from the cardboard tube. Then it should be discarded.

Fiberglass and HDPE mortars are more durable than cardboard mortars and are strong enough to handle both ball and canister shells with powder weights up to 60 grams. Regardless of which type of tube you use, it’s always a good idea to inspect the mortars before loading each shell to make sure they are in good condition and to let the mortar cool for a few minutes in between shots.