Help with how to say a little detail

[JRTomlin]

This seems silly but I am not sure exactly how to say the 'mouth(?) of a cannon'. King James II has just received as a gift from the Duke of Burgundy the cannon the "Mons Meg' which was probably the largest medieval cannon every manufactured. And he LOVED cannons. So he is running his around the 'opening'? 'mouth'? of the barrel. (I think even on a cannon it would be a barrel).   

Any suggestions?

[DrewMcGunn]

What about muzzle? My current series is heavily focused on 19th century combat, massed armies and grand artillery batteries. Although the idea of describing the maw of the barrel does have a certain appeal, I used the word muzzle to describe the barrel's opening.

[Jeff Tanyard]

Another vote for "muzzle."

[JRTomlin]

Thanks! Muzzle didn't even occur to me but I think it's the right word. The dictionary defines it as 'the open end of the barrel of a firearm' so that seems right.

LOL I'm better at describing a trebuchet than a cannon but this was the beginning of the age of cannons and firearms.