Vegemite,I am having trouble understanding much of your post!!!!
The part about cows and farmers. And peanut butter.
I think that shooting anvils very high up is a dangerous stunt!!!! Let alone something going wrong,and the anvil shot off at an angle where it could land on someone or something(house,car,PERSON ?),it could come straight back down and hit the other anvil,damaging itself of both. No,I don't care for the idea.
MY anvil is too highly polished(for use in silver smithing as well as blacksmith work),I don't want it dented,or to get corrosive black powder,OR Pyrodex (which is citric acid,IIRC) on it.
BTW: I made the beak iron to fit into the anvil. Made of 01 steel,hardened and tempered. My anvil is a rare model with the hardie hole next to the horn. A "Soho engine forger's anvil" is what it is called. WHY anyone would want the hole near the horn I have no idea.
Chaining the anvil down tight like this is seen in 18th. C. pictures. It keeps the anvil from ringing,and making you go deaf. This does not work on ALL models of anvils. My anvil is solid tool steel,hardened,and with no separate top plate welded on. (or to chip loose or fracture). I love it!!!