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LadyEllen -> RE: Do you own one? (5/2/2007 2:35:07 PM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: StellaByStarlite
Ok... I "kind of" have a gun.
It's a muzzle loader. You know the kind you have to pack the wadding and powder in, or whatever. My stepfather makes them, and one Christmas he gave one as a present. =)
I mean, I can't USE it, or anything. But, technically, yes, it's a gun. Kind of
Stella! They're wonderful things to use - needs a lot more skill than a more modern type of weapon. A bugger to clean of black powder afterwards though.
1) before you start, make sure the thing isnt already loaded. Its not a good idea to fire a double loaded gun. You can either put some priming powder in the pan and let that off - it should ignite any charge present. Better though, take the ramrod (preferably one with a metal (brass) end and slide it down the barrel to the bottom - if its not loaded, you will hear a metallic clink - slide, dont drop. If you dont get a metallic clink, assume loaded and get your worm out and remove the charge the hard way (assuming you tried to fire it off and failed).
NB - muzzle loaders, once fouled with black powder after a few shots, can misfire and not discharge. Never assume though, if you fire the priming pan and the weapon didnt discharge, that you are not going to get a delayed firing! I also used a count of 30 before investigating a misfire.
2) OK, so youre sure your weapon is empty. Measure out your powder charge - most powder containers I ever had, had a measuring device at the spout. Dont overcharge - one measure should be enough. Pour the powder down the barrel.
3) Take your wadding - toilet paper is great for this, but fold it first. Push this down onto the charge with the ramrod, firmly but avoiding hard percussive strikes which can cause the powder to go off. Never hold the ramrod with your hand over the end of it for this reason - if the charge does go off prematurely, it will blast the rod straight through your palm.
4) Next put your bullet in - I only ever used shotgun pellets, but a lead ball will work. Then put some more wadding on top - otherwise your bullet/pellets are apt to roll out the barrel if you arent careful!
5) Make sure you have now returned the ramrod to its holder. There are many tales, apocryphal urban myths perhaps, of people shooting their ramrods along with their bullet/pellets.
6) Next, open the priming pan. Pour a little powder in, enough to fill it but not go spilling everywhere. Close the pan.
7) When youre ready to shoot, cock the flintlock, open the pan and pull the trigger. Alternatively if you have a matchlock as I did, open the pan - keeping the lit match out of harms way and then either use the trigger to dunk the match or if youre daft like me, dunk it by hand. The powder in the priming pan will poof in a grey sulphurous cloud, and an instant later (unless you have a misfire), the powder in the barrel will go off, and the projectile will leave the barrel. If youre left handed, then unless you have a custom built weapon, you will have to shoot right handed - otherwise expect the priming pan to cause you some interesting burns. Either way, you will likely end up a little smudged from powder!
8) If you use pellets, bear in mind that without a choke, you will have a major spread pattern within a relatively small range. I shot a moving clay pigeon with my matchlock, and it disappeared in the spread of pellets - a shotgun often clips or splits such a target. Also bear in mind the recoil - these things dont take prisoners and can be variable, shot by shot, depending on the charge, the efficiency of the wadding etc
9) Practice makes perfect, though two to three shots a minute is about the best anyone ever seems to manage
10) Cleaning is essential. Black powder is the most disgustingly filthy and corrosive means for firing a weapon! Cleaning also takes a lot more time and effort than with a more modern gun, but doing it properly means fewer problems in future. Before cleaning, again make sure there is no charge in the barrel.
E
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