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Raw wool instead of flax tow

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well if you need exact quotes saying "we used wool" you are not likely going to find it and you are being a little pedantic

Why would he bring up wool in the first place and say that felt and soft brown paper were preferable if no one was using it?!

The very way he speaks of it in his writing indicates it was likely a common practice to use wool. Otherwise he is just the idiot talking about a thing no one was doing in the first place.

When looking at historical documents sometimes one must read between the lines and use a little common sense. And I know that it is a rare commodity and all that but just do some simple extrapolation here!
The only question I would have about using raw wool would be the source. Wool was salable where as tow was a waste product, and there was Spanish moss, grass, worn out cloth ect available.
Howsomever we read of Boone buying the best Irish linen for patching. And small shot was sold on the frontier. In terms of cost, killing a deer with a hundred pounds plus of meat cost the same as a rabbit with one pound or a turkey with ten.
So any thing shot with shot was expensive, but they were doing it on the frontier where cost really mattered.
Thus the cost of raw wool might not have been a factor
Just some thoughts.
 
You read the Spanish moss thing I read. Lol I think I read what you read somewhere.

They just new how load it.

Does squirrel skin work? Just thinking of dinner and what to do with the rest. You know.. allot of skins no I wouldn't use because its value but you know something like the squirrel? Etc.
 
Depends where you are. Date. Gender. Age. specifics

If you have a field of corn next to a field of nice tobacco fresh thick leaves next to a field of cotton next to a field of soybeans..

I kid or women might need an easy load to use.
 
1829..

1729. First brought here.

1765. First crop planted. First intro to American colonies. Georgia..

It took off though 1900s

they weren't called soybeans till around 1804s

Specifics.. would need Specifics.
 
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That's hemp stuff

That's no good. As you can see no one would use that.

To expensive I think anyway. For $45 you better get a big bag.
 

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Hemp is funny..

you pack that good you can't draw air threw it.. A Donkey packed bowl..

Cotton.. wool.. you can pack that all you want it will draw air like a filter..

Wool and or cotton. Not a wind breaker material.

Hemp was like there plastic back then. It's Strong stuff too. The boat sail alone. ⛵️ you think you could get the same performance using cotton or wool.
 
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Why would you think that? Three different fibers with different characteristics.

They didn't use hemp much back then? They Fought a war over it I thought.

Your the one against wool in there?

What's wrong with hemp. We Afraid the guns going to shoot a little high maybe..

If I had a chronograph I'd be interested to compair the three. But I think without it. Hemp and or tow is going to seal better with less material
 
Raw wool. Looks like it would take over an inch of it in the barrel over the powder to get the same seal as a piece of paper.

I'd add a little paper first. Just to use less wool..
 
Hemp was grown in Kentucky from way back. It was the #1 cash crop until outlawed following WW2. While it looks exactly like it’s THC bearing sister, hemp will not get you high.

And just exactly what crop did we fight a war over. If you say cotton I’m gonna kick you in the jimmie.
 
1829..

1729. First brought here.

1765. First crop planted. First intro to American colonies. Georgia..

It took off though 1900s

they weren't called soybeans till around 1804s

Specifics.. would need Specifics.
It’s funny. I just found this exact list. Funny part is, looking up the sources the AI provided they contradict themselves.
 
It’s funny. I just found this exact list. Funny part is, looking up the sources the AI provided they contradict themselves.
Yup.

It's accurate to a point. You have to search it ask the same question a different way..

It updated some with our new law into affect here. The AI is up to date kinda with that.
 
They didn't use hemp much back then? They Fought a war over it I thought.

Your the one against wool in there?

What's wrong with hemp. We Afraid the guns going to shoot a little high maybe..

If I had a chronograph I'd be interested to compair the three. But I think without it. Hemp and or tow is going to seal better with less material
You totally missed the point. Again. Didn't say hemp wasn't used, in fact it can be used just as effectively as linen tow.

Your reading comprehension really is awful.
 
Good leaves for it.. makes a nice wad..

I have to post this one.

Just because I have no clue what else. That's a nice wad.


The way it sticks like that.

🤣..
 

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Paper to compair.

The paper is not as air tight. You can blow air threw it.

The leaves. It's solid. Your not getting air threw it.

Edit.. added a regular tree leaf.. it's just not the same.
 

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I could fill that thing with wool pack it all day. Still be able to draw air threw it.

I think it was those leaves. Specifically those ones when they said they used leaves. That was it.
 
Why would you think that? Three different fibers with different characteristics.

And they all work...

But without a chronograph I couldn't tell you what's best with experience.. and then there is accuracy or pattern.

I have some info I've found. But it's someone else's work from another forum. It is 2024. There's info out there. so yea I read some things...

I just wish I could find more info.

The less you need to seal it. Seems to do better. Like a piece of paper. Or just a leather wad.. etc. That wasp nest they did good job making that paper thing.

This is for round ball no patch.. I don't know. Have only shot shot from the smoothbore..

I really need to get some balls for this thing.
 
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