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When I have read the term used with sufficient information to identify the difference, it has consistently been, as has been mentioned already, a firearm more like a musket than an arquebus or a caliver but of a somewhat smaller (but implicitly or explicitly standardized) bore, possibly somewhat...

Possibly "drag boat" similarly to sledges such as the "stone boat"? Regards, Joel

CClyde was responding to CalGunner's use of "g" as the abbreviation for his powder charge units. "G" is properly the unit designation for grams, while "gr." (preferably with the period, as an abbreviation) is the proper unit designation for grains. A lot of us live with both units and the...

Calling the home-made stuff with tails "swan shot" is a modernism. It would have been called something like "drip shot" back then, and was purely a hard-times, do-it-yourself product. None of the types of commercial shot looked that bad. Traditionally, "swan shot" referred to a size of cast shot...

Sorry I'm coming a bit late to the party, but I haven't been to the Forum in a while. A term I've seen used for thickness of in the industry is the "point", which is a 1/1000th of an inch thickness. The best material I've found to make cards out of is often used in very stiff dividers and file...

You didn't note whether you have tried thicker wad columns, but I have read reports by shooters of both muzzle- and breech-loaders with jug chokes who found their best performance with thicker wad columns, sometimes surprisingly thick. The theory was that this kept the powder gasses sealed...

OK, while I'm thinking about it, I'll repost some things concerning our potential use of steel shot and of the shot protectors potentially used therewith. Some shooters have reported success with steel shot within limitations they consider acceptable. Most hunters that report consistent success...

For completeness, I'll mention the other (expensive but) shoots-like-lead shot that does not need bore protection - EcoTungsten a.k.a. Nice Shot. Regards, Joel

This sounds like what is usually termed an "English" measure - a tube with three slots and a spring-loaded rocking lever moving two gates. You can reduce the capacity to this more suitable by inserting something in the tube to take up some of the volume. For my 16ga, I decided to reduce one of...

If nothing else, you should be able to mail-order it. One source would be Wil Bilozir, the Ballistic Products rep for Canada, at http://bilozir.net/reloading.htm. Dunno about ordering from Wholesale Sports or BassPro. You might try to find some other shotgunners and and throw in together to...

The wheel is harder than pyrite but softer than flint, so with pyrite, the wheel scrapes sparks off the rock, while with flint, the rock scrapes sparks off the wheel, wearing it down MUCH faster. Regards, Joel

One thing that hasn't come up in this discussion is that for the past decade or two, "steels", both smooth and ribbed, may also be diamond impregnated. I have a variety of "steels" including ceramic, and the most aggressive one is a fairly long ribbed one of reasonably recent manufacture (last...

As has been said, both today and back in the day, some folks used the French few-ZEE or some approximation thereof and some (many?) Anglicized it in various ways. For reference the term in French originally referred to a fire-steel (and later the fire-making kit as well, according to one source...

Wes, Ballistic Products still lists #1 & #3 in somewhat pricy nickel-plated, albeit they are actually nearest-size metric 4.1mm and 3.5mm. The twice-barrel likes BP's magnum or copper-plated #5s for most game. Anything bigger is usually for waterfowl and it's bismuth (2s and 4s weigh in about...

Probably too late now, but you could likely have done it by accumulating pewter tankards, candlesticks and such from thrift stores and garage sales, and casting ~3oz pewter balls instead of 4oz lead ones. Tin shot is a legal, but uncommon nowadays, non-toxic alternative in some jurisdictions...

I'm somewhat surprised at the idea of gas leakage around the O/P wadding causing a doughnut pattern rather than an irregular one, but I can see leakage THROUGH the wadding doing it. Anyway, concerning too-heavy wadding causing doughnuts, two of the possible contributing factors I've seen put...

Whereabouts are you? There's Becky & Doug Middleton at Hillfolk Musket supplies in Senlac Saskatchewan, (306) 228 2949. They're good folks, and they also get around to most of the gun shows, at least across the prairies. They may or may not have the ball size(s) you're looking for, but you can...

Concerning wad sizing, Circle Fly Wads are sized from .010" over bore diameter for 28ga to .018 over for 4ga. Insufficiently oversize and/or insufficiently thick (depends on the material & diameter) wads can produce gas leakage, especially if your bore is less than perfect. FWIW, I've use...

Concerning wad sizing, Circle Fly Wads are sized from .010" over bore diameter for 28ga to .018 over for 4ga. I think their 17ga wads (.659") should be fine for your piece. Insufficiently oversize and/or insufficiently thick (depends on the material & diameter) wads can produce gas leakage...

One point that nobody's raised yet: Militaries often preferred lead because a soldier could pre-fit a lead cushion/holder to his spare flint, greatly expediting a battlefield replacement. Yes, I realize that some folks do the same nowadays with leather, gluing it to the flint, but I cannot...