Abusing Our Heritage

[smo]

That's our trouble, Rudyard, ( And Feltwads). ... Yorkshire thrift is our problem!


Apart from setting the marsh afire, paper always worked well enough, and "back then" no-one could afford "proper" wads.
We all saved our shekels for powder and lead.

That’s why I like to use wasp nest....

Sometimes the ways of old, are still the best ways.

People in this Country are spoiled too some extent being able too have such luxuries at hand.... myself included.

But I do like the feeling of accomplishment in bringing a neglected relic back too life... especially if it’s still useable .

 

[Rudyard]

With powder at 7 & 6 pence a pound and shot 5 shillings you had to be a bit thrifty Though don't see thrift as a problem , but I did once have an accident with some money so bought some two part cork wads from Smiths at Newark never seen that sort before or since .Certainly never bought top wads as I had a punch but mains I often gathered from the clay fields , The Sheffield 'Star' was also useful if later I did buy felts or' Eley Kleena ' wads splitting off a slice for a top . .Not quite Monty Python scetch but I would go down to Tring or Yeavely for a day on sporting clays and just shoot twenty birds since you cant eat clays .
The two part corks had a circular outer with an insert of thinner cork inside quite deep but probably meant for some reloaders pre plas wads
..The' Boot & Shoe' at Holmfirth was another clay ground we went too But Ide go way up to Pontealand to shoot rifle & Heddon on the Wall (Adrians) was another popular trip Rifle & pistol was my main interest or Woodies 'Finest game bird in England 'For the challenge. It still grabs me to hear them in UK programmes .We have similar bird here but there utterly tame and definatly Not on the menu. Memory lane for us three, but might bore others so ile desist .
Regards Rudyard

 

[Robby]

Reverse snobs, pffft.
Robby

 

[Feltwad]

That's our trouble, Rudyard, ( And Feltwads). ... Yorkshire thrift is our problem!

On another station, they are talking about starting out with a smoothbore, ...buying wads and what-not.
I bet all us "Thrifties" started out with balls of rolled up newspaper or brown paper.
Apart from setting the marsh afire, paper always worked well enough, and "back then" no-one could afford "proper" wads.
We all saved our shekels for powder and lead.

Now we are reminiscence takes me back to when I bought my first muzzle loader from the local farmer ,although it was 71years ago and if my memory serves me right I think it was for the price of 7shillings and sixpence which then was a lot of money and to obtain this I chopped sticks for the fire and sold them for three pence a bundle .I still have the gun see image it is a s/b flint conversion by Patrick Liverpool with a left hand Lock
Feltwad
My first muzzle loader

 

[Blogman]

Ok, I'm gonna share my wall hanger we have. Me Wife's father gave her an old smooth bore to put on the wall. I think it's a Belgium trade shotgun for a kid. I don't know. It is light, really light, 3 and a half pounds.
BTW, my phone camera is cracked so.....

 

[Rudyard]

Would that be Anne Patrick ? nice gun well worth the 7 & 6d, Oddly that was for me a days potato picking but for 5 shillings of that I bought a single ML gun described to me as a 'Martin Henry' but it wasn't .And an old shot flask . The first rifle was a " A Hawkeye gun" So described by a local farmers son . I offered 8 pounds he was'nt sure if his aunty would like him selling so we walked a mile to the phone box . He's talking then pops out 'Why 8 pounds ?" I reply "That's all I've got" He wanted an old motor bike so the deal was done & I walked three mile over the fields with the rifle It was a three band Volunteer Enfield with the nipple protector rusted on I didn't know any better so I loaded contents of several penny bangers & my mate held the fuse up to the nipple vent to fire a ball wadded with oak leaves . I wrote to Mr L .G. Pine editor of 'Shooting Times ' he steered me to the MLAGB and the rest is history , Still got it from 1960. Rudyard

 

[Pukka Bundook]

My first went on a trade , but has not in very good shape and barrel chopped off at about 24 inches.

My second was a Belgian trade musket, and I got in trouble from the police carrying it uncovered in York. Mr. Plod told me it should be covered, I told him they didn't give me a cover, so he repeated himself a couple of times.
I asked him what he wanted me to do? ...wrap my hankie around it?? He really didn't know what to say, so let me go...

It was useless, a very bad sparker so it went as well. Third one I still have, a s/b 15 bore by Watred of Richmond.
Was rusty, but feeling the barrel is a good way to check for dents, and it was good. The stock is birdseye maple, so a bit different to a lot. Never did take a photo of it. Deadly on pigeons and duck.

 

[smo]

Blogman, that gun don’t look that bad...

Feltwad,Pukka& Rudyard Great stories Gentlemen. Thanks for sharing.
I appreciate the knowledge you Guys share with us.

And I love seizing those beautiful old guns.

Keep em’ coming!

 

[toot]

or paper wasps/white faced hornets nest. will not burn and is free in the winter. just tap it be fore you pull it down.

 

[Baxter]

This has been the best string I've read thus far. Shame that we aren't all gathered round a warm pot-bellied stove in an old shop somewhere swapping tales and admiring old guns.
Thank you all for entertaining and educating me.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Toot,

The only thing I didn't like about wasp's nest, is that it is crumbly compared to normal paper.
It turns to crumbs in your pocket.
We Did punch felt wads if we had thick-ish felt, or use a few layers if punched from an old hat.
Grandad had all sizes of wad punches, from 10 bore down to 20, but the 14's and 15's had been used the most.
He also had a tin of lovely caps from the first time around.
Real "Rolls Royce" looking compared to what we get now. G't-G't granddad had punched a hole in the lid, and kept them in his weskit pocket. he could shake out a cap or two as required. I still have that tin of caps.

 

[springfield art]

Pukka. Your only saying that because its true , but giving new life to old parts is in its way paying homage to the old makers .That( and getting a gun on the cheap) appeals to my ingrained Yorkshire thrift !, Regards Rudyard

Maybe that's why Yorkshire Terriers are so small; to save pence on food!

 

[sawyer04]

The only thing I didn't like about wasp's nest, is that it is crumbly compared to normal paper.

We have used green grass, old cotton material, wool tow, anything we could poke down the barrel to hold powder and shot.

 

[Baxter]

Maybe that's why Yorkshire Terriers are so small; to save pence on food!

Had a wonderful Yorkie, Oliver, gone now 3 years. Loved him very much.
I understand that Yorkies were bred to catch rodents from under the machinery in textile mills and rabbits in their warrens.

 

[toot]

Toot,

The only thing I didn't like about wasp's nest, is that it is crumbly compared to normal paper.
It turns to crumbs in your pocket.
We Did punch felt wads if we had thick-ish felt, or use a few layers if punched from an old hat.
Grandad had all sizes of wad punches, from 10 bore down to 20, but the 14's and 15's had been used the most.
He also had a tin of lovely caps from the first time around.
Real "Rolls Royce" looking compared to what we get now. G't-G't granddad had punched a hole in the lid, and kept them in his weskit pocket. he could shake out a cap or two as required. I still have that tin of caps.

Pukka Bundook, you are so rite after a while the nest will get brittle and crumbly, but I still push it in and what falls out let her go. . best used when fresh. I would always through out the inner part with the pauper, left over part with the dead babies in it. years ago an old CIDER HOUND, these were the old retired guys who used to trap and drink HARD CIDER, said boy use the center part with the dead ones that were left the comb it is tougher. it stays fresher longer and the bee guts help lubricate your barrel. it works. GOD how did those old timers now long gone ever know so much stuff with out no more than a 5th. grade education??

 

[toot]

We have used green grass, old cotton material, wool tow, anything we could poke down the barrel to hold powder and shot.

Sawyer04, you are so rite. a friend over the pond said that in years gone by that the old shotgunners would use tree ivy and stone wall ivy for there wadding. will not burn. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH POISON IVY!!

 

[Blogman]

Blogman, that gun don’t look that bad...
Keep em’ coming!

I'm gonna try to find me camera out of the garage. She makes some fine pics. Being that it's so cold I'll have to let it de-frost awhile.

 

[toot]

SORRY guys I meant tree or stone wall IVY or IVY that grows on stone buildings! IVY, not IVORY, IT IS SOAP!! remember if it has leaves of 3 then let it be!!!that is the poison type! blame on the day that I wasn't in school that day and didn't get the memo!

 

[Blogman]

No worries, we figured it out toot.
All good.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Toot,

When I was down in Tennessee the late great Ron Ehlert showed me poison ivy;
He told me the saying as well;
Never shake hands with a three -fingered man!

Normal ivy leaves make some of the best wadding.