Blanks with 3f?

[CorporalofMarines]

Any objections to loading musket blanks with 3f? I wont be ramming down the paper. But I was wondering if the finer granulation would leave some sparks left over. I normally load a 100grs of 2f, should I decrease the charge if 3f is used?

thanks.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The 3fg will give a sharper report. The finer grains burn faster. You shouldn't have any issues. We often use 3fg in our Land Pattern muskets.

 

[Ranger1759]

Agreed, I have used everything from cannon powder to 3f with no problems...

 

[Artificer]

I have never used anything but 3Fg for blanks and that was in thousands of rounds since 1975 in the following guns:

Navy Arms (Pedersoli) Brown Bess Carbine
Navy Arms Charleville
A REAL Parker Hale Enfield (2 Band) Rifle
Navy Arms M1860 Revolver
Navy Arms M1851 Revolver
Pedersoli Full Length Brown Bess

I particularly preferred 3Fg for Flint Muskets, as I and others got better priming pan ignition with it.

Gus

 

[B.Habermehl]

I was under the impression that some of the groups that hold or sponser reenactments require FFFg use. Due to less particles being blown out of the muzzle. I'm relying on my recollection of a old conversation here. BJH

 

[CorporalofMarines]

Thanks for the reassurance gents.

 

[Artificer]

I was under the impression that some of the groups that hold or sponser reenactments require FFFg use. Due to less particles being blown out of the muzzle. I'm relying on my recollection of a old conversation here. BJH

Not saying that isn't true, but I've never heard of that from FIW, AWI and WBTS reenacting I have done over the years.

Gus

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Well I have read an old article where they tried 2F vs 3F and "elevated" the muskets as is often done when lines get close. They found in both cases the elevation actually succeeded in tossing hot ash farther, and far enough to possibly reach the guys in the other line, and that 2F got better results in tossing the hot ash. So..., IF the powder was a tiny bit damp, then you could get some clumping and toss a lit ember. The conclusion was that keeping the muskets level caused the ash to fall short..., but the lads don't like doing that when folks are getting close.

You actually have more problems with the guy on your left getting you with his flash from his touch hole when his flash guard is loose and dropped down on the lock, or by somebody double loading, than from the opposing volley.

2F at 100 grains from a .69 to .75 caliber musket will give you a FOOOMPF sound.....3F will give you a nice pop. Neither is as loud as when you ram down a cartridge paper on top, let alone when you live fire. So..., when you ever get the chance to shoot 2F and a ball, don't forget the ear plugs :wink:

LD

 

[Artificer]

Back in the 1980's, we did a few living histories at the Manassas Battlefield NPS Site. They were the most persnickety folks about blanks used at their site that I ever ran across. They wanted the blanks to be only 60 grains of FFg (as per the original Minie Ball cartridges) and they only allowed a couple types of paper AND they had to be tied with pink string, because they had original cartridges that were tied with pink string.

Well, we died some string "sort of" pink for the first time we did a living history there, but convinced them we only needed those blanks to show visitors and just used folded/twisted paper after that.

The "old saw" on blank cartridges was/is for them to sound like live firing, you have to double the normal powder charge and that does not include the priming charge for a flintlock. (Oh, and you are absolutely correct 3Fg makes a more realistic sound.)

We went a little overboard in the early 80's when doing WBTS and some members were using 120 to 150 grains of 3FG in our rifled muskets. So we voted as a unit to down load them to 100 grains and when we had "Unit Cartridge Making Parties," that was the load we used.

I confess I loaded 120 grains of 3Fg in blanks for my Brown Bess, to give me plenty for priming and spillage.

Gus

 

[Loyalist Dave]

We went a little overboard in the early 80's when doing WBTS and some members were using 120 to 150 grains of 3FG in our rifled muskets. So we voted as a unit to down load them to 100 grains and when we had "Unit Cartridge Making Parties," that was the load we used.

I confess I loaded 120 grains of 3Fg in blanks for my Brown Bess, to give me plenty for priming and spillage.

There is also a bigger bang when one goes from a .75 caliber Bess to a .62 caliber carbine and one forgets to reduce the charge, let alone when one of the riflemen runs out of cartridges (we don't load from the horn and measure during reenactments) and he gets hold of a 100 grains of 3f and launches that from his .50 caliber rifle. :shocked2:

LD

 

[Twisted_1in66]

***SNIP,
...let alone when one of the riflemen runs out of cartridges (we don't load from the horn and measure during reenactments) and he gets hold of a 100 grains of 3f and launches that from his .50 caliber rifle. :shocked2:

LD

I like it when I get a 100-gr. blank to shoot in my rifle :grin:

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Commodore Swab]

3F is the way to go with no wadding especially with flint. I say this for safety reasons as you can't always be watching everyone. With wadding it is inevitable you will have a misfire and need to clear a gun that just won't go off. Without all that is needed is to turn the muzzle down. With 2F vs 3F regarding noise well that has already been covered. Volley shots work excellent in front of the public if everyone drops their barrel after, if 8/10 fire 2 are safely unloaded and the crowd thinks they all fired. My background is pirate festivals where this comes into play where you do not always know the experience of individuals that are shooting. Some things I have observed . . .

Guns that have failed safety inspection carried to the line and loaded - powder was easy to dump out thank to a lack of wadding

Loaded and primed guns on full cock 3 rows back behind where people were loading - fortunately the muzzle had to be kept up thanks to no wadding

Double or triple loads being used - as most of the powder is blown out noticeable from a lack of cartridges

Powder being packed and wadded - ramrods snuck onto the field when they were supposed to be removed

I avoid running a firing line and fortunately have never had an accident one aspect that has helped tremendously is using 3F without wadding.

At other events I have seen loaded guns placed behind the firing line (in an effort to reduce time between shots). I have been handed a loaded pistol that wouldn't fire (6 hours after the shooting while it had been carried around and thru crowds). I have see so many loaded and wadded guns have to be wormed (usually percussion) or attempted to fire with a cannon linstock (flint).

 

[Greg Wesley]

Being on a budget, I use Schutzen's reenacting powder for blanks. I'm loading for my son and myself for Rev. War and WBTS, 2 flint locks and 2 Enfields. I save the 3f for the range/hunting. I agree with using what makes a good sound that sounds as if it was loaded with ball.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Without all that is needed is to turn the muzzle down.

While this is true, if you have a misfire such as a flash-n-the-pan with a flinter, especially a musket, you should clear the touch hole first, reprime and try again. If you "Secure Your Firelock", in other words you point the muzzle at the ground and to try to allow unfired powder to pour out, you should be done firing, until you have swabbed the bore. This move with the musket is used at the END of firing, not during a series of shots, and it's a dangerous reenactorism that folks who think or know they've had a misfire simply muzzle down the flintlock, pour out some powder, and then reload a new cartridge to try again.

Also please avoid Diamondback brand powder. It's very dirty, and you don't save all that much money over using GOEX reenactor grade powder.

LD