British M1776 rilfe

[Bountyhunter]

This is interesting, I have an imported replica of a Hawken pistol which has a bridled rammer and I have to swivel it around to load it, then swivel it back around to replace it as the outter end has the hollow ground rammer end on it. The end which seats down in the stock is just a rounded little button to keep the rammer from comming out of the bridle.

This system sure makes more sense. Mike, as always I sure enjoy looking at your work.

B

 

[peter]

Mike, it's a beauty. Ya know when I saw that ramrod setup I thought it looked nice but could not possibly be practical. Guess those old dead guys were a lot smarter than I am. Now I've gotta go buy some lottery tickets. Hey did I mention how beautifull that gun is? Real nice work.

 

[Ed Blake]

What little I know of these is from a recent conversation I had with a friend. He indicated this rifle was an attempt by the British to come up with something comparable to the American longrifle, but with the loading advantages of a smoothbore. The thing I found interesting was the original ball was encased in thin leather, like a little baseball, and had a charge of about 60 grs. of 3f. He witnessed a demonstrator (maybe it was at Dixons) some years ago who could load and fire it quite rapidly. Beautiful example Mike; it will make a fine (and interesting) hunting arm.

 

[robertdeans72]

On a rather interesting note, I was in London last year and I visited the National Army Museum there. Inside was a manequin of a ranger of the AWI. I had recently read Bailey's book on British Flintlock Rifles and was newly familiar with the 1776 rifle. Sure enough when I rounded the display to see the weapon carried by the figure, the distinctive (for british weapons) trgger guard and the overall shape indicated this rifle.
Rob

 

[mmahlock]

... When loading in ranks as heavy infantry did, the rod was flipped and it is possible to whack your neighbor with it, even with a standard ramrod as I am sure you well know. Light infantry and riflemen were trained as skirmishers and they were trained to fight in a relatively loose, or open, order as well as in ranks as done by the line. ...

You might find it interesting in the following:

The "1767 Manual of Arms":

... 10. Draw your Rammers!
1. Draw the Rammer with a quick Motion, half out, seizing it at the Muzzle back-handed.
2. Draw it quite out, turn it, and enter it into the Muzzle.
11. Ram down your Cartridge!
1. Ram the Cartridge well down the Barrel, instantly recovering and seizing the Rammer back-handed at the Center,
turning it and enter it as far as the lower Pipe, placing at the same Time the Edge of the Hand on the Butt End of the
Rammer, with Fingers extended.
12. Return your Rammers!
1. Return the Rammer, bringing up the Piece with the left Hand to the Shoulder, seizing it with the right Hand under the
Cock, keeping the left Hand fast at the Swell, turning the Body square to the Front.

the "Regulations for the Exercise of Riflemand and Light Infactry" published in 1814 specifies:

...Four, ... and the ramrod seized witht eh fore finger and the thumb of hte right hand.

Rod, The ramrod is drawn quite out by the right hadn, the left quits the rifle and grasps the ramrod the breadth of a hand from the bottom, which is sunk one inch into the barrel.

Home, The cartridge will be forced down with both hands, the left then seizes the rifle about six inches from the muzzle, the lodier stands upright again, draws out the ramrod with the right hadn, and puts the end into the pipe.

Return, The ramrod will be returned by the right hand which then seizes the rifle below the left. ...

As for the swivel, that feature was used on the New Land Pattern Pistols as well as several models of Cavalry Carbines and Rifles. It ensured that the ramrod was not lost trying to load especially when on horseback. Its utility for infantry doesn't seem to have been worth the effort or expense of including it.

 

[Puffer]

Thanks Okwaho, some how I missed it.( Old age

Puffer