Buck N Ball

[pcrum]

Agreed, these documents can really give us more information than we can imagine. BTW, sorry to get so far off topic pcrum . :redface: The smoothbored muskets that fired the buck and ball cartridges are very interesting to me...

No apology needed! I'm finding this interesting as well. :thumbsup:

 

[Tumblernotch]

Don't be sorry. The old smoothbores were around a lot longer than the rifled muskets and it's interesting to read about the changes that were made in them in the quest for an interchangeable arm.

Harpers Ferry Armory and the New Technology is an excellent reference for the smoothbore musket and has a lot of info covering the problems in manufacturing it. I've also just gotten another old book written in 1853 that describes the Springfield Armory but I haven't had the chance to read it. No telling what will be found there. I guess we are drifting a bit off topic :nono: but it's not hard to do. :grin:

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

:shocked2: :thumbsup:

 

[huntman58]

well there ya go drifting off topic and then making me learn some thing new about some old stuff so never a waist. I never knew all of this fact I was one that would have thought a rock lock in the civil war ya right so thanks for correcting my thinking and opening up my mind. I went to this post to read on buck and ball and here I end up learning not only about that but o so much more

 

[Joel/Calgary]

I'm just wondering what would happen if I had my musket loaded with squirrel shot, and if the situation arose, loaded a ball on top and shot it?

No-one had addressed your primary question yet. I have read of this being done on occasions, but have no first- or second-hand experience with it. With a solid barrel (especially of modern steel) and a moderate shot load (as a squirrel load would likely be), I would expect it to be "stout" but safe for occasional use. As with most experimental things, a test involving a tire, a rope, and a long string is probably in order. I suspect you'd probably have some rather noticeable leading from the shot.

Joel

 

[tg]

Joel touched on an important issue, when I load buck and ball I try to keep the total projectile weight near the weight of the heaviest conical made for the bore of gun I am useing,the wads/are also a factor in resistance, not scientific but a place to start, when putting a ball atop the shot for a shot at a pig at close range 20yds +or- the ball may hit the pig, one would have to field test for accuracy, the strength/type of barrel should be considered, use caution when testing any "odd" loads. When hunting I would opt to dump the shot and drop a ball in its place if time allowed, I have a Virginia smoothrifle with a barrel that is 1 1/8" at the breech, swamped oct by Getz in .62 bore size it can take a pretty stout load, probably more than some other smoothbore barrels we have been chatting about lately, the barrel you have would be the first concern IMHO when loading this kind of load combo.the stle of gun could also make it a hurtfull load to shoot, may cause you more discomfort than the pig, just some thoughts.