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Carrying Round Balls?
- Thread starter TWOHAWKS
- Start date
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Black Hand
Cannon
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2005
- Messages
- 9,348
- Reaction score
- 895
The answer is "yes". Both methods were employed.
Incidentally, ALL CAPS is considered yelling on the internet. Thought you might like to know....
Incidentally, ALL CAPS is considered yelling on the internet. Thought you might like to know....
hangfire1776
Pilgrim
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2012
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If you make a loading block out of some nice wood
drill the holes big enough to hold a well greats ball and patch if your shooting ball ;put the loading block over the muzzle and with your starting rod push it through the block in to the barrel you can put a raw hide on the block and tie it to your loading bag .letting lead balls louse lets them collect dirt,will harm the bore of your gun and some time deform will not shoot straight.my e-mail is [email protected] will send you a tip on tiger striping a ram rod;HF
drill the holes big enough to hold a well greats ball and patch if your shooting ball ;put the loading block over the muzzle and with your starting rod push it through the block in to the barrel you can put a raw hide on the block and tie it to your loading bag .letting lead balls louse lets them collect dirt,will harm the bore of your gun and some time deform will not shoot straight.my e-mail is [email protected] will send you a tip on tiger striping a ram rod;HF
JJCASTINGS
36 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2012
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I use a loading block when hunting. Just make sure you do not contaminate the exposed lubed patches with dirt etc. I keep mine centered on my chest.
I know one guy that uses a small turtle shell as his ball supply holder. It hangs from his belt and he rigged a spout so when he inverts it, a ball rolls into his hand.
I know one guy that uses a small turtle shell as his ball supply holder. It hangs from his belt and he rigged a spout so when he inverts it, a ball rolls into his hand.
jbwilliams3
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2006
- Messages
- 689
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- 159
Hi friend,
Firstly, when talking about history, it’s never a good idea to take modern ideas as evidence for past actions or events- so “I do it this way” sorts of answers should be taken with a grain of salt. Secondly, when you say “they” and “back then” we could be talking about the 1950’s, the 1850’s, or the 1750’s.
My primary area of interest is the 18th century. While there are examples of 19th century internal ball bags, there is, as of yet, no verifiable evidence for such a thing in the 18th century. That doesn’t mean they didn’t exist, but in recreating something like that for 18th century-minded “reenacting” or “living history” etc., it is mostly conjecture. There are precious few examples of extant surviving shot pouches (hunting/shooting bags) with 18th century provenance, and none survive that were of the homemade variety (though a couple have been disputed as possibly dated to the 18th c.)
In Virginia, the shooting bag was often called a “shot” or “bullet” pouch. This gives us some idea as to what they used these for. Surviving examples and period artwork for this time frame depict smaller bags- smaller than what many folks typically use today. It seems reasonable that those smaller bags were intended to hold ammunition and not much else. There are references (as well as one surviving example in the Wallace Gusler Collection) to shot pouches with an internal divider for separating ball from shot. I think for now, for the 18th century, there is more evidence for shot pouches carrying loose balls than for separate bags within the main pouch. This differs from the 19th century, where there are numerous examples of internal ball bags and even loading blocks.
I find the safest way to emulate the era that I am most interested in is to carry loose balls in my shot pouch- this also makes it very easy to reach in and grab a RB.
James
Firstly, when talking about history, it’s never a good idea to take modern ideas as evidence for past actions or events- so “I do it this way” sorts of answers should be taken with a grain of salt. Secondly, when you say “they” and “back then” we could be talking about the 1950’s, the 1850’s, or the 1750’s.
My primary area of interest is the 18th century. While there are examples of 19th century internal ball bags, there is, as of yet, no verifiable evidence for such a thing in the 18th century. That doesn’t mean they didn’t exist, but in recreating something like that for 18th century-minded “reenacting” or “living history” etc., it is mostly conjecture. There are precious few examples of extant surviving shot pouches (hunting/shooting bags) with 18th century provenance, and none survive that were of the homemade variety (though a couple have been disputed as possibly dated to the 18th c.)
In Virginia, the shooting bag was often called a “shot” or “bullet” pouch. This gives us some idea as to what they used these for. Surviving examples and period artwork for this time frame depict smaller bags- smaller than what many folks typically use today. It seems reasonable that those smaller bags were intended to hold ammunition and not much else. There are references (as well as one surviving example in the Wallace Gusler Collection) to shot pouches with an internal divider for separating ball from shot. I think for now, for the 18th century, there is more evidence for shot pouches carrying loose balls than for separate bags within the main pouch. This differs from the 19th century, where there are numerous examples of internal ball bags and even loading blocks.
I find the safest way to emulate the era that I am most interested in is to carry loose balls in my shot pouch- this also makes it very easy to reach in and grab a RB.
James
Don't forget they carried one patched round ball inside the barrel resting on top of the powder..., :haha:
Well they DID! Doesnt' that count??
:haha:
LD
Well they DID! Doesnt' that count??
:haha:
LD
To: Chief Moonthunder,
Suspended?
Suspended?
