Firing the ramrod down range.

[dave951]

Actually I think it was more, load, fire, search,
search,
search,
....guys back up on the line are getting impatient,
search,
AH HA, walk back, and start loading procedure for next shot.....

LD

Pray tell what is this walking "back to the line" of which you speak?

Shoot minies in the N-SSA and you'll never have to leave the line to reload.

 

[Rod Man]

The movies will get you in trouble! I have seen several that had a pistol and rifles that hadn't been invented yet . One Clint Eastwood film that was supposed to Civil War times show him going to blow up a bridge with several sticks of dynamite? The problem was Nobel hadn't invented dynamite yet?

Just last night while in my shop a western movie came on with two British actors Liam Neeson and Pierce Bronson, "Seraphim Falls" Liam had a problem with his partner in crime and pulled a Walker out ready to blow his head off, then later he says "Check your weapons" pulls the Walker out opens the loading gate and there is 6 cartridges there for everyone to see...

 

[Artificer]

Never shot or saw a ramrod shot, but I did witness one shooter who had TWO holes in his target after he fired. One was a round hole and the other hole was rectangular.....

The second hole was made by the screw off jag from his ramrod. Cut a pretty clean hole, too.

Gus

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Mining the clubs 25 yard back stop for lead a few years back. Found several pieces of ram rod including the jag tip embedded in the dirt.
Fired from a gun??
Is that possible or would any one actually admit to it.
I’ve dry balled a few long guns and revolver cylinders, distraction pulled my attention away from what I was doing. But firing a ram rod. ??

Seen it myself. Don't get distracted when shooting.

 

[weekswa]

Also Known as : Muzzleloading Archery!

A friend of mine has an appropriate saying for this:
There are three types of people in the world:
- Ones that have shot their ramrod downrange
- Ones that will shoot their ramrod downrange
- Liars

I have intentionally shot a stuck jag tip down range - worked a little powder in behind it when it broke off the rod. It was surprisingly accurate - I hit a vertical stump (Axe target) at about 50 yards...

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Pray tell what is this walking "back to the line" of which you speak?

Shoot minies in the N-SSA and you'll never have to leave the line to reload.

You will if you launch that ramrod....

LD

 

[Whughett]

Wait a second here. N-SSA skirmish lines are firing projectiles. I thought you guys just did re-enactment thing like you know what kids did back in the 50’s playing cowboy and Native American things, only on a grand grown up scale with guns and cannons and uniforms and bayonets.

 

[1861colt]

This is a classic I quote below from George Frederick Ruxton ( my distant cousin) that actually came out to his advantage.

 

[LME]

Just last night while in my shop a western movie came on with two British actors Liam Neeson and Pierce Bronson, "Seraphim Falls" Liam had a problem with his partner in crime and pulled a Walker out ready to blow his head off, then later he says "Check your weapons" pulls the Walker out opens the loading gate and there is 6 cartridges there for everyone to see...

Yeah! All you have to do is pay attention to the weapons and things in the back drop and the mistakes will eventually pop up. It is funny sometimes. Most people wont catch it but I have handled many weapon over the years and just can't help but look at the ones in the movies.

 

[dave951]

Wait a second here. N-SSA skirmish lines are firing projectiles. I thought you guys just did re-enactment thing like you know what kids did back in the 50’s playing cowboy and Native American things, only on a grand grown up scale with guns and cannons and uniforms and bayonets.

And you are so, so, so wrong. We aren't reenactors. We shoot live ammunition in competition, something very few reenactors ever do.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

So far in well over 50 years of shooting I have never launched a rod .

 

[Pete G]

I have read you are not an experienced muzzleloader until...

1. You have loaded with no powder
2. You have fired a double load
3. You have fired your ramrod down range

 

[Whughett]

And you are so, so, so wrong. We aren't reenactors. We shoot live ammunition in competition, something very few reenactors ever do.

My bad. Simply didn’t know the difference. At 80 it’s a little late to get involved but live and learn. I’d like the opportunity to meet some one who uses the civil war breech loaders.

 

[dave951]

My bad. Simply didn’t know the difference. At 80 it’s a little late to get involved but live and learn. I’d like the opportunity to meet some one who uses the civil war breech loaders.

Meet my dad. Now 87, shoots on our team. Here he is with his favorite Civil War gun to shoot, an 1863 Sharps carbine, a paper cartridge breech loader. We had a "novelty" event last year. At 25yds there were 5 ping pong balls and 5 marbles, all hanging on strings. Dad's squad cleared the stage. Dad's score- 5 ping pong balls and 4 marbles all shot offhand with his Sharps. The other 4 guys in the squad only managed to hit one marble. When he's hot, he's smokin hot. Age is just a number as he says.

 

[Michiganmuzzy]

I have read you are not an experienced muzzleloader until...

1. You have loaded with no powder
2. You have fired a double load
3. You have fired your ramrod down range

I might just have to fire off a ramrod under some slightly controled conditions next time out(if no ones lookin) just so i can be an experienced ML'r

 

[Whughett]

He’s got more hair than me.
I’ve spent several range days this summer working with a circa 1864 Burnside Carbine. I’m limited to a round ball as that’s all I have, unlimited as I cast them but I don’t think the gun was designed with round ball in mind. I had a box of 50 ,558 hollow base but they are just about gone and no replacements I can find. Accuracy isn’t conducive to ping pong balls let alone marbles art 25 yards.
The photo is of those at 50 yards from a bench. POA is a good 4 inches below the bullseye.

 

[dave951]

He’s got more hair than me.
I’ve spent several range days this summer working with a circa 1864 Burnside Carbine. I’m limited to a round ball as that’s all I have, unlimited as I cast them but I don’t think the gun was designed with round ball in mind. I had a box of 50 ,558 hollow base but they are just about gone and no replacements I can find. Accuracy isn’t conducive to ping pong balls let alone marbles art 25 yards.
The photo is of those at 50 yards from a bench. POA is a good 4 inches below the bullseye. View attachment 93509

Impact is right where expected with issue sights. Many of the guys in the N-SSA who shoot Burnsides modify the sights a bit for better aiming. They also generally use round ball. With the gain twist barrel, get things right and you'll be amazed at what a round ball can do in a Burnside. The accuracy window is very narrow with a gain twist barrel.

 

[dave951]

And BTW, I have dry balled twice in 40 years that I can remember but never double loaded nor sent a ramrod flying. My dad has dry balled twice AND sent the ramrod from his 1862 Colt Contract downrange. I was standing beside him on the line during the relay and he commented on the recoil and then couldn't find his ramrod. We found it sticking out of the backstop, somewhat bent but not too bad. I loaned him the ramrod from my 1842 Macon with strict instructions to NOT launch it.

 

[Whughett]

Haven’t shot a muzzle loader rifle in 25 years. Never dry balled one nor shot a ram rod down range.
I have dry balled my Patriot pistol and even a percussion revolver though. Love shooting the cap guns, the Burnside and a Revolving Carbine. .

 

[Paul Nelson]

I seem to remember a story back in the 70's that a couple of nimrods got drunk at a rendezvous and were shooting blank charges at each other to see who could do it fastest. One of them got a ramrod through the chest and died. Anyone else hear this story?

I was told that civil war reenactors could not use ram rods for that very reason