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Firing the ramrod down range.

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Hey there:
No, hunted that area years ago before I retired. Actually had forgotten there was a range there. I’ve been a member at Smithfield Sportsmen for almost 40 years now. Was a member at Stony Brook also.
Shoot on average twice a week, percussion revolvers with an occasional break for rim or center hand guns.
good to here from a fellow RHODE ISLANDER. I retired in 2000. and still never have enough time to get things done. I to shoot the BP, wheel guns. my first love are ROCK LOCKS, FLINTERS. but I shoot all of the BP weapons. the swamp is the best thing since sliced bread. it is missive. archery, trap, with multilabel througher. and you can shoot 50 CAL. 10 pistol stations, etc. and the best thing is that it is free, that is something in this state!? all the best to you, toot.
 
I've read a bunch of stories of guys firing ram rods across a battle field during the civil war. I have a brass range rod with a big aluminum handle and a muzzle protector on it. If I shoot that down range, I probably shouldn't have been out shooting in the first place lol.
KIMG1659.JPG
 
I've read a bunch of stories of guys firing ram rods across a battle field during the civil war. I have a brass range rod with a big aluminum handle and a muzzle protector on it. If I shoot that down range, I probably shouldn't have been out shooting in the first place lol.
that is a no sh$$$er
 
good to here from a fellow RHODE ISLANDER. I retired in 2000. and still never have enough time to get things done. I to shoot the BP, wheel guns. my first love are ROCK LOCKS, FLINTERS. but I shoot all of the BP weapons. the swamp is the best thing since sliced bread. it is missive. archery, trap, with multilabel througher. and you can shoot 50 CAL. 10 pistol stations, etc. and the best thing is that it is free, that is something in this state!? all the best to you, toot.
Not native here, 60 year resident however. I’m still amazed at how many gun clubs there are here for such a blue state. Florida resident now, part time and equally amazed that I couldn’t find a membership club to join there within a reasonable drive. I still have to drive 20 miles one way to shoot at either a county or state range. 20 miles that’s a long trip for Rhode Islanders!😊
 
Not native here, 60 year resident however. I’m still amazed at how many gun clubs there are here for such a blue state. Florida resident now, part time and equally amazed that I couldn’t find a membership club to join within a reasonable drive. I still have to drive 20 miles one way to shoot at either a county or state range. 20 miles that’s a long trip for Rhode Islanders!😊
yes that is completely across the state! 60, yrs. makes you a native in my mind. I worked at the cape. EB. sent me there to work on SUBS. put 20yrs in, got out in 89. it is also a 20 mile drive to my club also. the swamp is only 6 miles away. yes at a 20 mile trip in this STATE, you have to have a TOM-TOM or a GARMAN, to find out hoe to get there! LOL, I have been a resident of this STATE for 77+++yrs. and still making SMOKE!
 
"The Crisco Kid said:
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?"

The first time I went to the Spring Shoot at Friendship was the Spring Shoot of 1974. I made most of the Spring and Fall shoots there through the Spring of 1980. I don't remember hearing or reading about that and it's something I expect would have been all over the grape vine. Not saying it didn't happen, though, as it might have happened. We just didn't have the communications ability like we do nowadays with the Internet, but I don't recall it being in either "Muzzle Blasts" or "The Buckskin Report."


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

YES, this did happen in the 1960's and unfortunately on the Manassas NHS Battlefield Park and hosted/allowed by them for the 100 year Anniversary Reenactment of the 1st Battle of Manassas/1st Battle of Bull Run. The Rammer was launched by someone on the Confederate side and it hit a Federal Re-enactor in the shoulder, but thankfully it didn't hit his lung or heart. He survived, but had a sore shoulder for many years.

That and an original cannon that blew up, pretty much killed Re-enactments forever on most National Historic Sites, though they do allow living histories under very strict guidelines.

Those of us in the "Next Generation" of Re-enactors in the 1980's for the 125th Year Anniversary Battles, developed our own strict safety procedures, which are still in use today.

Gus
 
Jag from ram rod launched from a Dixie Tennessee Mtn rifle
 

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Jag from ram rod launched from a Dixie Tennessee Mtn rifle

Never launched a ram rod yet but did break off a tip like the one in your picture while cleaning my rifle. It was my first but I put a little fine powder in the rifle and fired it. It came out but I worried that I might have damaged the riflings. The next time I took the rifle to the range she shot dead on so I guess I was lucky? It worried the ,"you know what " out of me until shot her at the range!
 
I believe it was Daniel Potts that was shot through both knees with an accidently fired ramrod.

"The First Known Man in Yellowstone" by Jerry Bagley
 
Didn't one of the fellas in the movie "Mountain Men" kill an "Injun" with a ramrod? I mean, I know that was a movie, but I bet in the heat of battle more than one ramrod got launched at velocity! Thinking I would not want to be down range of it either!

Similar to multiple balls being loaded and not a shot fired.

Things happen.

RM
It also happened in "Sharpe's Rifles" but, there it was done intentionally
 
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