Greaseholes in the stock..like them?

[Tom Compton]

Dan'l, that makes sense to this old hard head. :hatsoff:

 

[SimonKenton]

IF you are building a true "Poor Boy" East Tennessee rifle in the Bean style maybe you want one. My first Tennessee (Heavy Metal) had one but my new one (Long Tall Sally) has an oval Tennessee style patchbox. She also has a lot of iron on her so this is NOT a Poor Boy.

-Ray

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

A long time ago, Dixie Gun Works sold their version of a Tennessee Poor Boy rifle. The stock had a grease hole. I don't know if they still sell that type of rifle. :idunno:

 

[smoothy]

I agree with an earlier reply in that it was regional. It wouldn't work well in Alaska with colder temps. They apparently made it work in southern mountain area, or there wouldn't be as many examples. Perhaps we haven't been able to master it or don't understand the concept correctly.

 

[Zonie]

Dixie still shows the kit for it but they don't show a finished rifle. http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=11597

PS: It's only available in a Left Hand version.

 

[Tom Compton]

Wellll.

Wouldn't ya know it. Got a line on a full stock .50 flintlock. Got there this PM and it was a Dixie poor boy with a hole in the cherry stock. Oh well, it is in great shape and he thru in a percussion lock and drum as well as a couple dozen flints, and a spare touch hole liner.

Now to order a patch box. hmmm banana or another style? Oh well that is half the fun.

 

[shootemup]

I actually like the look, not sure why. I have them on two rifles, but I don't use them.

 

[tg]

I had onre in one gun and it worked fine, if dirty I wiped a patch across it then the patch I used to load, I never had any drying problems as I used the grease and kept adding new, on some guns I think one would be quite proper as well as functional,again they were in use in the past and seemed to get the job done, and will do so now if used properly.


"Perhaps we haven't been able to master it or don't understand the concept correctly."

I think this applies to many aspects of the sport simply due to going at everything from a 21st century mindset, I go aboput many things differently when hunting now than I did when hunting centerfire and still make meat as often, but it has been a matter of letting go of all I thought I knew and starting over, having archery hunted helped some.

 

[Swampman]

You guys do realize that "patchboxes" were filled with grease? It was used as patch lube. The dirt won't hurt a thing.

 

[Zonie]

Of course it was just from reading, not up close personal examination but a few old rifles patchboxes did seem to have remnants of grease in them however the majority had none.

No one knows for sure but appearently patch boxes were used to store patches/flints/tow or some other dry things.

As for dirty grease in the grease hole I'm sure it was a problem back in the day but unless it had sand in it, one way it could have been used would be to wipe the surface with one side of your shooting patch. This would remove the surface contamination.
Then, turning the patch over, wipe the newly exposed grease with the ungreased side of the patch.

Placing this side of the patch against the muzzle, the ball would then be loaded.

Doing it this way there would be (fairly) clean grease against the bore and the dirt, pine needles or what have you, would be next to the ball where it would not contact the bore.

If the patch had any thickness to it at all it would do a pretty good job of protecting the bore from the dirt.

Something to think about. :hmm:

 

[tg]

"You guys do realize that "patchboxes" were filled with grease?"

How many original guns have you examined to make this blanket statement?

 

[hanshi]

The few I've seen were either empty or had the remnants of, well, patches. Maybe they originally carried a little bit of both.

 

[roundball]

Do any of you guys find greaseholes in rifle stocks handy? Maybe even nearly indispensible? Perhaps you find them absurd. :idunno:

In other words, tell me your opinions of using greaseholes while hunting, plinking, etc.
Many thanks! Skychief.

1) Only seen photos of them, never owned a ML that had one, never used one, etc.

2) If I was a dyed in the wool student of a particular muzzleloader that apparently had them as part of their design, and owned one of those, I guess I'd have one on that muzzleloader;

3) And then I would only use it based upon being that same dyed-in-the-wool type student.


But since I'm not a dyed-in-the-wool student, there is nothing else about the idea of a "grease hole" in the stock of a muzzleloader that is appealing to me or that I find advantageous...wouldn't use it if there was one...no different than never having used any patchboxes over all the years.

 

[tg]

You get that wool dyed and get some leggins and a clout made up for this comming Deer season. :grin:

 

[moose30273]

Can't imagine a "Poor-Boy" without one. For what it is worth I have come to like the looks of the trough better than the hole.

 

[brubincam]

-----have a couple with patch boxes-but rather have the wood-----

 

[mingo]

I got a Dixie Tennessee rifle that has one.

I intend to put a round iron cover over it and keep a few greased patches in it.

Open looks wierd and would attract debris.

Personal pref applies.

 

[Ray-Vigo]

I don't like them. I like either a nice, smooth finish and shape to the stock, or a nice patch box. But I don't like just having a hole cut there.

It's mainly an appearance issue for me, I keep my accoutrements in either the bag or range box.