How Often Did Historic Muzzleloader Get Cleaned

[Kentuckyjed]

Keep the tools you use and depend on clean and well oiled you never know when they will be needed in a pinch.

 

[Terrier]

Moose will not bother you if you can sidetrack them by getting them to show you how they pull a rabbit out of their hat, unless something else comes out.View attachment 293296

“Hey, Rocky!”

 

[Mike in FL]

I think people haven't changed in some regards. Their are lazy slobs then as now. Most cleaned, some didn't.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

Here in Ohio we only have low-bush moose. I see them in the backyard at night running around by the glow of their eyes.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[Rob M.]

They were cleaned after each firing ...

 

[Flint1]

I have read Wild Bill Hickok pulled the charges on his Colt 1851 Navies each morning and reloaded them since he knew black powder would pull moisture out of the air. What I read did not say he actually cleaned them. True or not I don't know, although I do know it absorbs moisture.

 

[Mike in FL]

I have read Wild Bill Hickok pulled the charges on his Colt 1851 Navies each morning and reloaded them since he knew black powder would pull moisture out of the air. What I read did not say he actually cleaned them. True or not I don't know, although I do know it absorbs moisture.

I have heard that about him.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Ages ago an acquaintance in Maine stole a Moose Crossing sign. The next day one of his employees hit a moose where the sign had been.

If the plural of Goose is Geese, why isn't the plural of Moose Meese? Semper Fi.

 

[reddogge]

I have read Wild Bill Hickok pulled the charges on his Colt 1851 Navies each morning and reloaded them since he knew black powder would pull moisture out of the air. What I read did not say he actually cleaned them. True or not I don't know, although I do know it absorbs moisture.

That could consume quite a bit of lead. Maybe he recast the balls each evening.

 

[randyt]

I have read Wild Bill Hickok pulled the charges on his Colt 1851 Navies each morning and reloaded them since he knew black powder would pull moisture out of the air. What I read did not say he actually cleaned them. True or not I don't know, although I do know it absorbs moisture.

I read and if memory serves in a 1930s American rifleman magazine, Wild Bill would fire them every morning and reload. Nit sure if he cleaned them. I'm going to find that magazine

 

[randyt]

With the large number of freshening rods some of the gunsmiths had on hand. I have to wonder if it was low grade iron or lack of good cleaning requiring a freshening

 

[backwoodsroamer]

A lot could be written on this subject , because many things common knowledge , weren't written about. Have read hundreds of chapters in old history books written by folks that lived back in the old days , pre 1800 , and If they were to go under attack , their leader would tell each militia family , "get your guns in order. " So what does that mean? How were the guns "out of order?" Pages could be written suggesting what that meant. One common thing repeated , guns were left hanging in warm places in rafters where fire places were used for heat , and cooking. If on the march , every night , some fired their guns , wiped , and reloaded. Indians on the march , did the same as written in their records , fire the gun at the end of the day , reloaded for the next use. That's about all I've learned on the subject.

I remember reading on the morning of the Battle of Waterloo many of the newer French recruits were alarmed to hear a large volume of musket fire coming from the Anglo-Dutch-Belgian encampment. The recruits believed an early morning attack was about to ensue.

The veterans among the French troops who had fought the British in the Peninsula War told their younger companions this was a normal occurrence. It seems the British were in the habit of keeping their weapons loaded overnight so as not to be surprised by a night attack. In the morning instead of going through the process of unloading their muskets with a worm, they simply fired their weapons in the general direction of the French encampment. They then cleaned their muskets and reloaded them in anticipation of the coming day's action.

 

[ETipp]

I have had many moose encounters. They have a poor sense of humor.

When I was living in MT, I had a big ole cow moose that had a young one in tow come after me. I still don't know why she did it because we were well over a couple of hundred yards apart when she first saw me. She was in a clear cut downhill and I was uphill on wooded ridge. But sure enough, she became vocal and came after me. There was a couple of feet of snow and I knew I couldn't run so I stayed in the thickest trees I could. It was elk season and the second to the worse thing I wanted to happen was to shoot that momma moose. The worst thing I wanted to happen was let that moose kill me first.

Fortunately, after a few half-hearted short charges, she backed away but she did get pretty darn close. Dang mooses can get flat ill at times.

 

[Cayman like]

I have read Wild Bill Hickok pulled the charges on his Colt 1851 Navies each morning and reloaded them since he knew black powder would pull moisture out of the air. What I read did not say he actually cleaned them. True or not I don't know, although I do know it absorbs moisture.

I read he fired them first. Then he cleaned and reloaded one before firing the other one, then cleaning and loading that one. He also took a pin and would poke it thru the nipples into the powder after reloading cuz he said "when I pull I must be sure"

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Seen lots of moose while horseback in the backcountry. They scare horses more than bears.
Back to the topic, I’m sure they kept them loaded and ready. And cleaned after use. Your life would depend on it.