Loading a Flintlock on Pavement

[George T.]

Your local carpet store may very well have some sample squares that they will sell cheap or give away. I use them two deep. Geo. T.

 

[pargent]

I have just been loading my guns, butt on the ground ,on my foot, in the sand ,in the dirt, on the grass.

 

[MacRob46]

I have loaded every muzzle loading long gun I own by resting the butt on the top of my foot. It doesn't matter if I am loading on pavement, concrete or the ground. It keeps dirt off the butt and off my shoulder and prevents damaging the butt plate.

 

[FishDFly]

You can make a sand bag from old shot bags sewn shut or kids blue jeans legs sewn shut.

I prefer sand bags so the rifle is never on the ground when it's not on your foot during loading.

Cut up old tires will work along carpet which has been mentioned.

I have seen 2X4s covered with carpet as well.

In line matches, the rifle has to be "benched" at all times during cease fire, not sure I want the butt sitting on cement or dirt.

 

[Carl Fowler III]

I do the same..rest on foot and tap it up & down to settle the powder before placing patch & ball! :v

 

[George T.]

Man I must patch tighter than you guys do! the thoughts of that metal butt plate on my foot when I smack the short starter makes me cringe! Geo. T.

 

[cynthialee]

Man I must patch tighter than you guys do! the thoughts of that metal butt plate on my foot when I smack the short starter makes me cringe! Geo. T.

me 2!

 

[David Grout]

I guess I am lucky. The range I shoot at has thick rubber mats at the loading tables to rest the rifle butts on. The tables also have padded notches cut in them for the barrel of the rifle to rest in. In the field I use my foot.

 

[Len Graves]

I have small squares of truck mud flap that I throw on the concrete. A friend uses some pieces of conveyer belt.

 

[Many Klatch]

I'm with you Phil. If there are scraps of carpet lying around I'll use them, otherwise I use whatever ground cover or gravel happens to be under me.

Many Klatch

 

[pargent]

By no means am I rough with my guns when loading them , but all the longarm matches that I compete in are shot off the body in peroid dress, so that means that no frivilous manure is carted around by my self when shooting matches, same goes for cleaning them afterwards . I have found over the years that keeping every thing as simple as possible loading ,cleaning and shooting makes for a much more enjoyable time , the least number of things to forget to do or get mucked up .

 

[Zonie]

I usually use the top of my shoe if I'm not at a shooting range.

At a range I just toss one of the carpet scraps I got for free at a carpet store down on the concrete or dirt and use it to rest the butt of my rifles.

This one presented a bit more of a problem though

To load it I covered a piece of 4 X 4 lumber with carpeting. That keeps the tail of the butt plate off of the ground.

 

[Coot]

on the top of my foot.

You know, that could be why the top of my left buckle shoe has a shiny spot with a brassy sheen to it. :wink:

 

[richdeerht]

I've used a mouse pad. My foot is my other option.

 

[bob aliano]

I use a carpet sample square.

 

[mattybock]

another vote for foot usage.

 

[GaCop]

I will be going to the range, hopefully next week, to shoot my Flintlock for the first time. The area is paved where you would load up the rifle. My question is this: Do you guys bring something to put the rifle on when loading, so you don't scrape up the Butt Stock? Thanks

I built a butt stock rest out of scrap wood in my shop and covered that with a piece of outdoor carpet. It's small enought to fit in my shooting box.

Tom