Loading Muzzleloaders in the field

[Alden]

Wow, really!

LOL Sorry guys, I was being sarcastic -- couldn't you hear that!? I even own a few originals including, off the top of my head, a Springfield and a Green carbine with the battle-tested, time-proven, Maynard system and even have some tape around here. Actually, my guns are in at least as good (OK, better) real museum condition than the one in the photo (which shouldn't surprise anyone)...

 

[Kansas Jake]

Wow, Spikebuck, you were in my home town. I'll do a quick OT plug, if you are in that area check the museum out. They have lots of stuff, but most is from after 1850 to the 1950's.

 

[Kansas Jake]

The museum was started by a local person in the early 50's. Lots of stuff, but most has not been restored or in some cases even conserved as well as it could be. Still an interesting place worth a look.

 

[Spikebuck]

Wow, Spikebuck, you were in my home town. I'll do a quick OT plug, if you are in that area check the museum out.

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our all-day visit to the museum. And we pretty much just walked through all the buildings checking things out and not really studying things much.

If one is a car or farm tractor/implement buff, they'll really be impressed and interested in the vast collection of those items. The gun/weapons collection was rather small, but interesting.

I also highly recommend it to anyone traveling through the area. It's not far off I-80 and worth the detour! :thumbsup:

Now Alden...try to control yourself!!! :nono: :wink: :grin:

 

[Alden]

No prob. I'll be there next in September 2016. How's the parking lot though? That's the measure of a real museum I'm told...

 

[Kansas Jake]

What parking lot Alden? You just pull off of the dirt road and park in the ditch.

Actually there is plenty of paved parking. Also, if you are not from the area, you may want to check out Ft. Kearney State Historical site about 15-18 miles north and west of Minden near Kearney NE. It is on the Oregon Trail and has an interesting history. 30 miles east of Minden is Hastings, and they also have a neat history museum. I know this is off topic and I apologize, but it has a firearm collection plus a number of displays including stuffed whooping cranes and passenger pigeons.

 

[Alden]

It's all good -- thanks!

 

[Mad Irish Jack]

Maybe if he dispensed with the Belly Fob :hmm:
I made and use an item that essentially does the same thing, but has functionality and safety to it. It replaces the measure AND the short starter and when you get used to using it helps track where you are in the loading process. It's for my smoothbore using shot. Use an 8" length of a 1/2" diameter brass or copper tube. On a 1/2" wood dowel rod, sand the end so that it can snugly slide into the tube. Cut a 1/2" disc off the dowel and place it into the metal tube. Now measure your powder charge and dump into the opposite end of the metal tube. Return powder to source. Take a pencil or smaller dowel and push the inserted disc up until the charge is topped/leveled off with the other end. Mark the pushing dowel and place on the outer side of the tubing, the end which should be at the bottom of the disc. Add 1/2" to that. Now you need 3 or 4 small head brass tacks. Using a small drill bit make pilot holes into the disc for the tacks. Take a small 1/4" x 1" piece of deerskin or other soft leather. Attach to the tube making a loop using the tacks into the disc. Measure your shot load, pour into the opposite end from your charge. Using a dowel again, insert until it touches the shot, mark the dowel and then the tube. This end is excess and gets cut off.Return shot to its container, & cut off excess. Attach a length of leather lacing to the loop on the tube and the other end to your shooting pouch.
To Use: Measure charge, dump into barrel and leave tube in muzzle. It has the lace attached to your pouch which helps hold the gun upright. Powder end in muzzle tells you powder's in. Hands are free to get cards or wadding. Grasp barrel & remove tube with lace between pinky and ring fingers, insert wadding using the tube as a short starter. Seat wadding with ramrod. Tube out and ramrod in means powder and wads are in. Measure shot charge, remove ramrod, and dump into barrel. Leave tube in, Shot load end in muzzle tells you shot is in and an Over Shot Card or wad is needed to complete loading. Remove tube to place OSC and short start it. Drop tube at your side and ram card down with ramrod. Grasp lace and retreave tube and place into bag. Prime or cap and you are ready. :wink:

 

[azmntman]

Maybe if he dispensed with the Belly Fob :hmm:
I made and use an item that essentially does the same thing, but has functionality and safety to it. It replaces the measure AND the short starter and when you get used to using it helps track where you are in the loading process. It's for my smoothbore using shot. Use an 8" length of a 1/2" diameter brass or copper tube. On a 1/2" wood dowel rod, sand the end so that it can snugly slide into the tube. Cut a 1/2" disc off the dowel and place it into the metal tube. Now measure your powder charge and dump into the opposite end of the metal tube. Return powder to source. Take a pencil or smaller dowel and push the inserted disc up until the charge is topped/leveled off with the other end. Mark the pushing dowel and place on the outer side of the tubing, the end which should be at the bottom of the disc. Add 1/2" to that. Now you need 3 or 4 small head brass tacks. Using a small drill bit make pilot holes into the disc for the tacks. Take a small 1/4" x 1" piece of deerskin or other soft leather. Attach to the tube making a loop using the tacks into the disc. Measure your shot load, pour into the opposite end from your charge. Using a dowel again, insert until it touches the shot, mark the dowel and then the tube. This end is excess and gets cut off.Return shot to its container, & cut off excess. Attach a length of leather lacing to the loop on the tube and the other end to your shooting pouch.
To Use: Measure charge, dump into barrel and leave tube in muzzle. It has the lace attached to your pouch which helps hold the gun upright. Powder end in muzzle tells you powder's in. Hands are free to get cards or wadding. Grasp barrel & remove tube with lace between pinky and ring fingers, insert wadding using the tube as a short starter. Seat wadding with ramrod. Tube out and ramrod in means powder and wads are in. Measure shot charge, remove ramrod, and dump into barrel. Leave tube in, Shot load end in muzzle tells you shot is in and an Over Shot Card or wad is needed to complete loading. Remove tube to place OSC and short start it. Drop tube at your side and ram card down with ramrod. Grasp lace and retreave tube and place into bag. Prime or cap and you are ready. :wink:

hotoSmile:

 

[Mad Irish Jack]

hotoSmile: hotoSmile:

OK, here y'are. you can engrave or scratch; Pdr-??gr [] Shot- ???gr, onto the tube. You fill in your numbers. Mine are Pdr70 and Shot105
:v :hatsoff:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Here's a video I made some time back showing two loads and shots from my .54 flintlock.

https://youtu.be/bBZsbLUF4Wg

 

[Rifleman1776]

Must be a loose fit.
My brain went "YIKES!" when you poured that #2 charge down the barrel only seconds after shooting. I always swab between shots. At least yer face wan't over the muzzle.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Moderately tight fit: 0.530" ball and 0.017/18" patch. That and 85 gr FFg (as loaded) is my hunting load. You'll notice my head or hand is never over the bore - even seating the ball. Worst case is burned fingers and flashed cheeks.

The secret is Moose Juice dry lube. ;-)

Actually, the L.C. Rice radius crown and lapped bore and tapered rammer make it so I can get by without a short starter.