In the movie 'Master and Commander' I noticed that the ship's canon were fired by flintlocks. Does anybody know when they started doing this? Any other details, like size of flint, amount of priming powder, etc.? :what: :thumbsup:
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Master and Commander
- Thread starter Musketeer
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robinghewitt
62 Cal.
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There were two types, pull the string and pistol with a long spout bent down at the end.
There was a French pull the string cannon lock on ebay a year or so ago, fetched a good price.
Survivors are kinda rare so I don't have a start date.
There was a French pull the string cannon lock on ebay a year or so ago, fetched a good price.
Survivors are kinda rare so I don't have a start date.
Robin, I'm believe the ones portrayed in the film were of the 'pull the string' variety. On the pistol fired type did they actually have to hold on to the pistol handle? Talk about recoil! :shocking: I checked out your homepage. In the picture in which you're firing the old Bess, are you just shooting a blank, or a ball? If shooting a ball, how much powder do you load behind it? Thanks. :thumbsup:
miqueleter
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:m2c:The Danes may have tried to get a flintlock to work as a cannon ignition as early as 1718. Same year for French attempts. Every navy got serious about it by the 1740's.
Mounting the darn thing seems to have been the challenge.
There is an excellent article on this very subject in the Nov. 1992 edition of Arms Collecting if you can get your hands on it. Darn things are sort of fascinating.
Mounting the darn thing seems to have been the challenge.
There is an excellent article on this very subject in the Nov. 1992 edition of Arms Collecting if you can get your hands on it. Darn things are sort of fascinating.
robinghewitt
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Hi Musketeer
Andy Courtney has a theory that the correct load for a Bess is, if you put any more in you would rather not pull the trigger ::
I got up to a monster load without pain, huge spouts of flame nearly reaching the target, then I decided that the 1/8" touch hole was a problem. I closed it down and 100-120 gns seems about right, the involuntary step backwards.
You know you've over cooked it when the middle finger of your right hand starts to feel like it has been bent out of shape ::
best regards
Squire Robin
GHH
Squire Robin (any relation to Robin of Locksley?),
Many thanks for the pistol pics! When you described them in your previous post, I was picturing a flint pistol attatched directly to a canon; hence, the recoil comment!
These appear like you simply touch the end of the curved spout to the vent of the canon (a much better approach).
:master: :master: :thumbsup:
Many thanks for the pistol pics! When you described them in your previous post, I was picturing a flint pistol attatched directly to a canon; hence, the recoil comment!
These appear like you simply touch the end of the curved spout to the vent of the canon (a much better approach).
:master: :master: :thumbsup:
robinghewitt
62 Cal.
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Hi Musketeer
I resisted getting a camp fire name for many years before I finally relented, it started as Squire Hewitt but now seems to be Squire Robin. I like it, it's friendly ::
GHH is something only understood by those who use the muzzleloaders emporium on Yahoo.
best regards
Squire Robin
GHH
